Digital BW, The Print

Ernst,

>...
> The line below the molecule structure pictures says:  Epson’s
> newly developed Claria ink is much more resistant to light and
> ozone thanks to its tightly clustered pigment molecules.

This says to me this ink is, in fact, a pigment ink.  Here's a potentially
random thought: is this Epson's entry into the un-coated pigment market?  Do
you suppose they've noticed the un-coated pigs have lower bronzing and they
can't really solve the problem with their coated UC pigs?  So, they enter
with a particle size that is so low that they get dye-like transparency and
non-settling, but with pigment like lightfastness.  Calling it a "dye" may
be a marketing approach to signal its superior performance on glossy paper.

I wonder also if the, presumably, very small particle size, but still rather
good, pigment-like stability, indicates that the particle size to
lightfastness relationship is not linear.  Apparently some of these
substances simply become transparent when they oxidize.  If that is the
case, then they may still function as barriers to oxidation of interior
molecules.  If that is going on, then it makes sense that there would be a
non-linear relationship between size and oxidation rate.


> ... The cyan shows good properties in both old dye and Claria.

Cyan, which I assume is a phthalocyanine, is the most lightfast color I've
tested also.  I've never tested it directly against the carbon, but I'll bet
it's close to carbon in stability.  I've been suspicious that the Epson k3
neutral pigments may be slightly neutralized with some cyan.  That would
account for the slight green hue.

>... a piëzohead is far
> more expensive than the new thermo heads are (nozzles
> counted). ...

Yes, the Epson heads, however, appear to have the advantage of variable dot
size and smaller drops.  So, smoothness may be where the piezo head
technology will have its advantage -- which is just what we see in the 260.

At any rate, it'll be interesting to watch the competition.  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com