Verification by our engineers confirms that the HP 63 black ink cartridge uses pigment-based ink.
According to the HP Support Community and official technical specifications:
HP technical staff have confirmed on the HP Support Community that the HP 63 series cartridges utilize a “pigment black + dye color” combination: the black cartridge uses pigment ink, while the tri-color cartridge uses dye ink.
Furthermore, authoritative third-party consumables platforms and technical documents (such as those from LD Products and True Image) indicate:
Industry databases show that the formulations for both HP 63 and HP 63XL black cartridges are pigment-based, designed to deliver crisp, smudge-resistant black-and-white text; conversely, the color cartridges use dye-based ink to ensure vibrant colors for photos and color charts.
Why does the HP 63 black cartridge use pigment ink?
Water and smudge resistance: Pigment ink consists of tiny solid particles suspended in the liquid. When printed on plain paper, these particles settle on the surface; once dry, they offer excellent water and light resistance, making the print less likely to smudge if touched with wet hands or marked over with a highlighter.
Sharp text edges: It is ideal for printing everyday office documents, spreadsheets, and black-and-white text, as the lines and character edges are sharper and crisper than those produced by dye ink.
FAQ 1: Is the HP 63 color cartridge also pigment-based?
Answer: No. The HP 63 tri-color cartridge uses dye-based ink.
Reason: Most HP inkjet printers designed for home and desktop office use employ a “pigment black + dye color” strategy. Pigment ink is used for black to ensure sharp text edges and resistance to sunlight and water, while dye ink is used for color to ensure vibrant, natural-looking colors and smooth color transitions in images.
FAQ 2: Can I use a third-party continuous ink supply system (CISS) or manually refill the HP 63 black cartridge with dye ink?
Answer: This is strongly discouraged. Clogging and Coagulation Risks: Pigment-based and dye-based inks have different chemical compositions. If residual HP 63 pigment ink remains in the original cartridge, directly refilling it with dye-based ink can trigger a chemical reaction, causing particles to clump together and completely clog the printhead nozzles.
Reduced Print Quality: If the black ink is switched to a dye-based formula, text printed on standard paper tends to absorb moisture and bleed, losing the crispness of the original output.
FAQ 3: Can HP 63 black ink (pigment-based) be used to print on glossy photo paper?
Answer: The results are poor. Pigment inks consist of tiny suspended solid particles. When printed on standard glossy photo paper, these particles are not fully absorbed by the glossy coating; consequently, the ink on the surface takes a long time to dry, smudges easily upon contact, and may even exhibit “bronzing”—an effect where light reflects unevenly off the surface. For photo printing, it is recommended to use the color cartridge (dye-based ink) or specialized glossy photo paper.
FAQ 4: Is there a difference in the black ink composition between HP 63 and HP 63XL?
Answer: No difference at all. The chemical composition of the black ink used in both HP 63 (standard capacity) and HP 63XL (high capacity) is identical; both utilize pigment-based ink. The only differences lie in the size of the internal sponge and the ink fill volume (the XL version typically yields two to three times as many printed pages as the standard version).
FAQ 5: Will text printed with HP 63 black ink run or blur if splashed with water?
Answer: Generally, no. Since HP 63 black ink is pigment-based, the pigment particles adhere firmly to the paper fibers once dry, offering excellent water and fade resistance. Even if exposed to water droplets or marked over with a highlighter, the text is unlikely to bleed or smudge.
