Enhanced ink-absorption performance of inkjet printing paper-based patterns with core-shell-structure CaCO3@SiO2 pigments

The inorganic core-shell pigment CaCO3@SiO2 was synthesized using a sol-gel method, and the pigment was applied as a surface coating on inkjet paper to study the influence of inorganic core-shell pigments on the dynamic permeability, surface properties, optical properties and inkjet-printing performance of coated paper. CaCO3@SiO2 prepared using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) had better coverage than that prepared using polystyrene sodium sulfate (PSS) dispersant. The CMC-prepared CaCO3@SiO2-a had improved dispersibility, and the solids content of the coating reached 35 %. Inorganic core-shell pigments improve the surface and optical properties of the coated paper, making them similar to those of a reference calcium carbonate-coated paper. The smoothness and gloss improved by 60.8 % and 78.4 Vs, respectively, compared with those of silica-coated paper. The inkjet solid density and dot definition increased by 28.8 % and 4.1 %, respectively, compared with those of the calcium carbonate-coated paper. Preparing inorganic core-shell pigment CaCO3@SiO2 is an effective method to fabricate inkjet printing coatings with advantageous microstructures for ink absorption.