To enhance the sharpness of a recorded state in a material to be subjected to recording and to enhance the performance of a recording medium which records in the material by forming silicon dioxide powder based on silicon dioxide and having nearly uniform openings as a dye adsorbent so that mesopores or micropores are provided.

The dye adsorbent that adsorbs ink, dye or the like comprises silicon dioxide powder based on silicon dioxide and having nearly uniform openings and has mesopores or micropores. The silicon dioxide powder is appropriately fine particulate mesoporous powder having 50-300 nm pore depth. It may be cylindrical mesoporous powder having 20-200 nm outside diameter and mesopores elongated in the longitudinal direction. The surface of a material to be subjected to recording is coated with an ink fixing agent using the dye adsorbent.