Ink Composition for PTP Package Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security inks for press-through pack (PTP) packages, particularly those used for pharmaceutical products, face challenges such as high costs, visibility issues, and difficulty in adhesion to aluminum substrates, leading to ineffective counterfeiting prevention and authenticity verification.
Innovation Solution
An ink composition containing vanadyl naphthalocyanine and a polycarbonate-based resin, which provides excellent invisibility and durability, allowing for efficient reading by near-infrared scanners, and is specifically designed for use on aluminum substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional security inks are used for PTP packages, then counterfeiting prevention is achieved, but adhesion to aluminum substrates is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A primer layer is introduced as an intermediary between the aluminum substrate and the security ink. The primer contains silane coupling agents that chemically bond to both the aluminum oxide surface and the ink resin, creating a strong adhesive interface. This mediator resolves the adhesion problem without compromising the counterfeiting prevention function of the security ink.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface treatment parameters of the aluminum substrate are modified through anodization or plasma treatment, increasing surface roughness and oxide layer thickness. This changes the physical and chemical properties of the substrate surface, improving mechanical interlocking and chemical bonding with the security ink, thereby enhancing adhesion while maintaining security functionality.
2Reliability
If visible security patterns are used for authenticity verification, then counterfeiting prevention is improved, but printed information such as product codes is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The security verification is shifted from the visible spectrum to the infrared spectrum. The security ink contains infrared-absorbing pigments that are invisible to the human eye but detectable by infrared scanners. This dimensional shift in the verification domain allows product codes and other printed information to remain visible and readable while providing hidden security features for authenticity verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The security ink exhibits selective optical absorption properties, appearing invisible or nearly invisible in the visible spectrum while strongly absorbing infrared radiation. This color change across different spectral regions enables simultaneous visibility of product information and hidden security patterns, resolving the conflict between authenticity verification and information readability.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple and inexpensive authenticity patterns are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but counterfeiting becomes easier as pseudo patterns are hard to distinguish
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical/visual verification system is replaced with an optical detection system using infrared technology. Instead of relying on complex physical patterns that are difficult to counterfeit but expensive to manufacture, the system uses infrared-absorbing inks that can be applied with standard printing techniques. The verification is performed using infrared scanners or mobile devices with infrared cameras, providing high counterfeiting resistance at low manufacturing cost.
4Loss of information
If bar codes are printed on aluminum substrate side of PTP package, then product information is provided, but accurate reading is difficult due to reflection properties of aluminum
Solution Approach 1:
A white or light-colored overprint layer is introduced as a mediator between the aluminum substrate and the bar code. This overprint layer provides a high-contrast background that enhances the visibility and scannability of the bar code. The overprint may also contain infrared-absorbing pigments to maintain security functionality while improving bar code reading accuracy by reducing aluminum reflection interference.
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 ink composition ensures high invisibility and durability, preventing counterfeiting while maintaining designability and readability by near-infrared devices, thus enhancing security and authenticity verification without increasing packaging costs.
Implementation Method 1
vanadyl naphthalocyanine...contains a nitrogen-containing five-membered heterocyclic compound...used as a near infrared absorber...recorded image has an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of 750 to 900 nm
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an ink for a PTP package, which is a counterfeit prevention ink for use in a PTP package, has excellent invisibility, can be efficiently read by a scanner having sensitivity in a near infrared region, is highly durable, and can be used for a material of a PTP package, particularly an aluminum substrate; and an ink composition for use therefor. An ink composition for a PTP package, containing vanadyl naphthalocyanine represented by Formula (I):and a resin. The resin is preferably at least one selected from a cellulose-based resin, a vinyl-based resin, a polyamide-based resin, a polyimide-based resin, an epoxy-based resin, a polyurethane-based resin, a polyester-based resin, a polyester urethane-based resin, a polystyrene-based resin, a polyolefin-based resin, a polyacrylic resin, and a polycarbonate-based resin.