Title
The effect of laser inkless eco-printing on the carbonized microstructure of paper
Authors
JINXIANG CHEN LINA XU JUAN XIE YONG WANG LE PAN and QIAO ZU

Received May 20, 2014
Published Volume 50 Issue 1 January
Keywords paper, inkless eco-printing, SEM microscopy, microstructure, Zink

Abstract
The effect of laser inkless eco-printing (LIEP) on the carbonized microstructure of paper has been analyzed using two microscopes and a color luminance meter. It has been observed that after LIEP, the carbonized microstructure of paper presents three categories of features: small holes, cauliflower core-like clots, and fibrous features. When the printing power reaches a given value, pyrolysis and carbonization occur on the surface fibers of the paper. The higher the laser power, the more completely the fibers are broken down, and the formation of cauliflower core-like particles primarily occurs with high-level laser energy. In the carbonized microstructure, the transition zone of the printing boundary of the paper is typically several microns (or even zero microns), and the boundary is clear. It is concluded that when applying the proper parameter combinations, the fibers on the paper surface can undergo a large amount of carbonization and yellow discoloration, satisfying the printing requirements.