Recent Studies on Color Developer Used for Thermal Paper

Abstract

Direct thermal printing is a data recording system based on the thermal reaction of fluoran dyes and color developers. This printing technology is widely used in our daily lives because of its simplicity as well as portable device characteristics. In the coloration process of fluoran dyes, the developers act as a proton donor. They play significant roles in the improvement of the performance of thermal paper, such as sensitivity and image stability. Herein, we present an overview of recent studies which focus on the relationship between molecular structure and the development ability of the developers using single crystal X-ray structure analysis.