The main dilemma in replacing dyes with pigments was size. Inkjet orifices and portals are miniscule. They range from ten to twenty microns. A micron measures as one thousandth of a millimeter. In order for this pigmentation to work in an inkjet printer, particle size had to be reduced in order for the pigments not to cause clogging in the machine.
Dyes are a solution and are smaller than pigments on the molecular level.
Pigments are held in suspension and are considered a heterogeneous mixture. However, dyes and pigments are derived from identical organic chemical compounds. This organic similarity results in dyes and pigments to be classified as dyestuffs. The pigments in inkjet inks bear strong resemblance to those dye molecules used in dye-based inks. However, in the middle of ink production, the similarities of dye and pigments end.