Radiation-Curing Polycarbonate Ink for Screen Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation-curing printing inks based on polycarbonate resins face issues such as screen blockage due to solvent evaporation, prolonged drying times, and poor adhesion to polycarbonate substrates, leading to reduced print quality and increased processing costs.
Innovation Solution
A laminate comprising a thermoplastic polymer substrate coated with a printing ink or varnish containing a non-radiation-curing aromatic polycarbonate binder dissolved in radiation-curing monomers, which are chemically crosslinked after curing, preventing solvent evaporation and enhancing adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If solvent-containing printing inks are used, then the printing process can proceed, but the solvent evaporates from the screen causing screen blockage and requiring additional cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the solvent from volatile organic solvent to non-volatile radiation-curing monomer. This transformation eliminates evaporation entirely, preventing screen blockage while maintaining the ink's applicability and flow properties during the printing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal drying mechanism (evaporation) with a radiation-curing mechanism (photopolymerization). Instead of relying on heat and evaporation to set the ink, the system uses UV or other radiation to trigger crosslinking, eliminating the harmful evaporation step entirely.
2Reliability
If thermal drying is used to dry the printing ink, then the ink can be set, but the processing time is prolonged and energy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal drying system with a radiation-curing system. Instead of using heat to evaporate solvent and dry the ink, the system uses UV or other radiation to initiate photopolymerization, achieving ink setting in seconds without the time-consuming thermal drying process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition from monomer to polymer through photopolymerization. The radiation-curing monomers transition from a liquid state during printing to a crosslinked solid state upon radiation exposure, achieving rapid ink setting without thermal processing.
3Productivity
If radiation-curing resin with reactive monomers is used, then drying time is reduced, but adhesion to polycarbonate substrates deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation combining non-radiation-curing aromatic polycarbonate resin with radiation-curing monomers. The polycarbonate component ensures excellent adhesion to polycarbonate substrates, while the radiation-curing monomers enable rapid setting. The synergistic combination resolves the adhesion-drying time contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns different functional qualities to different components within the ink: the polycarbonate resin provides adhesion and substrate compatibility, while the radiation-curing monomers provide rapid crosslinking and setting. Each component performs its specialized function locally within the ink matrix.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional printing inks are used, then printing can be performed, but finer details cannot be achieved due to drying issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the evaporation-based drying mechanism with radiation-curing photopolymerization. This substitution prevents solvent evaporation that causes screen blockage, allowing the screen to maintain its precision and print finer details without degradation over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous printing operation by eliminating the drying step entirely through radiation-curing. The ink sets immediately upon radiation exposure, allowing continuous production without interruption for drying, thereby maintaining screen precision and enabling fine detail printing.
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
This solution prevents screen blockage, reduces processing time, and improves print quality by ensuring better adhesion to substrates, allowing for finer details and broader application fields without the need for additional drying steps or energy-intensive equipment.
Implementation Method 1
a non-radiation-curing aromatic polycarbonate based on a geminally disubstituted dihydroxydiphenyl cycloalkane, and as solvent at least one radiation-curing monomer, which is selected from the group of acrylates, methacrylates, vinyl ethers and nitrogen-containing compounds with an ethylenic double bond, characterised in that the binder is dissolved in the solvent and the solvent is bound in chemically crosslinked form in the printing ink or printing varnish after curing
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to printing ink or printing lacquer containing non radiation-hardenable polycarbonate, preferably, aromatic, in particular as a binder and adhesion promoting components. According to the invention, the polycarbonate is present with radiation-hardening monomers, in particular dissolved therein.