Media for Inkjet Transparency Film

[wildbillbugman]

A recent Thread brought to mind a question. Dose anyone know what sort of binders are used on the "emulsion side" of inkjet transparency films. I realize that this is "proprietary" informatrion. And it probably varies from one brand to another. But can anyone partialy satify my curiosity?
Bill

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

I bet it is polyurethane.

[holmburgers]

This is what I found with a very quick and dirty patent search... http://www.google.com/patents?id=XTg...page&q&f=false Granted it's not for inkjets, but Xerox

But it mentions some kinda polymers, so it's right up your alley!

Do you know if these transparency "papers" will accept a gelatin emulsion?

update: Here, try this one on for size http://www.google.com/patents?id=KZk...inkjet&f=false

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

I found a better contender , silicone foam , extremelly flexible , cheap , optical clear and can be bought as a foam composition.

I read somewhere , they burn the whiskey casks inside and inject hot steam on to it and wood develops trillions of foam like structure. May be they apply heat on to the surface of plastic and than apply a chemical vapor to turn it in to a foam.

And polyurethane foams once used at boat , aircraft building. Without need a glass fiber wetting , you brush the epoxy on to this expensive foam , epoxy sucked by plastic and it sets inside.

So polyurethane comes 1 liter 3 dollars and expands in to 55 liter foam. There are transparent PU patents also.

There are many silicone and PU manufacturers and prices damn cheap.

You can consult them.

[Photo Engineer]

This is what I found with a very quick and dirty patent search... http://www.google.com/patents?id=XTg...page&q&f=false Granted it's not for inkjets, but Xerox

But it mentions some kinda polymers, so it's right up your alley!

Do you know if these transparency "papers" will accept a gelatin emulsion?

update: Here, try this one on for size http://www.google.com/patents?id=KZk...inkjet&f=false

Materials used for transparent copy are entirely different than those used for transparent inkjet. One requires conductivity and the other requires mordant capability just for starters.

I have tried coating on inkjet film and paper materials with poor results to date.

PE

[DPVisions]

I believe most of the coatings used for inkjet film and paper are relatively close and maybe a slight change in the specific binder formulation to adhere to porus and non porus substrates. I have been researching this for some time with the hopes of using a similar formulation to coat different substrates with photo emulsions. From my understanding of the patent research and other published research studies most coatings are made up of PVA or PVB and have fumed silica and kaolin added.

I have taken a sheet of printed Pictorico and washed in water and the sheet turns completely clear, then as it dries goes to a milky white color and then when completely dry back to the original transparent state. Pigmented ink does not wash away with water but will wash away with a strong solvent like ethanol.

Here are a two links of information that I found helpful and can lead down many other pathways.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7901749.html- Talks about PVA and specifically Kuraray R-1100 product Bill and I have mentioned.
http://www.cabot-corp.com/Silicas-An...7251238PM8024/ - Talks about fumed silicas and inkjet coatings

Cheers,
David