Hey my dear sublimation folks, Hope you are doing great with the sublimation. We’re doing the art, the sublimation. And the ink plays a very crucial role in the sublimation process. And I found that you have many questions in your mind about sublimation ink. Like what is it? How to select the best sublimation ink? And the list goes on. So today I will take you on a tour of sublimation ink. So let’s go!
What is sublimation ink? – Definition
It is a special dye-based ink. It is specifically used in the sublimation printing process. This ink is directly converted into the gaseous state from its solid state without going through the liquid state with the heating effect. It allows the ink to penetrate directly onto the surface of the material. Which resulted in a permanent, full-colour image without fading and peeling off.
What are the key components of sublimation ink?
The sublimation ink is dye-based ink. It is composed of dye particles suspended in a liquid solvent. Actually these dye particles show a sublimation nature. (Sublimation nature: conversion of the solid particles into gaseous form with the heat without attaining the liquid state).
What are the characteristics of sublimation ink?
The main characteristics of the sublimation ink are:
- It provides you with vibrant colours. Produces vivid, rich, vibrant and high-quality images.
- The prints produced by the sublimation ink are durable, long-lasting and resistant to fading and peeling off.
- It is eco-friendly.
- It has Nearly no or zero drying time. So produces high-quality print without bleeding and decreases the sublimation time.
- It can be used with a wide range of products.
- It is cost-effective.
You may also check – What is Heat Press Machine?
How does sublimation ink work?
All of you know that the sublimation process starts with the printing of the design onto the sublimation paper. Sublimation ink is used For printing on the sublimation paper. This print is used to stick on the substrate and heat is applied. After heating this ink converts into the gaseous form and pops up on the substrate.
The points to keep in mind while choosing an ink for the sublimation printing are:
- Always, prefer high-quality ink, which is specifically designed for sublimation printing.
The fresh, high quality and vibrant ink pays you to achieve brighter, fresh and lasting print every time.
- Read first-hand user reviews about fading and the quality of the printing while choosing the ink from the vast ocean of the ink market.
First Hand User Review: These are the reviews of the people who used it directly and experienced the quality of the material & gave reviews.
You may also check – What is Sublimation Printer
The popular sublimation ink brands in the market are:
- Printers Jack Sublimation Ink Refill
- Hiipoo Sublimation Ink
- MERRYWORK Sublimation Ink
- Tonha Sublimation Ink Refill
- E-Z Ink Autofill Sublimation Ink
Precaution: Avoid mixing two or more types of ink together.
It’s always beneficial to keep an extra set of ink on hand, so you can avoid stressful scenarios (like running out of ink in the middle of an order!).
Limitations of the sublimation ink:
Sublimation ink can be used on a wide area of things. But it has its limitations also.
- It is substrate-compatible. It works well on polyester, blended or polyester-coated surfaces.
- Sometimes the sublimation ink is unable to provide you with the exact colour print.
You may also check – What Is Sublimation Paper?
Conclusion:
Hope you got the answers to the questions which were in your mind before. Read the blog carefully and choose your sublimation ink carefully which is compatible with your printer and do your work best. Till then happy sublimation!