Lithographic Offset Inks with Water and Filler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithographic printing inks face challenges in achieving stable emulsification with water, leading to inferior print performance and environmental concerns due to high volatile organic content (VOC) and the need for expensive emulsifying agents, particularly in energy-curing inks that cure through actinic radiation or electron beams.
Innovation Solution
The development of lithographic printing inks comprising 8-15% filler, 10-40% water, and specific resins and pigments, with a process that involves premilling components and adding water under controlled shear to create a stable emulsified ink, reducing the need for emulsifying agents and minimizing VOC, while allowing for curing through various methods including actinic radiation and electron beams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If water is incorporated into lithographic ink to reduce VOC and improve environmental suitability, then the ink becomes more environmentally friendly and reduces harmful emissions, but the emulsion stability deteriorates and print performance becomes inferior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the ink formulation by introducing specific resins (acrylic, polyester, or polyurethane) and controlling water content at 5-30% to achieve stable emulsion while reducing VOC. This parameter optimization allows the ink to maintain both environmental suitability and emulsion stability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite ink system combining water, resin, pigment, and filler components. This composite formulation leverages the synergistic effects of each component to achieve stable emulsion with reduced VOC, resolving the contradiction between environmental suitability and emulsion stability.
2Reliability
If emulsifying agents are used in high quantities to achieve stable emulsion, then the emulsion stability improves, but the ink becomes tacky and print performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive and problematic emulsifying agents with water and filler components that provide stability without tackiness. This substitution eliminates the harmful effect of tackiness while maintaining emulsion stability through alternative mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for high quantities of emulsifying agents by using water and filler as alternative stabilizing components. This removal of the problematic substance resolves the contradiction between emulsion stability and lack of tackiness.
3Quantity of substance
If water is added to lithographic ink to reduce costs and improve environmental suitability, then the raw material costs decrease and environmental impact is reduced, but the ink cohesion and transferability under high shear conditions deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes water content parameters at 5-30% and adjusts resin composition to maintain ink cohesion despite water addition. This parameter control ensures that the ink retains sufficient cohesion and transferability while achieving cost reduction and environmental benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces resin as an intermediary substance that mediates between water and pigment components, maintaining ink cohesion and transferability. This intermediary prevents the harmful effects of poor cohesion while allowing water content to be optimized for cost and environmental reasons.
4Reliability
If conventional inks are used without water to maintain emulsion stability, then the emulsion stability is preserved, but the VOC content increases and environmental suitability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the formulation parameters by replacing VOC-based solvents with water as the continuous phase, reducing VOC content while maintaining emulsion stability through controlled water content (5-30%) and resin selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of water (which can destabilize emulsion) into a beneficial reduction of VOC. By carefully controlling water content and formulation, the ink achieves both environmental suitability and emulsion stability simultaneously.
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 inks demonstrate improved storage stability, print performance, and environmental suitability, with reduced VOC and raw material costs, maintaining cohesion and transferability under high shear conditions, and minimizing piling and migration of oils into foodstuffs.
Implementation Method 1
the lithographic printing process depends, in part, for its success in the ability of the ink to form a stable emulsion with an aqueous fount solution
Implementation Method 2
emulsions are not always stable. Further, it is also known to those skilled in the art that emulsifying agents used in too high a quantity can lead to overemulsification
Implementation Method 3
energy-curing inks that cure through actinic radiation or electron beams
Implementation Method 4
energy-curing inks that cure through actinic radiation or electron beams
Implementation Method 5
environmental concerns due to high volatile organic content (VOC)
Data Source
AI summary
Lithographic printing inks are described, which are characterized by the inclusion of both water, in a substantially emulsified form, and inorganic filler. Inks of the present invention show improved printing properties in offset lithography, including improved transfer, reduced piling and improved mileage. They also offer cost advantages over currently available inks and the ability to minimize or eliminate entirely mineral oil from their compositions. The inks of the present invention may be used in both web-based print processes including coldset and heatset, as well as in sheetfed printing. The inks may be dried to a durable ink film at ambient temperature, with thermal energy or with actinic or electron beam radiation, or with any combination thereof.