Researchers Use Lasers to Un-Print Printed Paper
Removing printed toner on paper, similar to how we use an eraser to clear pencil writing, is not something entirely new, but there has never been a feasible approach for the mass market.
However, researchers at the University of Cambridge now claim that ultrafast and long-pulsed lasers can be used to save printed paper from the trash bin and prepare it for reuse.
According to a paper published in Proceedings Of The Royal Society A, a 532 nm green laser light with a pulse length of 4 nanoseconds can evaporate printed toner from paper without significantly damaging it. The process works two to three times before damage would become apparent via a slight yellow tint of the paper, the scientists said. They do not claim that the process is perfect, but they believe that they are on a promising path to enable an un-printer at some point.
According to a press release released by the University of Cambridge, the print removal would be much more environmentally friendly than recycling and producing new paper. Compared to recycling, the un-printing process would save an estimated 50 to 80 percent of carbon emissions.
most likely NO
lol... right now, my printer claims some of the toner cartridges are low. When it actually decides they're empty, I'll be using a little trick to force it to use it anyway. lol... printer manufacturers love to charge you too much for things...
Oh Brother! I hear you on that!
I'm sure that since it damages the paper in a way, they could just find out what the original content was anyway but the smarter thing to do would be to "erase" it with the un-printer and shred it both ways.
I thought toner particles were long thought bad for the lungs and yet this process sounds as though its atomising them off the paper through using the laser. Surely that will be hazardous to office workers.
Ha I remember my first Visual Basic class, creating a report...I screwed up in that very manner.
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This will never be used for confidential documents, however
no. Because:
the price of removing the toner is bigger then recycling it even considering the environmental cost.