Thermal paper is a type of specialty paper that can change color when exposed to heat, without the use of traditional ink. It is usually used in thermal printers specifically for devices such as cash registers, credit card terminals, and adding machines. Thermal paper is manufactured by the application of special heat-sensitive chemical materials to a paper base. The chemicals used can vary with the manufacturer.
Thermal paper is a type of paper that has a specialty coating on its surface that allows for inkless printing. When the paper goes through a thermal printer, heat from the print head causes the chemical coating (developer and dye) to activate and form an image of high definition. In this process, it uses heat to produce the image, so it doesn’t need the ink or ribbons. Thermal printing provides speedy, reliable and high-definition images. This technology is used in a wide variety of sectors: grocery stores, shopping malls, gas stations, catering, gaming houses, lottery systems, coffee shops, bakery stores, etc.
Thermal paper is not just an ordinary paper but it has many various advantages associated with it. These papers are different from the ones we use in our daily lives such as in note pads and registers. Thermal paper rolls are now extensively being used in banking and other industries all over the world. Thermal paper is a special type of paper which is coated with chemicals on the outside and this chemical helps the paper to change color when it is exposed to heat. The surface of the thermal paper is saturated with a mixture of a dye and few chemicals. When the paper is exposed to heat the dye reacts with the acid and then the paper changes its color. There is also a protective coating on top of the thermal paper so that it does not fade due to UV rays, water and oil and does not cause much damage to it. This layer also protects the paper from getting messed by the printer heat.
Before the extensive use of thermal paper started this type of paper was expensive and was used on a limited basis. They have started being popular in the matter of past few years only. Thermal papers are now regularly used by banks: the receipt and the ATM receipt papers are thermal papers and also the receipt that you usually get when you are shopping elsewhere.
There are few certain advantages of thermal paper and these are the reasons why they are extensively used. These papers have a good printing quality which means that the quality of the print is much better than on normal papers and these papers are easy to handle with all other applications used for printing as you can align on this papers easily. You will get a high definition print quality on this paper and the print is clearer and the words are easily readable.
Thermal papers are widely used in airline tickets, gas stations, hotels and retail stores and in many other industries. Thermal paper rolls are now widely available and are not expensive either, they are just about the same price as other papers but they are now regularly by many businesses for their daily needs. The other advantage of thermal paper rolls is that they never get stuck in the printer or get affected by the printer heads heat. If you are running an eco-friendly business then you should consider recycled thermal paper which is made from post-consumer waste. This paper is not as bright as the original thermal paper but it is low priced and of good quality. Thermal paper (sometimes referred to as an audit roll) is a special fine paper that is coated with a material formulated to change color when exposed to heat. It is used in thermal printers, particularly in inexpensive or lightweight devices such as adding machines, cash registers, and credit card terminals.
The surface of the paper is coated with a solid-state mixture of dye and a suitable matrix; a combination of a fluoran leuco dye for example. When the matrix is heated above its melting point, the dye reacts with the acid, shifts to its colored form, and the changed form is then conserved in a metastable state when the matrix solidifies back quickly enough. The reactant acid in thermal paper is often bisphenol A (BPA).
Usually, the coating will turn black when heated, but coatings that turn blue or red are sometimes used. While an open heat source, such as a flame, can discolor the paper, a fingernail swiped quickly across the paper will also generate enough heat from friction to produce a mark.