Aqueous Ink for Plate Printing on Low-Absorb Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aqueous inks for plate-based printing face issues with transfer properties and substrate adhesion, particularly when used on low-liquid absorbing printing media, due to poor drying properties and wettability, leading to inadequate print quality and adhesion.
Innovation Solution
The use of pigment-containing crosslinked water-insoluble polymer particles, pigment-free water-insoluble polymer particles, and an organic amine compound, along with a water-soluble organic solvent, enhances transfer properties and substrate adhesion by improving dispersion stability, viscosity, and wettability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If aqueous ink is used for plate-based printing, then environmental safety and health issues are improved, but drying properties and wettability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the aqueous ink by adding specific organic solvents (alcohols, glycols, carboxylic acid esters) with controlled boiling points and concentrations. This modifies the ink's drying kinetics and surface tension to achieve both environmental safety and satisfactory drying properties on low-liquid absorbing substrates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation combining water (main solvent) with multiple organic solvent components (alcohols, glycols, esters) and surfactants. This composite structure allows the ink to maintain water-based environmental benefits while incorporating organic components that improve wetting and drying performance on difficult substrates.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If aqueous ink is used for plate-based printing, then environmental safety and health issues are improved, but transfer properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts physical parameters of the ink including viscosity (through solvent selection and concentration control) and surface tension (through surfactant addition). These parameter changes enable the aqueous ink to transfer effectively onto low-liquid absorbing substrates while maintaining water-based environmental safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surfactants as intermediary substances that mediate between the aqueous ink and the hydrophobic low-liquid absorbing substrate. These surfactants reduce surface tension and improve interfacial compatibility, enabling effective ink transfer without compromising the water-based formulation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If aqueous ink is used for plate-based printing, then environmental safety and health issues are improved, but substrate adhesion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent formulates a composite ink system combining water with organic solvents (alcohols, glycols, esters) and adhesion promoters. This composite structure provides multiple mechanisms for substrate bonding: hydrogen bonding from water and hydroxyl groups, van der Waals forces from organic components, and chemical adhesion from carboxylic acid esters, achieving strong adhesion on low-liquid absorbing substrates while maintaining environmental safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies chemical composition parameters including pH, solvent concentration ratios, and additive amounts to optimize adhesion. By controlling the balance between water content, organic solvent types and concentrations, and surfactant/additive levels, the ink achieves sufficient adhesion strength on hydrophobic substrates without sacrificing environmental benefits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The aqueous ink achieves excellent transfer properties and substrate adhesion, even on low-liquid absorbing media, resulting in high-quality printed materials with improved printability and durability.
Implementation Method 1
a water-soluble organic solvent having a boiling point of not lower than 100°C and not higher than 260°C
Implementation Method 2
an organic amine compound
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an aqueous ink for plate-based printing which is excellent in transfer properties and substrate adhesion properties even against a low-liquid absorbing printing medium, and a plate-based printing method using the aqueous ink. The present invention relates to [1] an aqueous ink for plate-based printing which contains pigment-containing crosslinked water-insoluble polymer particles A, pigment-free water-insoluble polymer particles B, an organic amine compound, not less than 1% by mass and not more than 30% by mass of a water-soluble organic solvent having a boiling point of not lower than 100°C and not higher than 260°C, and water, and [2] a plate-based printing method including the step of printing characters or images on a low-liquid absorbing printing medium using the aforementioned aqueous ink..