Characterizing inkjet inks: Malvern Instruments presents new rheological research
Dr. John Duffy, Rheology Technical Specialist, Malvern Instruments, will present new experimental data that shows how the recently launched m-VROCi microfluidic rheometer can be used alongside the Kinexus rotational rheometer and Zetasizer Nano dynamic light scattering (DLS) system to efficiently develop high performance ceramic inkjet inks. Entitled ‘Optimize ceramic inkjet ink printability, stability & behavior using rheology’, the webinar explores the application of rheological and particle size data to characterize the physical stability, printhead compatibility and jet-ability of inkjet inks. This same research is also accessible via a recently published Malvern application note ‘Optimizing Rheology for Ceramic Inkjet Inks’, which is available for download at www.malvern.com/en/CeramicInkjetRheology.
Inkjet printing has substantial advantages over traditional ceramic tile decoration techniques, improving the definition of the pattern or image, reducing waste and providing greater automation. However, ensuring process performance and end product quality relies on engineering inkjet inks which perform appropriately across a wide range of conditions, from the low shear stress associated with storage through to the extremely high shear rates generated within an inkjet print head.
Malvern’s Kinexus rotational rheometers deliver high performance characterization of dispersions and complex fluids and are capable of measuring viscosities over a wide range of shear rates and shear stresses. The Kinexus is especially well-suited to low shear stress measurements that relate to gravitational processes, such as inkjet ink pigment sedimentation during storage. The m-VROCi allows the robust measurement of low viscosity formulations at ultra-high shear rates, such as those experienced in the inkjet printhead itself, which cannot be measured using conventional rheometry techniques. Together the two instruments provide the rheological understanding needed to develop high performance inkjet inks for highly efficient, high quality ceramic printing processes.
