Abstract: A method of printing a stealth white image includes applying a stealth ink containing a red coloring material that emits visible light at exposure to ultraviolet radiation and a green coloring material that emits visible light at exposure to ultraviolet radiation to a substrate which contains a fluorescent brightener to form the stealth white image thereon, wherein the stealth white image demonstrates an a* value of from ?2.0 to 2.0 and a b* value of from ?10.0 to 0 at exposure to ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of 370 nm according to CIE 1976 L*a*b* colorimetric system.

Abstract: An ink contains a coloring material, a water-soluble organic solvent. a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 or Chemical Formula 2, a surfactant containing a first silicone-based compound having an HLB value of from 7.0 to 9.0 and a second silicone-based compound having an HLB value of from 14.0 to 18.0, and water, where, m represents an integer of from 1 to 4, where R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 or 8 carbon atoms, or an ally group, 1 represents 0 or an integer of from 1 to 7, and n represents an integer of from 20 to 200.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head and a window. The liquid discharge head discharges a liquid onto a recording medium to form an image. The window is near the liquid discharge head. The image on the recording medium is visually recognizable through the window.

Abstract: A stealth white ink contains a red coloring material that emits visible light at exposure to ultraviolet radiation, a green coloring material that emits visible light at exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and a blue coloring material that emits visible light at exposure to ultraviolet radiation, wherein a dry film of the stealth white ink has an a* value of from ?2.0 to 2.0 and a b* of from ?10.0 to 0 at exposure to ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of 370 nm according to CIE 1976 L*a*b* colorimetric system.

Abstract: A method of printing a stealth white image includes applying a stealth ink containing a red coloring material that emits visible light at exposure to ultraviolet radiation and a green coloring material that emits visible light at exposure to ultraviolet radiation to a substrate which contains a fluorescent brightener to form the stealth white image thereon, wherein the stealth white image demonstrates an a* value of from ?2.0 to 2.0 and a b* value of from ?10.0 to 0 at exposure to ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of 370 nm according to CIE 1976 L*a*b* colorimetric system.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head and a window. The liquid discharge head discharges a liquid onto a recording medium to form an image. The window is near the liquid discharge head. The image on the recording medium is visually recognizable through the window.

Abstract: A treatment-object modifying device lowers a pH value of a surface of a treatment object by using dielectric-barrier discharge. The treatment-object modifying device includes discharge electrodes disposed over a conveying route of the treatment object; and a counter electrode disposed to face the discharge electrodes across the conveying route so as to correspond to the respective discharge electrodes. Each discharge electrode has a columnar shape or a cylindrical shape. Curved surfaces of the discharge electrodes faces the counter electrode. Curved surfaces of the discharge electrodes face one another. A distance between the adjacent discharge electrodes is equal to or less than 2 millimeters.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plasma processing unit that processes a surface of a processing object by using plasma; a recording unit that forms a first-color image on the surface of the processing object by inkjet recording, the surface being plasma-processed by the plasma processing unit, and forms a second-color image to be superimposed on the first-color image by the inkjet recording; and an adjusting unit that adjusts a plasma energy amount that is to be applied to the processing object according to the second-color image.

Abstract: A modification device includes: a plasma processing unit that performs plasma processing on a processed object such that a surface of the processed object has a predetermined water contact angle; and a cooling unit that cools the surface of the processed object at least from when the plasma processing is performed to when ink is discharged such that a surface temperature of the processed object during discharge of the ink to the processed object is a temperature at which a target water contact angle range is achieved.

Abstract: A treatment target reforming device decreases a pH value of a surface of a treatment target using a dielectric-barrier discharge. The treatment target reforming device includes: a discharge electrode and a counter electrode which are disposed so that a conveying path of the treatment target is interposed therebetween; and a power supply which applies a repetitive pulse voltage with an output voltage equal to or larger than 10 kVp-p and smaller than 13 kVp-p to the discharge electrode.

Abstract: A modification device includes: a plasma processing unit that performs plasma processing on a processed object such that a surface of the processed object has a predetermined water contact angle; and a cooling unit that cools the surface of the processed object at least from when the plasma processing is performed to when ink is discharged such that a surface temperature of the processed object during discharge of the ink to the processed object is a temperature at which a target water contact angle range is achieved.

Abstract: A pH detecting device includes a supplying unit to supply a pH indicator, with an inkjet head, to a surface of a material to be processed on which acidification is performed; a color information detector to detect color information of the pH indicator supplied to the surface of the material; and a pH specifying unit to specify a pH value of the surface of the material based on the color information.

Abstract: A pH detecting device includes a supplying unit to supply a pH indicator, with an inkjet head, to a surface of a material to be processed on which acidification is performed; a color information detector to detect color information of the pH indicator supplied to the surface of the material; and a pH specifying unit to specify a pH value of the surface of the material based on the color information.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plasma processing unit that processes a surface of a processing object by using plasma; a recording unit that forms a first-color image on the surface of the processing object by inkjet recording, the surface being plasma-processed by the plasma processing unit, and forms a second-color image to be superimposed on the first-color image by the inkjet recording; and an adjusting unit that adjusts a plasma energy amount that is to be applied to the processing object according to the second-color image.

Abstract: A treatment-object modifying device lowers a pH value of a surface of a treatment object by using dielectric-barrier discharge. The treatment-object modifying device includes discharge electrodes disposed over a conveying route of the treatment object; and a counter electrode disposed to face the discharge electrodes across the conveying route so as to correspond to the respective discharge electrodes. Each discharge electrode has a columnar shape or a cylindrical shape. Curved surfaces of the discharge electrodes faces the counter electrode. Curved surfaces of the discharge electrodes face one another. A distance between the adjacent discharge electrodes is equal to or less than 2 millimeters.

Abstract: A treatment target reforming device decreases a pH value of a surface of a treatment target using a dielectric-barrier discharge. The treatment target reforming device includes: a discharge electrode and a counter electrode which are disposed so that a conveying path of the treatment target is interposed therebetween; and a power supply which applies a repetitive pulse voltage with an output voltage equal to or larger than 10 kVp-p and smaller than 13 kVp-p to the discharge electrode.

Abstract: A recording medium surface property modifying apparatus is disclosed. The recording medium surface property modifying apparatus includes a conveying unit which conveys a recording medium in a predetermined direction; a discharging electrode which rotates and comes into contact with a face to be treated of the recording medium which is conveyed by the conveying unit to cause the face to be treated to be in contact with plasma to modify a surface property of the recording medium; and a hollow-shaped cover member which covers a plasma treatment unit which includes the discharging electrode, the recording medium surface property modifying apparatus further including a humidity control unit which controls, in advance, humidity of the plasma treatment unit in alignment with acidity of the recording medium which undergoes the surface property modifying treatment.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed, including: a toner image forming unit which forms a toner image on a surface of a transfer material, the toner image being an image formed of toner, the toner containing wax; a fixing device which fixes the toner image using a fixing member on which a mold release agent including oil is applied; and a surface processing device which processes the fixed surface of the transfer material, on which surface the toner image is fixed using the fixing member on which the mold release agent including the oil is applied, wherein the surface processing device further includes a discharging unit which generates a discharge on or near the fixed surface of the transfer material, on which surface the fixed toner image is formed.

Abstract: A surface treating apparatus configured to treat a surface of a transfer material includes a discharge part configured to cause dielectric barrier discharge on or near the surface of the transfer material where a toner image is to be formed on the surface and to cause the surface of the transfer material to be directly exposed to the dielectric barrier discharge, so as to increase the wettability of the surface of the transfer material with respect to toner for forming the toner image.

Abstract: An inkjet recording method including: (i) exposing a surface of a recording medium to non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma so as to hydrophilize the surface of the recording medium, and (ii) applying a stimulus to an ink composition so as to eject the ink composition to form an image on the recording medium, wherein the ink composition contains at least one of a pigment/water-dispersible resin particle mixture in which a pigment is dispersed along with water-dispersible resin particles and colored water-dispersible resin particles each of which is a water-dispersible resin particle which is colored.