Effect of Homogenization Modified Xanthan Gum on Gel Ink Dispersion System

Purposes The excellent thickening and suspension properties of Xanthan Gum meet the R&D needs of high-end gel ink, but its rigid structure will lead to the flocculation of carbon black particles in the gel ink, which is not conducive to dispersion. Methods The effect of homogenization modification on the system dispersion and stabilization of carbon black particles in Xanthan Gum gel ink was studied, and the mechanism was discussed. Findings The results indicate that the gel ink with 0.15% Xanthan Gum and 7 times homogenization under 50 MPa pressure got a particle size of 82 nm, its thixotropic value was 5.04, the rheological property was the best, the thermal storage property was greatly improved, the slip value was 0.178 N, and the writing performance was good, which met the requirements of high-quality ink. SEM images showed that the gel ink had higher centrifugal stability after homogenization. According to FTIR comparation of the samples before and after homogenization, a 41 cm-1 red shift occurred at 952 cm-1, indicating that the modification enhanced the intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bond force of Xanthan Gum. From the combined test results and characterization analyses, it is inferred that the hydrogen bonding force is formed by the adsorption of the active groups such as pyruvic acid and acetyl in Xanthan gum with the abundant functional groups on the surface of carbon black. Conclusions This study provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the development of high-quality gel ink, and a new idea for the application of homogenizer in gel ink.