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Inkjet Printing Substrates

Rafi BronsteinRafi.Bronstein@HP.com

Inkjet Printing

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Inkjet ink

An inkjet ink is a low viscosity liquid containing various pigments and/or dyes and some other components. It is used for coloring a surface to produce an image

Spreads faster than it dries/cures

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Inkjet Inks

Inkjet inks are absorbent substances and require specially coated paper for optimum results.

“Photographic" inkjet papers “work” with the characteristics of the ink to reproduce photo-quality images.

Inkjet paper should have excellent ink adherence, high scratch and kink resistance, bleed control for sharp edges and high densities for more vibrant colours.

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Types of Inkjet Printing Substrates

Substrate is a term used in industrial printing to describe the base material onto which images will be printed. Base materials include (though are not limited to):

films,

foils,

textiles,

fabrics,

plastics,

any variety of paper and others

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Substrate Requirements

Runnability - the ability of the paper to be transported smoothly through the print engine;

Printability - the ability of the media, interacting with the marking material, to produce an image of the desired quality;

Usability - a variety of characteristics such as overall look and feel, freedom from curl, cockle and bleed-through, image permanence, and readiness for finishing operations such as folding, creasing and binding.

Lightfastness - ultraviolet or UV stability is a very important feature that is completely determined by the inks and media.

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Substrate Requirements

Porosity – special coating providing fast ink absorption

Gloss – type of finishing/coating that ensures special image quality

Minimal delta E

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Inkjet Paper

Inkjet paper is paper designed for inkjet printers, typically classified by its weight (gram/m2), brightness and smoothness, and sometimes by its opacity.

Inkjet printing requires the paper to have exactly the right degree of absorbency to accept the ink but prevent its sideways spread.

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Coated paper properties

- Limits and controls dot size and shape

- Holds colorant on surface, control the absorption rate

- Provide brilliant and neutral reflective background

- Reduces "curling"

- Provide various textures, and appearance

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Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects

Curl

Puddling

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Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects

Banding

Mottling

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Examples of Substrate Caused Print Defects

Bleed

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Types of coatings

Barrier coating (prevents saturation)

Reflective coating

Sealer coating

Texture/Finish coating

Gloss coating

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Ink Receptive Coatings

Base substrate: paper, PE film, fabric, vinyl …

Fiber based: coated

Photo based: glossy coating

Synthetic base: coated

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Inkjet Receptive Coating

Top coating

Back coat

Control coat

Cellulosefibers

PAPER CROSS SECTION

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Inkjet Receptive Coating Functions

Before printing: Tactile properties improvement (smoothness,

stickiness), optical properties (brightness, whiteness), mechanical properties (curl, coefficient of friction)

In course of printing Control the movement of ink vehicle on the surface, to

affect image quality and ink absorption rate

After printing: Durability, handleability

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Receptive Coating Components

Polymer coating Improves strength, affects wettability, holds

colorant at the surface, improves smoothness

Pigment coating Increases stiffness, affects porosity, absorbs

water, increases brightness and opacity

Additives Improves manufacturing conditions

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Types of Inkjet Receptive Coating

Porous coating

H2O/Solventevaporation

SUBSTRATE SUBSTRATE

SUBSTRATE

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Types of Inkjet Receptive Coating

Swellable coating

H2O/Solventevaporation

SUBSTRATE

SUBSTRATESUBSTRATE

•Hybrid coating

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Porous Coating

Absorbs ink via capillary pressure

Fast ink absorption

Limited ink holding capacity

Potentially high water resistance

Low lightfastness with dye inks

Colorant penetration

Limited substrate choice

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Swellable Coating

Absorbs ink via solvation and diffusion

Slow ink absorption

Large ink holding capacity

Potentially low water resistance

High lightfastness with dye inks

Suitable for a variety of substrates

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Hybrid Coating

A subclass of swellable coating

Requires large amount of coating pigment

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Photographic inkjet paper

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Film substrates

TRANSPARENCY FILM Special surface to hold the ink

  SILVER REFLECTIVE FILM

Excellent special affects; Applications include marketing, certificates, crafts, business cards

WINDOW DECAL Clear film with an adhesive backing

Backlit film Is a unique translucent flexible sign face material,

 

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Film substrates

Mesh - A unique open-weave flexible sign face material. Bright white background for accurate colors Material consistency for image quality Strong lightweight flexible material Stretch-free for long-term mechanical stability Semi-gloss finish for luminescent graphics Resists scratches, punctures, wrinkles and folds Seamable

Canvas - An environmentally friendly polyester fabric. Coated for optimized ink adhesion and color reproduction

Bright white background for accurate colors Unique texture for optimized print results Stretchable fabric for framing Optimized tensile strength for Matte finish for indoor application Sewable Repels pollution and washes clean in water Tolerates repeated rolling and unrolling

 

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Polyester Substrate

Image printed on uncoated (left) and coated (right) polyester films

Imaged polyester with cracked coating in printed area

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Finishing

Hem

Seaming

Sewing

Pole Pockets

Grommets

In panels

No finishing

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New substrates drives

Digital printing

New applications enabled

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Ink jet Printing Substrates

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Paper

Paper

Mylar

Paper

CAD

GA

Wide Format

Security

Paper

Textile

Rigid

Signage

Floor covering

Wall Covering

POP

Fabricated products

Printed glass

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Q&A

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Thank you