If you’ve ever thought about the safety and security of the documents you have on hand but know you will always need to print out hard copies at least for review, you may be interested in the new This Tape Will Self Destruct printer, which sets its own documents on fire shortly after they’re printed. If it sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, that is certainly where its creator got his inspiration.
The machine doesn’t work with just any paper and it has some basic science to its components. For those who want to keep their documents completely secret and never take the chance of a hard copy making the rounds, consider how it works.
The Paper and Chemicals
Note that the machine actually uses thermal paper rather than regular copy paper. This type of paper is very flammable and holds heat. The heat itself will allow it to more easily catch on fire; no actual flame is needed.
As the paper runs through the printer, it adds potassium salt and glycerol to the ends. As the paper goes through the rollers, this pushes the ends together that hold these chemicals. This causes the paper to fold over onto itself, forcing the two ends with the chemicals to touch. This in turn causes a reaction that produces enough heat to set the thermal paper on fire.
The Printer
The inner workings of the printer itself are very basic, with a standard desktop printer being used with cans of chemicals wired to the insides. It’s not very complicated because it’s not meant for everyday use or for mass manufacture. Its creator, Diego Trujillo, built the prototype simply for experimental purposes and has not yet decided to try to mass-produce it for everyday use.
However, it does offer an interesting premise. With many companies concerned about corporate and government spying, they are looking to do everything they can to protect their information on their computer and on hard copies. A printer that uses self-destructing paper such as this one may not be a prototype for much longer!
