Digital BW, The Print

Steve Kale wrote:
> What I've been told by the guys there is that they are essentially taking
> pigment and "grinding" it to substantially smaller particle sizes using the
> latest nanotechnology - hence the brand Nanochromes.  If one can get a
> higher density solution of much smaller (less light scattering) pigment
> particles that can still be placed on paper via inkjet technology then it's
> not surprising you can get better densities/chroma.  I think quite a lot of
> insight to the issues at hand can be gleaned from Vogt's thesis beginning on
> pg 12 under "Colorants for Ink Jet Inks".  While an overview only, I suspect
> it's a useful introduction for non chemists like myself.  At the end of the
> day, though, the proof is in the pudding and we'll have to see how they
> perform.  I look forward to receiving some of their ink next week.


Steve,

Grinding down pigment particles usually results in lower
coloring quality. The pigments used in inkjet printing are a
kind of knotted up color dye molecules and have very small
sizes already, doubt that the technology is just a new
grinding process that makes even smaller particles. The nano
term is thrown in for its hype factor I think.

Speculation part:
I can't place the infusion part (so often referred to) in what
you describe. I got the impression it is more like a nanosize
(but all inkjet ink particles fall in that category) ball size
plastic "granulate" (the resin) that gets colored by immersion
in a dye bath. Much like the way they color plastic parts
after injection molding. The last is done to keep the
injection molding batches large and the white products get a
long lasting color in smaller batches so can be custom
colored. This technology is related to the sublimation
ink process used for textile but also used for plastics and
even ceramic tiles.

Bayer has pages on their plastic parts coloring by infusion,
Google with Bayer + Aura + Fantasia

I guess John recognised the inkjet ink possibilities of that
technology. Much depends now on how much better a particle
like that behaves to light than the knotted up color dye
molecules we know as inkjet pigment and the last with an
acrylic coating like the UC. The properties of the resin
particles will be a deciding factor in the gloss quality. The
size of the particles and penetration of the dye in the layer
is important for the gamut and the fade properties. It could
well be that the penetration is total. All together there must
have been quite some work gone in that technology.

Their R&D is probably much better than the way they try to get
this product on the market. You may argue that we should help
them more. I don't think so. A good product as revolutionary
as they describe it deserves a good introduction and not the
haphazard statements, horrible presentation of an unfinished
product on the Photokina, promised dates, we have seen so far
over the last two years culminating in the Nanochrome page
with the test contradiction. Less money would have been lost
if they had devoted their time on the product and the
introduction + a good test (Q-Lab would have been good too
with the right procedure) and announced it for the first time
today with everything ready. And be more transparent on what
it is based on. That would have given us a lot of confidence.
Now we have 3 promoters for the same product on more than one
list and their talk is obscure.

What I wrote above about the technology is pure
speculation on my part based on the terms used so far, I could
be totally wrong and the whole product could also still be a 
hype.
I'll wait and be happy when it turns out to be a good thing
after all. Duane expressed the sentiment in the wide format
list quite right but it wasn't as B&W as he sketched it.


                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


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