Deflecting the Issue: The Origin of Nanoscale Material Build-up in Continuous Inkjet Printing

Abstract Continuous inkjet printing relies on steering charged droplets accurately to the surface by using electric fields. A vital component is the set of deflecting electrodes within the printhead, which create these fields. Unwanted deposition of ink on the electrodes, known as build-up, is a concern for operators because this modifies the applied electric field, affects long-term reliability, and requires manual intervention. However, this has not been widely reported or explored. Here, the authors report a laser-based high-speed visualization technique to observe build-up and show that it stems from small satellite droplets that break off from the main printed drops. They characterize the material build-up and reveal its nanoscale particulate nature. Combining the tracking with characterization allows quantifying the charge-to-mass ratio of these droplets. This study provides a route to understanding the build-up phenomenon, and it will enable optimization of printing conditions and printing reliability.