What solvent based ink？
Date: Aug 24 2024 From: Star Color
1 What solvent based ink？Solvent based ink is an important component of the printing industry. This type of ink uses organic solvents as diluents to dissolve resins, disperse pigments, and additives, forming an ink system with specific printing adaptability.
There are many types of solvent based inks, which can be classified into alcohols, esters, benzenes, ketones, etc. according to the type of solvent; According to the drying method, it can be divided into self drying type, UV curing type, etc; According to their purposes, they can be divided into printing ink, inkjet ink, etc. They are widely used on various substrates such as paper, plastic, and metal, especially in advertising, decoration, packaging, and other fields.
2 Composition of solvent based inkSolvent based ink is mainly composed of four parts: binders, pigments, additives, and solvents.
Adhesive is the matrix of ink, mainly composed of resin, which plays a bonding role. Its performance directly affects important indicators such as smoothness, hardness, weather resistance, and moisture resistance of ink.
Pigments are colored substances in ink that exist in the form of fine powders. It is insoluble in water or solvents, but can be uniformly dispersed in the ink base material. The quality of pigments determines the fineness, weather resistance, solvent resistance, chemical resistance, and other properties of ink, as well as whether the ink contains heavy metals.
Additives play a role in improving the printability of ink, such as improving the flowability and dispersibility of ink. By adding an appropriate amount of additives, the performance of ink can be adjusted to meet different printing needs.
Solvent is an important component of ink, responsible for dissolving resin to make binders, dispersing pigments and dissolving additives, and improving the performance of ink. At the same time, solvents can dissolve and swell the substrate, improving the adhesion of ink.
3 Performance characteristics of solvent based inkSolvent based inks have significant characteristics such as vivid colors, good reducibility, fast drying speed, strong adaptability, and price advantages.
High quality pigments make solvent based ink prints full of color and have good reducibility, which can meet high printing requirements. At the same time, the solvent evaporates quickly, allowing the ink to dry quickly after printing, making it suitable for high-speed printing production.
Solvent based inks also have strong adaptability and can be directly printed on various substrates without the need for special treatments such as corona discharge. This characteristic makes solvent based inks popular in the printing industry.
Solvent based ink has a certain cost advantage, which is also an important factor in its competitiveness in the market.
4 Environmental issues and challenges of solvent based inksAlthough solvent based inks have a wide range of applications and significant advantages in the printing industry, the environmental issues they bring are also very serious.
The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the main aspects of environmental protection issues for solvent based inks. During the production and use of ink, the evaporation of solvents can cause air pollution and pose potential hazards to human health.
Some solvents have high toxicity, such as benzene and ketones, which pose a threat to the health of frontline workers. Long term exposure to these toxic solvents may lead to the occurrence of occupational diseases.
Therefore, environmental regulations around the world, especially in developed Western countries, are very strict on VOC emissions, which also limits the use of solvent based inks and gradually leads to their elimination from the market. Developing countries including China are also rapidly replacing traditional solvent based inks with environmentally friendly inks such as water-based inks.
5 Precautions for the use and storage of solvent based inkWhen using solvent based ink, it is important to pay attention to some key usage and storage considerations to ensure the performance and printing effect of the ink.
Before use, it should be thoroughly stirred to prevent pigment precipitation from affecting the printing effect. At the same time, adjust the viscosity and drying speed of the ink according to printing requirements to achieve the best printing effect.
During the printing process, it is also necessary to maintain a constant temperature and humidity environment to reduce the occurrence of printing failures.
In terms of storage, solvent based inks should be kept away from sources of fire and stored in specialized warehouses for low-temperature hazardous materials.
6 Market prospects and development directions of solvent based inksWith the increasingly strict environmental regulations and the increasing demand for environmentally friendly products from consumers, the market prospects and development direction of solvent based inks are also facing new challenges and opportunities.
From the perspective of market demand, the demand for solvent based inks in the printing industry remains stable. However, solvent based inks are being replaced by other more environmentally friendly inks and are also happening.
For example, the food packaging industry has put forward higher requirements for the environmental protection and safety of ink, and many manufacturers no longer use solvent based ink.
Faced with these changes in market demand, the solvent based ink industry needs to continuously innovate in technology and upgrade in environmental protection. Developing new environmentally friendly solvents, reducing VOC emissions, and improving the printing suitability and stability of inks will become the future development direction. At the same time, promoting environmentally friendly inks such as water-based ink and UV ink will also become the mainstream trend in the market.
In the future, the solvent based ink industry will actively develop towards a more environmentally friendly, efficient, and multifunctional direction while maintaining its traditional advantages. On the one hand, through technological innovation and process improvement, the VOC content in ink can be reduced, the impact on the environment can be minimized, and the requirements of environmental regulations can be met; On the other hand, continuous research and development of new inks to improve their printing suitability and stability, in order to meet the special requirements of ink performance in different fields.
7 ConclusionIn summary, solvent based inks are still an important component of the printing industry, with significant characteristics such as vivid colors, good reproducibility, fast drying speed, strong adaptability, and price advantages. However, its environmental issues are becoming increasingly prominent, and the industry needs to take active measures to address them. By developing environmentally friendly solvent based inks, promoting water-based inks and UV inks, and strengthening the recycling and treatment of solvents, measures can be taken to reduce the pollution of solvent based inks to the environment and protect the health of workers.
RU
EN
CN
