Time resolved optical microscopy ('trom') process for measuring the rate of crystallization of solid inks

Abstract

A system is disclosed for measuring the crystallization of crystalline-amorphous mixtures. The system includes a sample holder. and a heating apparatus to melt a ink composition and to keep the melted ink composition at a first specified temperature for a first period of time. The system includes a cooling apparatus to receive the melted ink composition, to cool the melted ink composition and to maintain the cooled ink composition at a second specified temperature. The system includes a microscope and a video recording device to capture images of the cooled ink composition for a second period of time A video processing computer includes a memory, a processor and software instructions and the software instructions causes the computer to extract crystallization parameters about the cooled ink composition from the captured images. The crystallization parameters identify fast solidifying crystalline inks that have a short time duration from onset of crystallization until crystallization.