Colloidal Silica and Alumina
Instant-dry coating layers for
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High gloss and
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Photo glossy ink-jet printing
require the use of pigment particles in the nanometer range such as the SYLOJET® 4000-series and the LUDOX® grades.
The silica particles of these products are spherical and small enough not to interact with visible light, providing a high gloss level and excellent transparency.
Colloidal chemistry has a significant influence on product performance, since the small particles are supplied as aqueous dispersions, where electrical charges keep the spheres apart.
Tight control of pH, temperature and solvent concentration and prevention of reactions with oppositely charged additives are key to creating functional coating layers with a porous structure for high liquid absorption capacity.
Grace Technical Customer Service can provide expert support in this area and help to design premium quality formulations.
Beside ink-receptive coatings, colloidal pigments are used in numerous other applications related to ink-jet technology.