UV Curing Screen Printing Inks with Epoxidized Oils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current UV or EB curing screen printing inks based on epoxidized vegetable oils are not suitable for industrial use due to low reactivity under typical curing conditions, which require energy doses beyond the range of common screen printing apparatus.
Innovation Solution
A screen printing ink composition comprising at least 40 to 95 wt.% epoxidized vegetable or animal oil combined with reactive diluents such as oxetanes or limonene diepoxide, allowing for effective curing within standard energy doses and suitable for a wide range of substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If epoxidized vegetable oils are used as binder system, then sustainability is improved, but reactivity under typical curing conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces oxetanes as intermediary compounds that facilitate the curing reaction between epoxidized vegetable oils and other components. The oxetanes act as a mediator that enables effective crosslinking at lower energy doses, resolving the contradiction between using sustainable epoxidized oils and achieving sufficient reactivity for screen printing applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the binder system by combining epoxidized vegetable oils with oxetanes and adjusting the epoxide content to specific ranges (0.5-10 mmol/g). This parameter optimization enables the sustainable oil-based system to achieve adequate reactivity under standard screen printing curing conditions (70-300 mJ/cm²).
2Reliability
If higher energy doses are used to cure epoxidized vegetable oil-based inks, then curing effectiveness is improved, but compatibility with common screen printing apparatus deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the energy dose parameters by formulating inks that cure effectively within the 70-300 mJ/cm² range, which is compatible with standard screen printing UV or EB curing apparatus. This is achieved through careful selection of oxetane types and ratios, enabling effective curing without requiring excessive energy that would exceed common apparatus capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Oxetanes serve as intermediary compounds that lower the activation energy required for curing, enabling the ink to achieve effective crosslinking at energy doses that are compatible with conventional screen printing equipment rather than requiring specialized high-dose curing systems.
3Reliability
If reactive diluents are added to improve curing reactivity, then ink composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent manages composition complexity by optimizing the types and proportions of reactive diluents (oxetanes) to achieve effective curing with a controlled number of components. The formulation specifies particular oxetane compounds and concentration ranges that balance reactivity enhancement with compositional simplicity, avoiding excessive complexity while maintaining curing effectiveness.
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 achieves good adhesion and is suitable for industrial use on various materials, including paper, plastics, glass, and metal, with improved properties such as adhesion, chemical resistance, and gas barrier performance, while maintaining a high content of sustainable materials.
Implementation Method 1
UV or EB curing screen inks... The binder systems of free radical curing systems are typically based on reactive acrylics, while the binder system of cationic curing systems are typically based on cycloaliphatic epoxides
Implementation Method 2
UV radiation or electron beams (EB) are used for initiating the curing
Implementation Method 3
UV radiation or electron beams (EB) are used for initiating the curing
Implementation Method 4
at least one reactive diluent selected from optionally substituted oxetanes and limonene diepoxide
Data Source
AI summary
UV or EB curing ink compositions for screen printing which contain a remarkably high amount of an epoxidized vegetable or animal oil as sustainable material and a reactive diluent.