The Nature of Ink/Substrate Interactions using Cryofracturing and Scanning Electron Microscopy

Direct observation of ink/substrate interaction has always been extremely difficult due to the thin films and the thermoplastic nature of many of them. This gave rise to smearing and artifacts when microtome cross sections were attempted. A technique using quick freezing and cryogenic fracturing has been devised which produces clean sections of many different types of inks and substrates. The sections can even be made on undried inks by holding the specimen at -200 degrees Celsius while in the chamber of an SEM. This allows microscopic observation of ink film thickness, composition, and penetration into the substrate.