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High-frequency transmission is limited to the skin depth in metals. Because poor conductivity cannot be compensated for by increasing the conductor thickness as with DC, optimal transport properties are prerequisites for radio frequency (RF) use. Structural and chemical analyses of transmission lines printed using a traditional ink consisting of Ag nanoflakes in a dispersing phase revealed that optimized thermal treatments yielded thorough burnout of the binder, significant grain growth, elimination of the pore volume, and electrical responses that were comparable to values obtained for thermally evaporated, fully dense Ag controls. Specifically, a low DC resistivity of 2.3 μΩ·cm (1.4× bulk Ag) and RF transmission coefficients of 0.87 and 0.75 at 5 GHz and 10 GHz, respectively, were measured in the nanoflake Ag prints. Conversely, in transmission lines printed from a metal-organic decomposition ink, residual chemical contamination impeded diffusion and densification, yielding greater porosity, small grains that are pinned, and a degraded RF response. Reasonably good porosity approximations were obtained from a model based on percolation theory. The results indicate that contaminants at interfaces and pore surfaces impede diffusion, pore elimination, and full densification, and further, alter carrier dynamics and degrade RF response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-frequency transmission is limited to the skin depth in metals. Because poor conductivity cannot be compensated for by increasing the conductor thickness as with DC, optimal transport properties are prerequisites for radio frequency (RF) use. Structural and chemical analyses of transmission lines printed using a traditional ink consisting of Ag nanoflakes in a dispersing phase revealed that optimized thermal treatments yielded thorough burnout of the binder, significant grain growth, elimination of the pore volume, and electrical responses that were comparable to values obtained for thermally evaporated, fully dense Ag controls. Specifically, a low DC resistivity of 2.3 μΩ·cm (1.4× bulk Ag) and RF transmission coefficients of 0.87 and 0.75 at 5 GHz and 10 GHz, respectively, were measured in the nanoflake Ag prints. Conversely, in transmission lines printed from a metal-organic decomposition ink, residual chemical contamination impeded diffusion and densification, yielding greater porosity, small grains that are pinned, and a degraded RF response. Reasonably good porosity approximations were obtained from a model based on percolation theory. The results indicate that contaminants at interfaces and pore surfaces impede diffusion, pore elimination, and full densification, and further, alter carrier dynamics and degrade RF response.

This article is a brief review of the history of printing, centred around the life and inventions of Johannes Gutenberg, who is widely regarded as the father of printing. Starting with what we know of the earliest developments in printing in China, the article will present the little knowledge we have about Gutenberg's life and a summary of his contribution to the invention and development of the printing press and its associated technologies. This will be illuminated by an examination of how his most famous publication, the 42-line Gutenberg Bible, came to be created. Gutenberg's improvements to the chemistry of metal type and printing ink are outlined. The crucial importance of printing on the development of European society in the critical periods of the Reformation and the Renaissance and in the development and culture of science is obvious, but the lasting impact of the language of printing in today's world is surprising. Johannes Gutenberg is widely regarded as the father of printing through his contribution to the invention and development of the printing press and associated technologies such as the chemistry of metal type and printing ink. His work has had a major impact on the development and culture of science and on the language of printing in today's world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review presents the studies and the results achieved in the framework of the “Virtual X-ray Reading – VXR” project devoted to X-ray tomography for manuscripts. The project started in 2014 at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland) and was part of the ambitious “Venice Time Machine” project. VXR aimed to test the feasibility and develop an alternate digitization technique for ancient manuscripts based on X-ray tomography. Research and technology made considerable progress in increasing the speed and the safety of the traditional digitization process of ancient collections, but, despite this, imaging of ancient, fragile, or un-opened documents remains a formidable challenge. Thanks to the high penetration of X-rays, using X-ray tomography, the acquisition of a 3D – tomographic – volume is possible even without opening the document. The X-ray contrast necessary for the readability is linked to the chemical composition of the ancient inks, such as the high X-ray absorption of the iron gall inks mainly used for centuries in Europe. In this review, I present the studies conducted to develop this technology, from the investigations on the ink chemistry to the imaging feasibility tests performed using extensive centralized facilities such as synchrotrons and the imaging of a 200-pages manuscript book the tomography of a 14th Venetian sealed last wills.

[Display omitted] • Conducting polymer inks and films sensitivity to ammonia assessment. • Novel spectroscopic approach based on polyaniline deprotonation equilibrium. • Establishing structure-stimulus relationship for both polyaniline inks and films. • The behaviour of polymer inks as a predictor for the sensitivity of resultant films. The deprotonation behavior of conducting polymers such as polyaniline (PANI) is an important functional parameter in the design of novel printed electronic devices, particularly for sensors and energy storage. PANI can be fabricated into films from precursor liquid-processable 'ink' formulations. The effective determination and comparison of the deprotonation behavior of such inks is critical to understanding their subsequent functional performance. While protonation can be measured by titration with protonating and deprotonating agents using UV–vis spectroscopy, comparative analysis has proven challenging due to complexities in the measurement of polymer concentration and consequent lack of comparability. This work introduced a coherent approach to establishing the arbitrary concentration of PANI ink formulations. Dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA)-micellar doped PANI nanoparticles suspended in sodium dodecyl sulfate were prepared using various monomer, oxidant, and dopant ratios, titrated with ammonia and analyzed using UV–vis spectroscopy. Isosbestic points unaffected by doping or protonation state were used to establish arbitrary polymer concentration. Similar titrations on films prepared from these formulations were performed using ammonia in the gas phase and were based on calculations of deposited mass. Parameters such as a 'doping capacity', and their relative sensitivity to ammonia could be determined, which could in turn be related to the physical and chemical compositions of the resulting inks and films. The developed methodology has the potential to be a simple and convenient means with which to compare and optimize the functional deprotonation behavior of conducting polymer inks and films for device development and production optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method was developed for studying the ink-paper interface and the structural variations of a deposited layer of ink. Combining high-resolution x-ray tomography with laser ablation, the depth profile of ink (toner), i.e., its varying thickness, could be determined in a paper substrate. X-ray tomography was used to produce the 3D structure of paper with about 1 μm spatial resolution. Laser ablation combined with optical imaging was used to produce the 3D structure of the printed layer of ink on top of that paper with about 70 nm depth resolution. Ablation depth was calibrated with an optical profilometer. It can be concluded that a toner layer on a light-weight-coated paper substrate was strongly perturbed by protruding fibers of the base paper. Such fibers together with the surface topography of the base paper seem to be the major factors that control the leveling of toner and its penetration into a thinly coated paper substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified procedure for obtaining measurements useful for ink dating is presented for forensic analysis. A thermal microdesorption device was employed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The release of phenoxyethanol from the ink entries on paper was studied at several temperatures during a single analysis. A separate thermal desorption unit was not required. Two methods measuring the amount of phenoxyethanol liberated at four temperatures and two temperatures were proposed. The effect of heating of ink samples to 70 °C for 30 minutes applied to fresh and old samples was studied. An illustration how to distinguish between fresh and old samples by the analysis of the same ink entry after the time period of two months is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The significant artistic and documentary contribution of the manuscripts makes them unique instruments of knowledge that we must protect and conserve. Most of the manuscripts of Europe and America were written with iron gall inks, documented from the 4th century to the 19th century; we have evidence of the problems of conservation since the 17th century because the same scribes echoed similar problems through their writings. The Valencian archives conserve numerous documentary collections from the period after the Conquest, but those in the stage between 1450 and 1600 stand out because of their deficient state of conservation. For this reason we have endeavored further identify of the components in these inks in relation to their preservation. Given the high iron content of these inks, a systematic study of 989 micro-samples has been performed. The iron concentration ratio results obtained have been evaluated depending on the dates and the archives to which the micro-samples belong, with the semi-quantitative results offered by SEM/EDX analysis. These samples are not homogeneous; and the proportion of ink in the paper could vary, and the current filament values could also be different. A statistical study has been carried out using an ANOVA analysis of iron concentration as a function of the archive. There is an increasing trend in the means of iron between the thirteenth and seventeenth century. Meanwhile there is no geographical difference. Ten homogeneous groups were identified. These values can be related to the incorporation of new organic and inorganic ingredients in the preparation of recipes, as well as the difference in preparation and concentration of iron sulphate according to the solvent used. There is significant evidence that the highest extremes of iron concentration belong to the years between 1450 and 1550, which corresponds with the most deteriorated documents. The integrated study of historical sources and elementary analyses help to recognize both the materials and their state of conservation, which makes the process of conservation and restoration easier. Highlights • The Valencian archives conserve numerous documentary, but those of the stage between 1450 and 1600 stand out because their deficient state of conservation. • We have tried to go in depth into the specification of the components of these inks in relation to their preservation. Given the high iron content of these inks, a systematic study of 989 micro-samples has been carried out, integrated study of historical sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External testing (ET), known also as the hold-out validation, is currently considered to be one of the most reliable ways to estimate predictive ability of a statistical model. One safeguard to prevent impermissible peeking in ET is to ensure all replicates of a particular sample is only included in either the test or the training set. Assuming a sample X1 consists of two replicates (i.e. X1a and X1b). The model is claimed to enjoy impermissible peeking if the X1a and X1b are split into the training and the test sets, respectively. Eventually, the resulting prediction model is expected to predict the test sets easily and presents an over-optimistic model performance. In forensic document examinations, an individual pen (IP) can be used to produce multiple ink strokes. In real-world practice, pens are manufactured via bulk production such that one big tank of ink is used to produce a wealth of IPs. In other words, ink strokes produced by varying IPs but of the same pen model are indeed originated from one single source (i.e. the same tank of ink). Eventually, with respect to the aforementioned safeguard, how shall one treat the ink strokes? Are they replicates or independent samples? In this context, the aim of the work is to investigate the validity of the safeguard in splitting dataset for hold-out validation strategy (i.e. ET) in the domain of forensic pen ink analysis. An infrared (IR) spectra of blue gel pen inks was used to demonstrate the practical aspect. The IR spectral data were collected from 1361 ink strokes that originated from 273 IPs of 23 pen models and 10 pen brands. Iterative stratified random sampling was employed to prepare 1000 pairs of training and test sets that were split at ratio 7:3 using two different principles: (a) set IP - selection was conducted at IP level to ensure all the ink strokes originated from a particular IP must be included into either the training or the test sets only; and (b) set NIP - ink strokes of a particular IP were allowed to be spread between the training and the test sets. For each dataset, a series of 50 PLS-DA models were constructed by including the first 50 PLS components incrementally, which were then validated via auto-prediction and ET. Following that, the performances between IP and NIP model series were compared with respect to: (a) model accuracy; (b) model stability; and (c) model fitting. In conclusion, the NIP model series do not show any evidence of advantages from the impermissible peeking since both the NIP and IP model series exhibit quite similar performances in all the three model aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple graphite-based recipe is proposed for use as secondary fugitive ink for robocasting. The ink exhibits excellent rheological performance and physico-chemical compatibility with other ceramic inks and can be completely burned-out by a heat treatment at 800 °C for 2 h. The simplicity of the preparation process, together with its low cost, make it an optimal choice for this task. The development of such an ink will greatly facilitate the manufacture of complex ceramic parts requiring the use of a support structure during assembly by direct ink writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast and facile ambient pressure solution chemical process was applied to grow chalcopyrite CuInSe2nanoparticles by using common and inexpensive polylol ethylene glycol(EG), diethylene glycol(DEG) and triethylene glycol(TEG) as solvent, copper(II) chloride, indium(III) chloride and selenium powder as precursors, hydrazine hydrate and ethylenediamine as reducing agent and polyvinylpyrrolidone as capping agent. The products synthesized were characterized by XRD, TEM, HRTEM, EDS and UV-vis measurements based on different solvents EG, DEG and TEG, refluxing temperature and time as well as PVP adding amounts. The well-dispersed and single-phase CuInSe2nanoparticles synthesized with TEG solvent were used to prepare nanoparticles colloidal ink by ultrasonically dispersing in absolute alcohol solvent and then deposit CuInSe2thin films by layer-by-layer dip-coating nanoparticles ink. The deposited thin films were annealed in Ar atmosphere at 550°C for 30 min. Photovoltaic test devices with Mo-coated glass/CuInSe2/CdS/i-ZnO/AZO configuration were fabricated using the ink-coated and annealed CuInSe2light-absorbing thin films, and the corresponding I-V characteristics were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recently, gel pens have been the most popular writing instrument all over the world because of their excellent writing performance. However, the gel ink of the pen is difficult to manufacture because the composition of the ink is complicated with specific rheological properties and high-stability requirements. This is the first report of an easily manufactured Nano-Ink for gel pens that is based on cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) grafted to reactive dyes. The obtained Nano-Ink exhibits proper rheological properties and writing performance when the concentration of CNCs in this ink is 5.96%. For the potential commercial application of this Nano-Ink, a method for large-scale production of CNCs is also developed in our laboratory, including pretreatment of raw material with sulfuric acid, purification of the treated cellulosic fiber with ammonium bicarbonate (AH-NH4HCO3), and then homogenization. In AH-NH4HCO3 method, the “ultrafine fibers” are retained in the presence of NH4HCO3 during centrifugation, and the added NH4HCO3 is removed by vacuum distillation. The final CNC yield after homogenization is above 90%, which is much higher than that in previous reports, when dissolving pulp as feedstock is treated with 58% sulfuric acid at 55 °C for 45 min. Therefore, the Nano-Ink based on CNCs is promisingly going to commercial production.Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mahi, a unique herbal ink prepared with cow urine as extractant, was used for manuscript writing in early Assam. The ink had a deep and fast colour and was persistent on Sancipat manuscripts due to its resistance to aerial oxidation and fungi. It was also noncorrosive unlike the corrosive acidic iron gall ink of contemporary Europe. The present study was aimed at analysing the physico-chemical properties of Mahi, including its special properties. The study includes phytochemical analysis, antimicrobial assay, UV-visible with fluorescence analysis, iron and copper estimation and identification of some polyphenols by HPLC-UV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to the characterization of the materials at the disposal of the artist Lucio Fontana. In particular, several analytical techniques were employed to determine the chemical composition of thirteen inks found in Fontana's studio in Milan. Synthetic dyes responsible for the different shades of the inks were identified mainly by means of conventional Raman and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy as well as by high-performance liquid chromatography. Indeed, rhodamine-based dyes, often in mixture with yellow colorants such as metanil and acridine yellow, or monoazo dyes were detected in red and ochre inks. Triarylmethane and phthalocyanine molecules were identified in green and blue inks, while the azine compound nigrosine was found in a black ink. The presence of binders, such as gum Arabic and shellac, was instead detected in ink formulations by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, an evaluation of the possibility to perform non-invasive analyses for the characterization of such materials was carried out by means of micro-Raman and reflection FTIR spectroscopies, resulting successful only for selected dyes. On the contrary, non-destructive analyses by reflectance spectroscopy and spectrofluorimetry allowed to start building a spectral database of such materials, potentially useful also for field investigations. More generally, the entire study allowed to obtain important information for future analytical work both on Fontana's paintings and on colored inks used in 20th century art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A research on some micro fragments from two Armenian codices (XVII century) has been studied by no destructive Raman spectroscopy in order to obtain most information on the samples. Raman microscopy was employed with a red laser. The wide gamut of colors used is expressed through the materials of different centuries (X-XIX). A large use of gilding on a preparation made with Armenian bole together with a proper binder. Among the most frequently found pigments there are: carbon black, white lead, gypsum, calcite, lazurite, indigo, litharge, massicot, probably mosaic gold (purpurine), azurite, minium, indigo. A green pigment is a basic copper sulfate (antlerite) with a defined Raman spectrum. A frequent green mixture is vergaut, suitable for foliage. The techniques and materials ascertained seem to follow the indications in medieval recipe manuscripts, such as Theophilus, Heraclius, Cennini. The ink used in these codices appears always to be iron gall ink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to assess the adsorption capacity of residual black toner ink (RBTI) for the removal of heavy metal Cr (VI), ions in batch mode. To achieve this objective, the effects of different experimental parameters viz., initial Cr (VI) concentration, adsorbent dose, initial pH of solution and temperature on Cr (VI) uptake were studied. The kinetic parameters were evaluated using model equations of Lagergren (pseudo first order), pseudo second order, and Weber and Morris. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms were fitted to experimental data for establishing the adsorption equilibrium. Calculation of thermodynamic parameters (ΔGº, ΔHº, ΔSº) was also done to demonstrate the nature of adsorption. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔGº= −2.5885 kJ/mol, ΔHº= 282.74 kJ/mol, ΔSº= 0.9574 kJ/mol.K) revealed that adsorption of Cr (VI) using RBTI was endothermic, spontaneous and increased with temperature. To investigate the physical and chemical properties of RBTI, SEM-EDX and FTIR analyses were done. The maximum adsorption capacity of RBTI for Cr (VI) removal was found to be 13.98 mg/g. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1022-1029, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a fundamental development step of a new technique to read and digitize ancient handwritten documents. Chemical analysis by x-ray fluorescence and x-ray tomography enabled us to decipher words and drawings from inside a closed, 200-pages 18 th century handwritten book. The ink chemistry is essential: tomographic reading is feasible thanks to the iron present in ancient inks (iron gall) over one millennium—whereas carbon or organic inks do not provide sufficient x-ray contrast. The results presented are a key progress towards the ultimate goal of the technique: non-invasive reading of fragile and/or unopenable documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron gall inks have largely been used for writing in European western countries from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. Yet, their use may significantly damage the paper through acid hydrolysis and iron catalysed oxidation. These phenomena are not only governed by the chemistry of the ink + cellulose system, but also by the penetration of the ink within the paper sheet. Here, we investigate ink penetration at the scale of a paper fibre using synchrotron-based STXM. This technique allows in situ mapping of the iron redox state and carbon speciation down to the sub-micrometre scale. Linen fibres have been impregnated by iron sulphate, gallic acid and gum Arabic; i.e. the three main ingredients of iron gall inks. Soft X-ray transparent ultrathin foils of impregnated fibres have been extracted using FIB milling. The data reported here evidence that ink components do not penetrate through the paper fibres the same way. In the absence of gum Arabic, gallic acid penetrates within the fibre but mostly remains in the outer part of the cell wall. A significant precipitation of Fe(iii) gallate occurs during this migration whereas small amounts of iron (mostly Fe(ii)) penetrate through the inner part of the fibre. The addition of gum Arabic as a binder makes the ink more viscous and significantly jeopardizes its ability to penetrate the fibre. The ink thus remains at the surface of the fibre. Low amounts of iron, essentially Fe(ii), do still penetrate the fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For all-solution-processed (ASP) devices, transparent conducting oxide (TCO) nanocrystal (NC) inks are anticipated as the next-generation electrodes to replace both those synthesized by sputtering techniques and those consisting of rare metals, but a universal and one-pot method to prepare these inks is still lacking. A universal one-pot strategy is now described; through simply heating a mixture of metal-organic precursors a wide range of TCO NC inks, which can be assembled into high-performance electrodes for use in ASP optoelectronics, were synthesized. This method can be used for various oxide NC inks with yields as high as 10 g. The formed NCs are of high crystallinity, uniform morphology, monodispersity, and high ink stability and feature effective doping. Therefore, the inks can be readily assembled into films with a surface roughness of 1.6 nm. Typically, a sheet resistance of 110 Ω sq−1 can be achieved with a transmittance of 88 %, which is the best performance for TCO NC ink-based electrodes described to date. These electrodes can thus drive a polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) with a luminance of 2200 cd m−2 at 100 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combined experimental and computational study of the transfer of transparent index-matched silica-particle inks between two flat plates is presented for gravure printing applications. The influence of printing speed and initial ink droplet size on the ability to accurately transfer ink during the printing process is explored systematically. Smooth interface volume of fluid simulations show the same trends as the ink transfer observed in experiments over a wide range of printing speeds and for inks having different silica particle loadings. Our calculations indicate that for ink droplets with characteristic dimensions in the vicinity of 10 μm, which are of particular interest for gravure printing applications, ink transfer improves significantly due to the diminishing effect of gravity, and the increased importance of capillary forces at small length scales. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 1419-1429, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of a thickener for nylon carpet inkjet printing are presented in this work. A water-based ink was prepared from polyacrylate-based thickener. The physical and chemical properties of the polyacrylate-based thickener used for preparing the inkjet printing ink, as well as its printing effects on carpet, were investigated. Before printing, the properties of the ink, including its surface tension, electrolyte resistance, storage stability, and percentage removal, were investigated. After printing, the efficiency of coloration of printed carpet and the fastness of printed carpet were studied. The results concerning the surface tension and percentage removal of printing ink show that the polyacrylate-based thickener printing ink is suitable for nylon carpet inkjet printing. Meanwhile, its storage stability and electrolyte resistance make it suitable for printing. The efficiency of coloration of printed carpet and the fastness of printed carpet satisfy the requirements of application at appropriate ink concentration and viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material technology played a key role in the making of indigenous maps. This article analyzes the use of ink to explore the chemical and botanical practices used by native painters and Spanish officials to make and authenticate maps. This underexamined aspect of indigenous cartography enhances our understanding of a painter's technical skills, allowing us to gain insight into the complex process of selecting and preparing a variety of organic and inorganic ingredients to illustrate them. Spanish scribes and regional judges used their own formulas to make ink, applying the liquid substance to review and annotate maps to fit legal protocols. Combining a sample of maps from Oaxaca with botanical histories, chronicles, and orthographic treatises, this article traces the use of ingredients such as rocks, plants, liquids, roots, and soil as they made their way from the physical world to the hands of an Indian painter or a Spanish official who skillfully transformed them into ink. The interaction between different substances contributed to the distinct style and function of indigenous mapmaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many criminal and civil cases in China, the most commonly questioned documents are those written with gel pen ink. An important task for forensic document examiners is to identify whether two or more ink entries in one or more documents were written with the same ink type. The identification of the age of gel ink entries made poses an important and difficult problem for forensic document examiners. In this paper, the volatile components of gel ink were determined and the gel ink was classified by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. Calibration curves were created to express the relationship between the content of volatile gel ink components and the age of gel ink entries stored under natural and UV-induced aging conditions. The correspondence between the natural and UV-induced aging conditions was also established. The experimental results showed that GC was useful in the analysis of black gel ink and applicable for determining the relative age of gel ink entries under certain conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effectiveness of Raman microspectroscopy in euro banknotes’ recognition, several genuine and fake 10 and 20 euro banknotes were analyzed. Raman microspectroscopy revealed itself to be very useful in the detection of differences in the inks used to provide the color on the banknotes. However, the study revealed that the Raman analysis results are not decisive to guarantee the authenticity of a specific banknote since similar Raman spectra were obtained for genuine and fake banknotes. Even the Raman microspectroscopy analysis obtained for the same color on different areas of fake banknotes revealed similar spectra, and this can help law enforcement agencies to identify counterfeit tracking routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrated a minimally destructive two-tier approach for multielement forensic analysis of laser-printed ink. The printed document was first screened using a portable-X-ray fluorescence (XRF) probe. If the results were not conclusive, a laser microprobe was then deployed. The laser probe was based on a two-pulse scheme: the first laser pulse ablated a thin layer of the printed ink; the second laser pulse at 193 nm induced multianalytes in the desorbed ink to fluoresce. We analyzed four brands of black toners. The toners were printed on paper in the form of patches or letters or overprinted on another ink. The XRF probe could sort the four brands if the printed letters were larger than font 20. It could not tell the printing sequence in the case of overprints. The laser probe was more discriminatory; it could sort the toner brands and reveal the overprint sequence regardless of font size while the sampled area was not visibly different from neighboring areas even under the microscope. In terms of general analytical performance, the laser probe featured tens of micrometer lateral resolution and tens to hundreds of nm depth resolution and atto-mole mass detection limits. It could handle samples of arbitrary size and shape and was air compatible, and no sample pretreatment was necessary. It will prove useful whenever high-resolution and high sensitivity 3D elemental mapping is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Non-Pt based oxygen reduction catalyst H2-air fuel cell performance is reported for various electrode compositions. Ink formulations for pyrolyzed Co porphyrin based cathode electrocatalysts were evaluated in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) configuration and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was performed on the MEA catalyst layers. The effect of cooling time trajectories of the catalysts after pyrolysis as well as Nafion content in the ink formulation were studied. By building statistical structure-to-property relationships between XPS and MEA performance using multivariate analysis we have determined that the higher stability of fast-cooled containing inks is mainly associated with better preserved graphic carbon from the carbon black and C–F moieties of the Nafion, while better MEA performance is a result of the presence of these moieties as well as pyridinic nitrogen and nitrogen associated with metal in the pyropolymer. Optimal Nafion content is determined at 1:1 catalyst:Nafion weight ratio, while higher Nafion concentrations causes oxidation of the Nafion backbone itself as well as leaching of the Co x O y particles from the catalyst and formation of oxidized species of Co, O, C and F. Further, we report 1500 h of continuous fuel cell operation for two different non-platinum cathode catalysts in the optimized MEA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To reduce the thick carbon layer between the Mo back contact and the CuInSe2 (CIS) absorber in non-vacuum-processed CIS solar cells, a hybrid ink was used to form a CuInSe2 (CIS) thin film. The hybrid ink consists of binary nanoparticles (CuS and In–Se) and a precursor solution. Binary nanoparticles were synthesized by a low-temperature colloidal process and acted as stress-relief and crack-deflection centers in the hybrid ink. A precursor solution was prepared with a chelating agent that acted to effectively bind the nanoparticles without other binders. In particular, the use of nanoparticles made it possible to reduce the carbon layer due to the easy removal of organics in the precursor solution through the pores between the nanoparticles. The thickness of the formed CIS layer was 1.22μm, and the thickness ratio of the CIS layer/carbon layer (CIS/carbon) was almost 1. The fabricated device with this thin film showed a reproducible conversion efficiency of 5.87% and a band gap of 1.11eV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This manuscript presents the conceptional design of indium tin oxide inkjet inks for the manufacture of electron devices. For this purpose, the process window of the printer used is identified and the inks are conceived to meet the requirements. The nano-particles are effectively stabilized in different dispersion media. The rheological, the wetting and the drying behavior of the inks are adapted to the inkjet process and the substrates to be coated. To assemble a field effect transistor (FET), the most suitable ink is chosen and source and drain contacts are printed. In the device, a nano-particulate ZnO layer acts as semiconducting layer and the gate electrode as well as the dielectric layer is formed by a thermally oxidized silicon wafer. The electron device assembled shows the typical FET characteristic proving its functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-invasive and non-contact analyses were performed on a group of 28 ink drawings ascribed to the sixteenth-century Italian painter Luca Cambiaso and his followers. Drawings analysed in this investigation were selected from the collections of Musei di Strada Nuova in Genoa and of Museo del Prado in Madrid. Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), carried out at the Centro de Micro-Aná.lisis de Materiales of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and at the Università di Firenze, provided elemental data on the inks and papers. The drawings in Genoa were studied at the Università di Genova using infrared relectography (IRA) and optical microscopy. Elemental composition of the inks was determined by comparison with a set of certified thin standards. Elemental analysis indicates that all of the drawings were executed with iron gall ink, except for one case where a mixed carbon black and iron gall ink was used. The PIXE data showed variations in the elemental concentrations of the materials used in the various inks, indicating the use of different recipes in their production. In some cases, these differences may help corroborate stylistic judgements to confirm or deny Cambiaso's authorship and separate autograph drawings from those of his pupils or imitators. PIXE analysis was also used to distinguish the presence of retouches and later additions. In some drawings, the combined use of IRA and optical microscopy revealed the presence of a dry carbon-based underdrawing, following a working method that seems more consistent with a workshop procedure than with the drawing technique of the master himself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe K-edge XANES measurements were performed to determine the oxidation state of iron in iron gall inks. These data are used to investigate the relationship between the Fe oxidation state and ink corrosion in historical manuscripts. The oxidation state is determined using the pre-edge based on a general variation trend that was derived from model compounds and validated here independently on a suite of samples with known oxidation state and Fe in octahedral coordination (i.e. similar to Fe in gall ink). As long as suitable references for the pure ferric and ferrous state of iron gall inks cannot be pointed out, the analysis of the pre-edge of the Fe K-edge represents the only way to acquire absolute values for the Fe oxidation state (Fe3+/Fetot) with spatial resolution for this usually non-crystalline compound. Fe3+/Fetot values for the ink samples vary between ca. 0.7 and 1.0. Spatially resolved analyses performed across ink strokes of various historical manuscripts as well as newly made samples did not reveal any systematic spatial dependence. On average, historical samples that were exposed to conservation treatments show a more oxidized state. However, the measurements demonstrate explicitly that the exposure to X-rays during the XANES acquisition affects the oxidation state of Fe in most iron gall inks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The research was focused on the analysis of writing inks using the laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique. 34 samples of blue, 30 of black, and 21 of red writing inks were analyzed under optimized conditions to determine the variation of chemical composition of inks between different colours, brands and types. Nine elements (Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mo, Mn, Ni and W) were taken into account during comparative analysis of inks. Because of the strong effect of the paper spectrum, elements often found in inks (Ca, Al, Mg, Na, Ti, and Si) were eliminated from LIBS analysis of inks. It was determined that the LIBS method is capable of revealing qualitative elemental differences between ink samples. The discrimination power of this method was found to be 83, 82 and 61% for blue, black and red inks, respectively. Inks produced by the same producer were able to be differentiated in some cases. The results showed the potential of LIBS for forensic purposes as an effective and robust technique, requiring a small amount of sample and giving analytical information in a very short time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We use the laser-induced forward transfer technique to print at high-speed long lines of metallic nanoparticle ink. A picosecond laser emitting at 343 nm with a repetition rate of 500 kHz is used to realize series of droplets and continuous lines by varying the distance between successive laser pulses. We find this latter parameter to be critical to obtain droplets of good quality, and use a time-resolved imaging technique to study its effects on the ink ejection. Single pass, two-pass and three-pass laser printing have been investigated. We have printed millimeter-long continuous silver lines of 20 μm width and thinner than 500 nm, at velocities up to 4 m/s. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using high repetition rate laser for the fast and reliable printing of conductive lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examined the characterization of the chemical nature of the black ink in the Coptic manuscript of "The Gospel of Jesus' Wife" through micro-Raman spectroscopy. Information is presented on the members of the research team at Columbia University that examined the ink, including professor James T. Yardley. Research findings are also cited, which include the ink's similarity with the ink used for the Gospel of John manuscript.

Highly transparent single‐side subwavelength structures (SWSs)‐integrated glass for low‐cost antireflective glass are fabricated. Using the silver ink and a RIE process, various SWSs on soda lime glass are fabricated simply and cost‐effectively. The fabricated SWSs have different distributions and shapes as the silver ink ratio. The average transmittance (Tavg), solar‐weighted transmittance (SWT), and angle‐dependent transmittance values of bare and SWSs‐integrated glasses for investigation of optical properties are measured. The SWSs sample with a silver ink ratio of 33% exhibited good Tavg and SWT compared to the samples with silver ink ratios of 25 and 50%. This shows that the Tavg and SWT values can be attained with the soda lime glass are higher compared to those attained using bare glass, over a broad spectral range and a wide incident angle range. As results, optical properties of glass and the performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules can be enhanced by integrating SWSs. The fabricated SWSs‐integrated glass is mounted on the top of PV modules for economical coverglass. The PV module with the SWSs‐integrated coverglass shows efficiency of 36.6% and the enhanced efficiency at all angle of incidence compared to that without coverglass. It indicates that the highly transparent glasses with SWSs can be used for low‐cost antireflective glasses such as large‐scale framed glasses for pictures, optical lens, displays, LEDs, and other optoelectronic devices as well as PV modules. Highly transparent single‐side subwavelength structures (SWSs) on soda lime glass for low‐cost antireflective applications are experimentally demonstrated. Various SWSs are fabricated simply using the silver ink and RIE process. The fabricated SWSs have different periods and optical properties depending on the silver ink ratio. Efficiency of the PV module with SWSs‐integrated coverglass exhibits 5.81% efficiency improvement compared to one without coverglass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Determining the ink age in a document has always been a complex challenge in forensic sciences [1]. To determine the time since deposition (TSD) of an ink, factors such as the physical and chemical properties of the paper (support), the storage conditions, as well as the physical-chemical of ink processes after deposition on paper must be considered [2]. Ink aging process involves specifically solvent evaporation, dye degradation, polymerization and hardening of the resins [3]. The aim of this work is to develop analytical methodologies that allow the determination of the time of ink deposition through the characterization of the dyes chemical changes. Materials and methods: Linear liquid and viscous ink´s pens samples of 4 cm were cut from an ink entry of recent deposition (T0) and a 5 months' deposition (T5) samples. Paper ink extraction was performed using 120 µL of methanol with the help of an ultrasonic bath and vortexed at 1400 rpm at 35 °C. The total extraction time was 40 min. For the quantitative analysis, 20 µL of O-cresol was added to each sample to be used as an internal standard. Chromatographic analyses were executed with HPLC/DAD (Eclipse XDB-C8 5 µm 4,6 × 150 mm) at 25° C and a flow rate of 0,8 mL/min. Samples were eluted with a gradient system: 80% in a buffer solution of NH4HCO2 pH 4 and 20% in CH3CN as an initial condition, finishing with 0% in a buffer solution of NH4HCO2 after 32 min. Chromatograms samples were monitored at 590 and 273 nm. Results: The chromatograms revealed that the two types of inks under analysis have different profiles. Moreover, the chromatogram of inks under study changes with time. Concerning the preliminary results, in the case of viscous inks, at 590 nm, the chromatogram shows three peaks at T0 (tr = 18,18 min, tr = 16,59 min and tr = 14,99 min) and two peaks at T5 (tr = 18,17 min and tr = 16,57 min). The peaks of tr = 18,18min and tr = 16,57min decrease by about 44% and 39% in 5 months, respectively. For the liquid ink samples, it is possible to identify only two chromatographic peaks (tr = 18,22 min and tr = 16,61 min). Discussion and conclusions: Preliminary chromatographic results suggest that it is possible to discriminate a liquid (2 peaks) from a viscous ink (3 peaks) as well as distinguishing time since deposition (TSD) for the viscous inks. From the analysis of chromatograms and spectra, it is possible to obtain qualitative and quantitative chemical information of the different dyes in inks and use this information to use the study of dyes to dating inks. The methodology under development is promising to discriminate ink types and time since deposition of an in on a paper. However, more data must be gathered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Forensic research dating ballpoint pen inks on paper is among the most difficult and hardest problems. The two main challenges are to determine when the ink was manufactured and to determine time since deposition (TSD) of the ink on a handwriting document [1]. Ink´s TSD depends on internal ink properties and external factors, such as environmental conditions. Once a document has been handwritten the ink deposited starts the aging process, which involves solvent evaporation, dye degradation, polymerization and hardening of the resins [2]. The analysis of quantitative differences or chemical changes of solvents on a given set of environmental conditions can provide a measure of TSD. To obtain a chemical fingerprint of ink changes, chromatographic methods have been explored. The aim of this work is to do a review research that provides an overview of chromatographic procedures that allow ink dating, on paper, through ink pen solvent analysis. Materials and methods: A review of the literature was performed at the b-on database, between October 2017 and April 2018. Articles were selected between 1985 and 2018 in English and Spanish. Search was conducted using the terms "writing inks" AND "dating" AND "solvents" AND "GC". 343 articles have been found. According to the title/abstract, studies on volatile compounds present on pen inks were included while those on dating ink studies based on resins and dyes were excluded. After title/abstract analysis 28 studies were considered in this overview, including 6 review articles. Results: The most used techniques to get a time frame of ink deposition on paper are based on Gas Chromatography (GC) coupled to an FID or an MS detector. Chromatographic techniques take advantage of getting ink dynamic profile with time to determine time since deposition values. Nowadays the elective technique is GC-MS. In GC-MS inks must be extracted from the paper with an extraction solution. Concerning the extraction method, 18 articles described the most commonly used solvents for the extraction (methanol, acetonitrile, chloroform/pyridine/MSTF, Dimetilformamide). 4 articles used headspace coupled to GC, to analyze the volatiles, instead of traditional extraction procedures. Overall the results presented in the previously mentioned papers show that it is possible to estimate the age of an ink when deposited in a document. Discussion and conclusions: GC/MS and HS-GC-FID prove to be promising in the field of ink aging of a questioned entry, allowing getting information about solvents chemical changing and providing a measure of TSD [3]. Nevertheless, no solvent ink age standard method has been implemented in forensic sciences laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs that a research team was inspired by a longhorn beetle that change colors and designed an ink that can change color when exposed to ethanol vapors, and mentions that the discovery could be a new way for governments to stay one step ahead of counterfeiters.