The method of the invention provides a simple, reproducible reference, or set of reference standards, as a validation of a calibration standard for filter-based measurements of light absorbing aerosol particles (black carbon and brown carbon) and organic carbon and elemental carbon particles found in indoor and outdoor environments, and in emission streams. The set of reference standards comprise grayscale images deposited by a mist or print at a known density on a substrate material. The reference standards may be made by a printer using as a substrate either paper or another material such as glass fiber, quartz fiber, polypropylene, or cellulose.

The present invention relates to [1] a water-based pigment dispersion formed by dispersing a pigment in a water-based medium with a polymer dispersant, in which the polymer dispersant contains a (meth)acrylic resin (A) and a resin (B); and the resin (B) is at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polyester resin (B1), an acid-modified polyolefin resin (B2) and a vinyl chloride-based resin (B3), and [2] a process for producing a water-based pigment dispersion, including the following steps 1 and 2: Step 1: subjecting a pigment mixture containing a pigment, an acid group-containing (meth)acrylic resin (A), and a resin (B) which is at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polyester resin (B1), an acid-modified polyolefin resin (B2) and a vinyl chloride-based resin (B3) to dispersion treatment to obtain a dispersion; and Step 2: subjecting the dispersion obtained in the step 1 to crosslinking treatment with a crosslinking agent (C).

The present invention relates to [1] a water-based pigment dispersion formed by dispersing a pigment in a water-based medium with a polymer dispersant, in which the polymer dispersant contains a (meth)acrylic resin (A) and a resin (B); and the resin (B) is at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polyester resin (B1), an acid-modified polyolefin resin (B2) and a vinyl chloride-based resin (B3), and [2] a process for producing a water-based pigment dispersion, including the following steps 1 and 2: Step 1: subjecting a pigment mixture containing a pigment, an acid group-containing (meth)acrylic resin (A), and a resin (B) which is at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polyester resin (B1), an acid-modified polyolefin resin (B2) and a vinyl chloride-based resin (B3) to dispersion treatment to obtain a dispersion; and Step 2: subjecting the dispersion obtained in the step 1 to crosslinking treatment with a crosslinking agent (C).

A method for producing a printed item including discharging two or more inks by an inkjet method toward a recording medium to form an image is disclosed, wherein the two or more inks include a first oil-based inkjet ink containing a first colorant and a non-aqueous solvent and having an ink surface tension of less than 27.0 mN/m, and a second oil-based inkjet ink containing a second colorant and a non-aqueous solvent and having an ink surface tension of 27.0 mN/m or greater, and the method includes discharging the first oil-based inkjet ink toward the recording medium at a discharge volume of at least 20 pl per one liquid droplet to form dots with the first oil-based inkjet ink, and subsequently discharging the second oil-based inkjet ink toward the recording medium at a discharge volume of less than 20 pl per one liquid droplet so as to overlap with the dots formed with the first oil-based inkjet ink.

A method for producing a printed item including discharging two or more inks by an inkjet method toward a recording medium to form an image is disclosed, wherein the two or more inks include a first oil-based inkjet ink containing a first colorant and a non-aqueous solvent and having an ink surface tension of less than 27.0 mN/m, and a second oil-based inkjet ink containing a second colorant and a non-aqueous solvent and having an ink surface tension of 27.0 mN/m or greater, and the method includes discharging the first oil-based inkjet ink toward the recording medium at a discharge volume of at least 20 pl per one liquid droplet to form dots with the first oil-based inkjet ink, and subsequently discharging the second oil-based inkjet ink toward the recording medium at a discharge volume of less than 20 pl per one liquid droplet so as to overlap with the dots formed with the first oil-based inkjet ink.

An aqueous ink composition for inkjet printing on non-porous substrates and a method for forming the same are disclosed. For example, the method includes preparing a primary polymer latex with an aromatic functional group, a hydrogen-bonding group, a flexible side-chain, and an ionic functional group and mixing the primary polymer latex with a secondary latex binder and one or more co-solvents.

The present invention relates to [1] a process for producing a pigment water dispersion, including step 1 of mixing a water dispersion (A) formed by dispersing a pigment (I) with a water-dispersible polymer and a water dispersion (B) of a self-dispersible pigment (II) to obtain a water dispersion (C); and step 2 of subjecting the water dispersion (C) obtained in the step 1 to heat treatment at a temperature of not lower than 40 C. to obtain the pigment water dispersion, and [2] a pigment water dispersion containing a pigment (I) dispersed with a water-dispersible polymer and a self-dispersible pigment (II), in which the water-dispersible polymer is adsorbed onto the pigment (I) and the self-dispersible pigment (II).

The present invention relates to [1] a process for producing a pigment water dispersion, including step 1 of mixing a water dispersion (A) formed by dispersing a pigment (I) with a water-dispersible polymer and a water dispersion (B) of a self-dispersible pigment (II) to obtain a water dispersion (C); and step 2 of subjecting the water dispersion (C) obtained in the step 1 to heat treatment at a temperature of not lower than 40 C. to obtain the pigment water dispersion, and [2] a pigment water dispersion containing a pigment (I) dispersed with a water-dispersible polymer and a self-dispersible pigment (II), in which the water-dispersible polymer is adsorbed onto the pigment (I) and the self-dispersible pigment (II).

Disclosed is an oil-based inkjet ink containing a colorant and a non-aqueous solvent, wherein the non-aqueous solvent contains at least 15% by mass but not more than 100% by mass, relative to the total mass of the non-aqueous solvent, of an organosilicon compound having 2 to 6 silicon atoms in one molecule, having an organic group in which a carbon atom is bonded directly to a silicon atom and in which the total number of carbon atoms and oxygen atoms is at least 4, and having a total number of carbon atoms and oxygen atoms, contained within all of the organic groups in which the total number of carbon atoms and oxygen atoms is at least 4, that is from 4 to 20 within one molecule.

Disclosed is an oil-based inkjet ink containing a colorant and a non-aqueous solvent, wherein the non-aqueous solvent contains at least 15% by mass but not more than 100% by mass, relative to the total mass of the non-aqueous solvent, of an organosilicon compound having 2 to 6 silicon atoms in one molecule, having an organic group in which a carbon atom is bonded directly to a silicon atom and in which the total number of carbon atoms and oxygen atoms is at least 4, and having a total number of carbon atoms and oxygen atoms, contained within all of the organic groups in which the total number of carbon atoms and oxygen atoms is at least 4, that is from 4 to 20 within one molecule.