Here we show that the effect of chemicals and their specific loadings play a dominant role on the outcome of a deinking process. More specifically, we demonstrate that good deinkability of HP digital commercial prints (i.e. liquid-electrophotographic (LEP), dry-EP and inkjet (IJ) prints) can be achieved with our highly efficient neutral deinking chemistry (coded HPE6S4), which is based on readily available non-proprietary chemicals. We found a direct correlation of the chemical effects to the ink-particle speck contamination and its particle-size distribution. Our excellent results compared favorably to that obtained with the traditional deinking chemistry. Our approach can be readily scalable for adaption in the paper recycling mills.
Hou T. Ng, Manoj K. Bhattacharyya, Laurie S. Mittelstadt, Eric G. Hanson, "Deinking of HP Digital Commercial Prints: Effect of Chemicals and Their Loadings on Deinkability" in Proc. IS&T Int'l Conf. on Digital Printing Technologies and Digital Fabrication (NIP25), 2009, pp 173 - 176, https://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2169-4451.2009.25.1.art00049_1