Radiation-Curable Water-Based Inkjet Inks for Lightweight Paper Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing technologies face challenges due to high costs, limited substrate compatibility, and environmental concerns related to water-based inks, particularly high water content leading to show-through issues on lightweight papers and the need for external heat for drying, which increases energy consumption and processing complexity.
Innovation Solution
Development of radiation-curable, water-based inkjet ink compositions that can be cured by UV or EB radiation without external heat, allowing for improved energy efficiency and reduced viscosity, enabling printing on lightweight papers and various substrates with enhanced adhesion and reduced show-through.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional water-based inkjet inks are used, then the ink can be applied to substrates, but the high water content causes show-through on lightweight papers and requires high temperatures for drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the water-based ink by incorporating radiation-curable components (such as water-soluble acrylic resins and crosslinking agents) that allow the ink to cure through UV or electron beam radiation. This parameter change enables the ink to achieve adequate film formation and adhesion with reduced water content compared to conventional water-based inks, thereby reducing show-through on lightweight papers while eliminating the need for high-temperature drying.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional water-based inkjet inks are used, then the ink can be applied to substrates, but high temperatures must be applied to dry the inks adequately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal drying mechanism (heating) with a radiation-curing mechanism. The ink contains radiation-curable components that undergo polymerization or crosslinking when exposed to UV or electron beam radiation, eliminating the need for high-temperature drying. This substitution of the drying mechanism dramatically reduces energy consumption while maintaining adequate ink film formation and adhesion.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional water-based inkjet inks are used, then printing can be performed, but the inks have limited adhesion to a range of substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite ink formulations that combine water-based components with radiation-curable components. The water-based aspect provides good adhesion to porous substrates like paper and cardboard, while the radiation-curable components (such as acrylic resins and crosslinking agents) provide enhanced adhesion to non-porous substrates through UV or electron beam curing. This composite approach enables reliable adhesion across a wide range of substrate types.
4Reliability
If UV inkjet inks made from hydrophobic monomers and oligomers are used, then adhesion to various substrates is improved, but the inks contain VOCs that create health risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using water-soluble acrylic resins and hydrophilic monomers instead of hydrophobic monomers and oligomers. This parameter change allows the ink to maintain radiation-curable properties while being based on water, thereby eliminating or significantly reducing VOC content. The water-based formulation with radiation-curable components achieves adequate adhesion to various substrates without the health risks associated with VOCs.
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 allows for efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly printing on a wide range of substrates, including lightweight papers, with reduced ink usage and energy consumption, enabling 4-color printing and improved tensile strength, while eliminating the need for external heat drying.
Implementation Method 1
Development of radiation-curable, water-based inkjet ink compositions that can be cured by UV or EB radiation without external heat
Implementation Method 2
cured by UV or EB radiation
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
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AI summary
The invention describes a new design of commercial inkjet press with pre-coating prior to printing which may upgrade the quality of the surface of the substrate and enable it to be printable by all digital printing technologies including inkjet. Also described are curable water-based coatings and inks which may be cured at high speed without the need for external applied heat to dry the water content. The compositions of the invention, when used as coatings or primers, may create a surface on cellulosic substrates and polymeric films which is suitable for printing on by most printing methods including but not limited to inkjet, wet and dry toner systems, lithographic, gravure and flexographic. The primers or coatings may also add up to 15% tensile strength to lightweight papers under 40 GSM. The press design of the invention may produce high quality printed product from low-grade inexpensive paper substrates or polymeric film. The primers and coatings of the invention may allow colour printing, including 4-colour printing, on lightweight papers by conventional water based inkjet inks which papers could previously not be printed with this method; whilst the aqueous, curable inkjet inks of the invention may eliminate many of the shortcomings of conventional radiation curable inkjet inks.