Digital BW, The Print

My reading indicates that electrostatically stabilized pigment
dispersion approaches are pH sensitive.  That is, if the pH is off too
much, the pigments may not stay suspended as well.  I believe this form
of stabilization approach is used by Eboni (some speculation here) and
the HP Vivera pigments (HP in combination with steric stabilization).

My cheap new pH meter indicates that Eboni and HP Grey inks are close to
pH 8 (HP perhaps a bit above and Eboni just below).  The bases I most
often use today are closer to pH 6, if not a bit less. I think that
increasing the pH of the base we use to dilute the carbon inks might
improve the ink mixes we make.

Triethanolamine (often referred to as TEA) is, according to Wikipedia,
often used as a "pH balancer in cosmetic preparations in a variety of
different products - ranging from skin lotion, eye gels, moisturizers,
shampoos, shaving foams etc."  The HP Vivera MSDSs disclose that it is
used in them.

TEA has been used for some time in photographic applications and is
available at Photographers' Formulary.  See
http://www.photoformulary.com/DesktopModules/StoreProductDetails.aspx?pr\
oductID=588&tabid=0&tabindex=0&categoryid=0&selection=0&langId=0&Search=\
triethanolamine
<http://www.photoformulary.com/DesktopModules/StoreProductDetails.aspx?p\
roductID=588&tabid=0&tabindex=0&categoryid=0&selection=0&langId=0&Search\
=triethanolamine>

Just a few drops of TEA in 10 grams of C6 base
(http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Ink-Mixing.pdf
<http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Ink-Mixing.pdf> ) takes the pH up to
8.  Cheap Litmus paper makes it easy to mix and measure, slowly, until
the pH test strip indicates that pH 8 has been reached.

TEA might be a contender for the next ink mixing base.

(Again, I'm not a trained chemist, and all comments are most welcomed.)

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.PaulRoark.com>





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