Difference between dye ink and pigment ink

author: Uvink

2022-12-20

Difference between dye ink and pigment inkDye ink is a molecular level fully dissolved ink.

This ink is a complete composite solution. The probability of blocking the ink head is very

small, and it is easy to be absorbed by the material after painting. It is bright in color and low

in cost. The disadvantage is that it is not waterproof. In addition, because the dye molecules

are quickly separated under ultraviolet radiation, it will obviously fade within one month of

use under outdoor ultraviolet light. The advantages are bright colors, clear layers and lower

price than pigment ink, so it is the first choice for printing pictures, making color ink-jet business

cards and other purposes.

Pigment ink is the powder ink. Of course, this is just an image statement, not accurate enough.

To be exact, it grinds solid pigments into very fine particles and dissolves them in a special

aqueous solvent. It is a suspension solution or semi solution, which is the same as the pigment

used for printing and dyeing clothes. For example, sublimation ink. Contrary to the principle

that dye ink infiltrates into the medium to form color, it generates color by attaching color

materials to the surface of the medium (such as copy paper or printing paper)

Difference between dye ink and pigment inkTherefore, it has the advantage of printing with

pigment ink. Even if it is printed on ordinary paper, it will not swim in ink. Moreover, because

the pigment itself is waterproof, it is not easy to be decomposed by ultraviolet light, so it has

strong water resistance and light resistance. Even if it is used outdoors, the printed things can

last for more than a year without obvious signs of fading.

The disadvantage is that most pigment inks will cause residual color materials on the surface.

Therefore, even printing on glossy paper and other paper with flat surface cannot print glossy

images, which is why things printed with pigment inks generally have no luster. In addition,

the manufacturing cost of pigment ink is higher, so the selling price is also higher than that

of dye ink, and the price difference is more than two to four times.