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South Korean engineers have developed a magic ink which is expected to revolutionise full colour printing. The ink which has been named M-Ink can produce any colour in the visible spectrum. The new method claims to be inexpensive and provide instant full-colour printing.
The new idea developed by the research team of Seoul National University in South Korea was headed by Sunghoon Kwon.
The interaction of light with the fine patterned surface textures results in the bright colours of numerous birds and insects. Extensive experiments have been conducted by researchers with replicating these so- called structural colours in synthetic materials.
Kwon informed that M-Ink comprises of three ingredients: magnetic nanoparticles 100 to 200 nanometres across, a solvation liquid, and a resin.
The nanoparticles scatter throughout the resin imparting a brown colour to the ink. But after applying an external magnetic field, the nanoparticles immediately snap to the magnetic field lines, forming chain-like structures.
The light gets reflected from the surface when the regularly-spaced nanoparticles chains obstruct the incoming light.
A scientist said “Adjusting the magnetic field strength shifts the spacing of the field lines and changes the colour.”
After the production of desired colour the nanoparticles can be fixed in place by exposing the ink to UV light, which cures the resin
Kwon said, "You can pattern A4-size [letter-size] full-colour prints within a second."
"You can build papers displaying unique features on application of an external magnetic field."
The new study has been published in Nature Photonics.
