Tuesday, 25 June 2013

The Ingredients That Are Found In Ink

By Keren Kipfer


Every household in the United States has some use for ink, whether it is an ink pen or an inkjet printer. In addition, businesses use ink every day as well for a variety of important tasks. While ink is highly important, most people don't really know much about how it is made or what it contains, so here are a few interesting facts about ink.

In general, while the actual formula might vary, ink contains three different components. The first component is the colorant. Colorants are either pigment inks or dye inks, depending on what you need. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages. Dyes are stronger than pigments and have a bigger color range and generally are less expensive than pigments. However, they are highly water soluble so if you drop a tiny speck of water on a piece of paper with dye ink, it can ruin the entire page. In addition, dye inks tend to fade more quickly.

Pigments, on the other hand, are more expensive and have a lower color range. So why would anyone want pigment inks? These pigment inks are more water resistant and also last longer. Pigment inks also dry very quickly, which gives them another advantage. However, improvements in dye ink have made bleeding and fading much less of a problem. Typically, pigment inks are used on slicker surfaces while dyes are used when you want to showcase really vibrant colors.

The next component in inks is the binder, which also is known as the vehicle. This binder is what helps the ink adhere to the surface on which it is being placed. The binder also helps the ink flow from the press or cartridge onto the surface on which you are printing. Typically, different types of resins are used to make these binders, and each is carefully formulated. Many resins are oil based.

Another component of ink is additives, and these have many functions. Each manufacturer has its own formula of additives. These are used to improve drying times, to help ink flow, to improve lubrication and to make an ink more mar resistant. The additives include substances such as oils, including flax seed oil, linseed oil and china wood oil. Petroleum-based oils also are sometimes used, as well as dry or wet waxes. Cobalt and manganese often are used to improve oxidation or drying time.

Ink comes in several different forms, including liquid form, dry or as a paste. Make-up fluids are then added before the inks are used in a printer. If you own an industrial coder, such as a Domino coder, Altima coder or perhaps a VideoJet id printer, you can purchase low-cost, high-quality inks from a product id company that specializes in selling inks, parts and services for those businesses that use id coders.




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