Curable Jettable Fluid for Flexographic Printing Master
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for creating flexographic printing masters using inkjet technology face issues with photo-initiators migrating to the surface and being extracted during printing, leading to changes in relief thickness and printing properties, and existing compositions result in hard, inflexible layers unsuitable for high-resolution printing.
Innovation Solution
A curable jettable fluid comprising a cyclic monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, a difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, and a copolymerizable initiator, with a polymeric or oligomeric initiator and co-initiator system, which reduces migration and extraction, and includes a plasticizing monomer to enhance flexibility, ensuring stable printing properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional photo-initiators are used in inkjet curable fluids, then the fluid can be cured to form a relief image, but the photo-initiator migrates to the surface and is extracted during printing, causing changes in relief thickness and printing properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the photo-initiator from low (conventional) to high (polymeric or oligomeric). This parameter change reduces migration and extraction of the photo-initiator during printing, maintaining stable printing properties and preventing changes in relief thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite initiating system comprising polymeric or oligomeric photo-initiators combined with co-initiators. This composite material approach provides both the curing functionality and the stability needed to prevent extraction, as the polymeric/oligomeric structure remains in the bulk while enabling effective UV curing.
2Ease of operation
If conventional curable compositions are used, then the fluid can be cured to form a relief image, but the resulting layers are hard and inflexible, unsuitable for high-resolution printing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the glass transition temperature (Tg) parameter of the curable composition by selecting monomers and oligomers with appropriate Tg values. This results in cured layers that are flexible rather than hard, making them suitable for high-resolution flexographic printing while maintaining adequate strength.
3Manufacturing precision
If small nozzle diameter printheads are used to achieve high resolution, then printing precision is improved, but low viscosity inks are required which may compromise formulation flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully controls the viscosity parameter of the curable fluid by selecting appropriate monomers, oligomers, and their ratios. This enables the fluid to have low enough viscosity for small nozzle printheads (producing 3 pl droplets) while maintaining composition stability and flexibility for high-resolution printing master formation.
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 solution provides a flexographic printing master with improved stability and flexibility, maintaining excellent printing properties throughout the process and preventing the extraction of low molecular weight residues, thus ensuring consistent print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a) photopolymerizable monomers and/or oligomers
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a curable jettable fluid for making a flexographic printing master comprising an initiator, a cyclic monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer and a difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer characterized in that the initiator is an oligomer, a polymer or a copolymerizable compound.