Effect of paper properties on print quality of ink jet printer

The interactions of ink jet inks with the substrate,are very complex and dependent on various parameters.. Since aqueous-based inks are most popular, this work is concentrated on aqueous-based inks in drop-on-demand printer. The rapid growth of ink jet printers has. created a rapid expansion of ink jet paper market. However, it requires proper understanding of ink drying and ink-paper interaction. Wide variation of print quality is expected due to variation of ink formulation and paper properties, The print quality is highly dependent, on paper properties specifically on its smoothness and absorption characteristics. In this study, the smoothness and absorption properties of different grades of papers are measured. A Bristow tester is used to study ink-paper interaction and drying time at different circumferential speeds. It has been seen that the paper properties have a significant effect on print quality. The study shows that the smoothness and the absorption characteristics of paper affects ink-paper interaction and finally the Image quality of printer.