Pigmented Black

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=120 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="039f0f21egerdp.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="03a203c0.jpg" border=0 width="32" height="60" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Lucida Calligraphy" ><I><B>Ink Jet Specialties, Inc.</B></I></FONT><B>      |  </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ink Jet Specialties, Inc."><U><B>Home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___accessories___syringes__needles__plugs__clips__bottom_fill.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Accessories"><U>Accessories</U></A>   |   <A HREF="batteries.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Batteries"><U>Batteries</U></A>   |   <A HREF="replacement_toners_for_copy_machines.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Copier Supplies"><U>Copier Supplies</U></A>   |   <A HREF="fusers.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fusers"><U>Fusers</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___your_on_line_source_for_new_and_remanufactured_cartridges_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ink Jet Cartridges"><U>Ink Jet Cartridges</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ipod.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="iPod"><U>iPod</U></A>   |   <A HREF="keyboards.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Keyboards"><U>Keyboards</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___ink_jet_specialties___your_on_line_source_for_new_and_rema.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Laser Cartridges"><U>Laser Cartridges</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___mail_in_order_form.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mail in order form"><U>Mail in order form</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___glossy_and_matt_photo_paper__glossy_business_and_greeting_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Papers"><U>Papers</U></A>   |   <A HREF="power_accesories.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Power Accesories"><U>Power Accesories</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___power_adpters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Power Adpters"><U>Power Adpters</U></A>   |   <A HREF="projector.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Projector Lamps"><U>Projector Lamps</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___bulk_ink.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bulk Inks "><U>Bulk Inks </U></A>   |   <B>Pigmented Black</B>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___compatible_ribbons_for_dot_matrix__computer_printers_and_p.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Printer Ribbons"><U>Printer Ribbons</U></A>   |   <A HREF="ink_jet_specialties___compatible_fax_ribbons_for_brother__canon__maurata___panas.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thermal Fax Ribbons"><U>Thermal Fax Ribbons</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Privacy Statement"><U>Privacy Statement</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=21% BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="038f2f02egerdp.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="10" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="6" WIDTH="121" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#888888" BORDERCOLORDARK="#555555" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#66334C > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF HEIGHT= 96 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ink Jet Specialties, Inc."><U><IMG SRC="37753590.jpg" border=0 width="83" height="89" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:sales@inkjetspecialties.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:sales@inkjetspecialties.com"><U><B> <img src="HTMLobj-452/aniGif.gif" alt="E-Mail" border="0" align="bottom" width="67" height="50">  </B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=360 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="37cf2f23.jpg"> <div> <I>Pigmented Black</I></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>What is the difference between pigmented ink and dye based inks?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>All ink jet printer inks used in the home and most businesses use a similar formulation. The basic make-up of ink jet inks is de-ionized water as the solvent, isopropyl alcohol or glycol as the drying agent, and dye base to provide the color. These materials as well as proprietary ingredients are mixed in various proportions to form ink jet inks. Depending on the page speed, print head design and color capabilities, the actual proportion of the ingredients will vary. All dye-based ink jet ink formulations have the same problem, they lack water resistance.</B></div> <div> <B>The introduction of pigmented black inks changed this, instead of using water soluble dye to provide color, pigmented inks use small particles suspended in the base solution to provide the color. To keep the particles from settling out of the solution the pigment particles are coated with a polymer material to generate a static charge around the particle, thereby keeping the particles from clumping. </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>The main advantage of pigmented inks</B></div> <bR> <div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Pigmented ink particles tend to settle into the tiny fibers that make up the paper. As the ink dries, the pigment particles get stuck in the fibers. Thus, the pigmented inks are more water-resistant than the dye-based inks. Only about 5 to 10 percent of the ink will reflow if the paper is hit by water. You might think of dye-based ink on paper as similar to a beach covered with sand. Because of this, dye-based ink tends to fade quicker, since all of the molecules are exposed to the chemical and sunlight-caused reactions that fade the ink. You may notice fading of dye-based inks exposed to direct sunlight commonly in 6 to 12 months. Pigment particles are similar to an umbrella on a beach. It is much more difficult for sunlight and chemicals to react with all of the pigment molecules, since most of them are hidden under the umbrella. Pigmented inks will usually last for many years before fading becomes noticeable.  Also the small particle size allows sharper image detail on even low-grade paper as the ink is less susceptible to bleeding and wicking on the paper fibers.</B></FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B>The disadvantages</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Pigmented ink in black tends to have a charcoal appearance and so far color-pigmented inks do not provide a good color match to dye based formulations. In addition pigmented inks are very expensive to produce, costing 2 to 4 times that of dye based inks. </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Cartridges</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Canon </B><B>BC-23</B><B> cartridges must use pigmented ink. </B><B>HP</B><B> Black cartridges 51629 and 51645 can be filled with either dye-based or pigmented ink. </B><B>Lexmark </B><B> cartridges of the 12A1970  part number or the xxxx400 part numbers use a pigmented ink.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>