What are the similarities and differences between BOPP colored synthetic paper and thermal paper?

There are both similarities and differences between BOPP colored synthetic paper and thermal paper. Here is a detailed comparison between the two:

Similarities

Temperature sensitivity:

Both BOPP colored synthetic paper and thermal paper have sensitivity to temperature. When the thermal sensitive coating on the surface of the paper reaches a certain temperature, a color change occurs, thereby achieving the printing effect.

No ink required:

Compared with traditional printing methods, BOPP color synthetic paper and thermal paper do not require the use of ink or ribbon, which simplifies the printing process and reduces the cost of use.

Quick printing:

Due to the lack of ink, the printing speed of BOPP color synthetic paper and thermal paper is usually faster than traditional printers, making them suitable for situations where large amounts of information need to be printed quickly.

Difference points

Substrate and Manufacturing Process:

BOPP color synthetic paper: It is made by using biaxially oriented polypropylene film (BOPP) as the substrate and coating it with a color heat sensitive material containing a heat sensitive agent.

Thermal paper: Typically, ordinary paper is used as the substrate and coated with a thermal sensitive coating.

Color rendering performance:

BOPP color synthetic paper: capable of printing high-quality color images or text, with bright and long-lasting colors.

Thermal paper: It can usually only print monochrome (such as black) images or text, and the printed content is prone to fading. Prolonged exposure to sunlight, high temperatures, or humid environments may gradually blur or even completely disappear the printed content.

Physical performance:

BOPP colored synthetic paper: It has high tensile strength, impact strength, rigidity, toughness, good transparency, as well as excellent dimensional stability and moisture resistance.

Thermal paper: Its physical properties are relatively weak and may not be as good as BOPP color synthetic paper in terms of tear resistance, bending resistance, and moisture resistance.

Application areas:

BOPP color synthetic paper: mainly used for occasions that require real-time printing of color images or text, such as receipts in the retail industry, labels in the logistics industry, and ordering in the catering industry.

Thermal paper: widely used in supermarket cashiers, logistics labels, fax paper and other fields, but due to its easy fading of printed content, it may not be suitable for situations that require long-term storage of printed information.

Price and Cost:

BOPP color synthetic paper: Due to the use of high-quality raw materials and advanced production processes, the price may be relatively high.

Thermal paper: The price is relatively stable, and due to its characteristics of no ink required and fast printing speed, the overall cost of use is relatively low.

In summary, there are significant differences between BOPP color synthetic paper and thermal paper in terms of substrate and manufacturing process, color development performance, physical properties, application areas, as well as price and cost. The choice of paper depends on the specific application scenario and requirements.