Critical Analysis of Ink-Trapping on Paper Substrate using Piezoelectric Inkjet

Abstract

The ability of the ink to trap or not trap on top of another layer of ink, affecting the degree of colour reproduction, contrast, and the overall quality of the print, is a critical issue in colour reproduction and contrast. This research paper critically explores the behaviour of the ink trapping on various types of paper substrates when using piezoelectric inkjet printing technology. Three types of paper, i.e., gloss-coated, matt-coated, and plain were examined with respect to surface properties, i.e. porosity, Cobb value and roughness. A test chart was printed with cyan, magenta, and yellow inks and trapping efficiency assessed by spectrophotometric analysis. The results suggest that uncoated paper trapped the most ink with blue (cyan + magenta) and that the matt-coated paper trapped the most ink with green (cyan + yellow) and red (magenta + yellow). Gloss coated paper has had the lowest values of trapping always. The statistical analysis led to the conclusion that Cobb value and porosity have a strong effect on ink trapping, and high Cobb and porosity values relate to the high rate of ink penetration and mixing. The findings highlight the vital importance of substrate properties in the quality of inkjet prints and that paper is not a passive component in the structure of the image but rather an active component. It was hoped that these discoveries would guide printers, manufacturers and designers to make informed choices of substrates to maximise colour fidelity and visual effect in inkjet printing.