Allowing for broader expression in design as well as the ability to print on a wide range of media, the addition of white toner to the toner palette has been highly anticipated.
Not only can white toner be used on its own in printing on transparent film and colored paper, it also has the important function of acting as a sub-layer beneath other color images.
With superior whiteness and low-temperature fusing properties that are achieved through its signature EA manufacturing process, FUJIFILM Business Innovation has brought out its newly developed white toner to again stamp its mark on the industry.
Differing from standard color which is produced by absorbing some colors and reflecting others, white color in images is produced when all colors in light are refracted or scattered. To achieve this in toner, it is necessary for white pigment with a high index of refraction to be dispersed both consistently and in high concentration within printed images (Fig. 1). Conventional toner produced by pulverization methods was prone to leave white pigment exposed on the toner surface, creating concerns regarding electricity leakage which could cause defective toner charging or cause damage to device parts such as the photoreceptor and transfer belt. The new evolution of EA toner manufacturing, however, has successfully addressed this issue, allowing high concentration and consistent dispersion of white pigment within a shell-like structure that is formed with high precision on the toner surface and acts to prevent the pigment inside from being exposed. This evolution has allowed white toner to be applied in xerographic systems with a level of whiteness that surpasses that of offset printing (Fig. 2).
Fig.1: Difference between color and white images(conceptual image)
Fig.2: White toner structure(conceptual image)
FUJIFILM Business Innovation’s white toner boasts industry-leading low-temperature fusing performance made possible through itsSuper EA-Eco toner technology. By optimizing our sharp-melting polyester resin micro-dispersion technology for use in white toner, the same low-temperature fusing properties have now been successfully reproduced in white. Iridesse Production Press—a device equipped with six-color imaging system technology and loadable with both white and Super EA-Eco toner—has become the first device in the industry to be able to produce images by layering both white toner and other colors in just a single print pass. Not only does this produce superior whiteness, it also allows the printing of color images that are unaffected by media type while maintaining high productivity. The combination of these developments has taken FUJIFILM Business Innovation devices a step further in producing stand-out, captivating design on demand, adding further value to our customers’ print output (Fig. 3).