Thermal paper is cleaner than your standard ink, produces a crisper resolution, and is ultimately cheaper. Though thermal paper used to be considerably more expensive, the price has come down in recent years, thanks in part to better technology that allows its manufacturers to produce it at a more reasonable cost. Moreover, a thermal paper roll is quieter than bond paper, which is an added bonus for any shopper at the end of a long day.

Most direct thermal papers require a protective topcoating to:

• Reduce fading of the thermal image caused by exposure to UV light, water, oils, grease, lard, fats, plasticizers, and similar causes
  
• Provide improved printhead wear
  
• Reduce or eliminate residue from the thermal coating on the thermal printheads
  
• Provide better anchorage of flexographic printing inks applied to the thermal paper
  
• Focus the heat from the thermal printhead on the active coating.

Thermal paper is paper that is impregnated with a chemical that changes color when exposed to heat. It is used in thermal printers and particularly in cheap, lightweight devices such as adding machines, cash registers, and credit card terminals.

The paper is impregnated with a solid-state mixture of a dye and a suitable matrix; a combination of a fluoran leuco dye and an octadecylphosphonic acid is an 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 metastable state when the matrix solidifies back quickly enough.

Most printer manufacturers offer ribbon/label combinations which are known to work well together, which is particularly important as some combinations produce no image at all. Plastic labels with resin ribbons will survive outside in full sunlight, can stand immersion in water and may be resistant to chemicals and oils dependent on type. Often used in Automotive and Aircraft parts manufacture, any items stored outside and essential for the labelling of hazardous chemicals which must remain identifiable, for example, after being submerged in sea water for extended periods.

The type of thermal paper you choose depends largely on the specifics of your business. The width, length, and grade of thermal paper varies widely depending on the manufacturer and the type of machine the paper is used for. Many online wholesalers, however, can customize your order so that you get the product you need to keep accurate records of all your transactions.

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