Inkjet Printing: Drop Generation

This lecture covers the history of inkjet printing, methods of producing micro drops, drop-substrate interaction, drop drying phenomena, and application examples. It explains the oil drop experiment by Millikan, historical milestones in inkjet printing, and the different types of inkjet printing devices. The lecture also discusses the surface tension, drop shapes, drop sizes, and small volume dispensing techniques. It delves into continuous inkjet printing, drop generation by continuous jet, and the methods of producing mono-disperse micro drops. Furthermore, it explores the thermal and piezoactuated inkjet printing methods, drop size modulation by pulse shaping, and the observation of inkjet drops using high-speed cameras. The lecture concludes with discussions on relevant dimensionless numbers, ink printability, surface tension, viscosity, Newtonian and non-Newtonian solutions, and the influence of polymer molecular weight on ink properties.