采用ToF-SIMS分析喷墨油墨各组分在纸基中的分布

Distribution of Inkjet Ink Components via ToF-SIMS Imaging

摘译 数字印刷得以持续发展的一个原因是其具有较高的印刷质量，这里所说印刷质量主要是指成品的光学指标，它主要受油墨与纸基相互作用的影响，包括油墨在纸基表面的扩散（XY方向）和向纸基内部的渗透（Z方向），两者相互作用的平衡点是能获得最佳印品质量的关键。消费者主要通过着色剂（染料或颜料）的分布，从视觉上评判印品质量，但油墨的其他组分（连结料／溶剂、助溶剂、表面活性剂等）对影像的形成和纸基对油墨的吸收有重要影响。

To optimize the performance of the inkjet printing process it is of significant importance to have greater understanding of the spatial arrangement of not only ink colourant, but also other ink components such as surfactant, solvent and/ or cosolvent. In this work, the capabilities of Time-of-Flight （ToF） SIMS are applied to study the spreading （xy distribution） of a custom inkjet ink formulation, containing cationic crystal violet dye, ethoxylated surfactant and ink vehicle/solvent marked by lithium salt on uncoated and coated papers. High spatially resolved images obtained by ToF-SIMS clearly illustrate differentiation of individual ink components, with irregular spreading on uncoated paper leading to poor edge defini- tion, and as a result, poor print quality. ToF-SIMS images and distribution profiles of ink components on ＇best＇ and ＇worst＇ commercial paper samples show that the cationic dye is preferentially adsorbed by both substrates, colocalizing with the surfactant. However, the solvent, marked by lithium salt, spreads 20% more than cationic dye on coated paper, and 25% more than the dye on uncoated paper. The variability in preferential absorption of ink components due to morphology, chemistry and topography of paper, may be taken as an indication of print quality.