Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
1
The solid content or dry content is the part of solid substances present in the dispersion expressed as
percentage.
the film surface after some steps. This fact implies the need of a
higher solid content in flexography than in rotogravure.
Components
Rotogravure Flexography
Pigments
Rotogravure Flexography
- Primary or jellying:
They are generally chemical compounds with a good
polarity able to solve the nitrocellulose. Phthalates were
largely used in past but nowadays their use is not permitted
according to the international regulations. In consequence,
currently most used are citrates and adipates. Excess could
cause loss of heat-resistance and adhesion.
7
Other commonly used resins are: ethyl-cellulose, polyamide, acrylic, vinylic, maleic.
8
Mono-component paints and inks are nitrocellulose based thermoplastic products; the bi-
components are more heat-resistant with respect to the mono- and are produced adding a cross-
linker (thermoset substance) to the nitrocellulose base.
An important matter in the formulation of inks for plastic films
printing is the choice of the binders.
The choice of the appropriate system is taken in order to have the
desired balance of the characteristics:
Useful binders for the ink formulations are the polyurethane resins
(7-10%). They are thermoplastic resins that confer flexibility,
elasticity, a good thermo resistance (particularly polyurethanes with
high and medium molecular weights)9 and, most of all, an excellent
fixing to the plastic film.
Using catalysts, such as the titanium acetyl acetonate could be
realized products with an excellent fixing degree10,11.
9
Regarding the thermo resistance:
A nitrocellulose-based ink added with titanium oxide and polyurethane could resist at 120-
130°C for 1 or 2 seconds. Using a suitable cross linker catalyst, the resistance goes to 180°C
after 24-48 hours. This effect is due to the improved cross-linking.
For similar reasons a further increasing in the thermo resistance could be obtained using in the
ink formulation a higher percentage of nitrocellulose and a reduced amount of polyurethane
(plasticising), which could be substituted by a monomeric plasticizer. In the last case is better to
add a small quantity (1-2%) of ethylcellulose to avoid a likely yellowing of the product due to
the high quantity of nitrocellulose.
10
At molecular level, the printing process involves the formation of a “bridge” constituted by a
titanium atom attached between the plastic film and the ink. Actually the heating effect causes
the shift of the ligands originally bounded to the titanium (for example: acetyl acetonate or
phosphate groups) and the following coordination by the polyurethane ligands and the oxygen
atoms, active for the coordination, that are on the surface of the printing support.
Between the two coordination complexes above mentioned it could be noticed that the shift of
phosphates is slower than the others, being its molecular weight higher.
11
To improve the adhesion property it could be increased the amount of catalyst titanium based
or could be added alcoholate compounds like butyl- or isopropyl- titanate.
Alternatively it could be reduced the pigment content (but only if it is compatible with the
covering required).
Low gloss degree and opacity generally characterize polyuretane
inks.