1 Application Fields of UV Inks and Their Corresponding Ink Products
UV inks have a relatively high price compared with other inks, which is due to the use of high-priced raw materials such as photopolymerization initiators. However, when discussing prices, how do users grasp the advantages of using UV inks for high-speed printability, shortened post-printing processing time, and saving the production cost of semi-finished product storage space? This is the most comprehensive cost advantage. important.
On the other hand, the price cost of ink in the total cost of printed matter remains an important issue to consider. If the print price is cheaper, the larger the area occupied by the image area in the printing area (the greater the amount of ink), the greater the proportion of ink prices in the print material price; conversely, if the print price is high and the ink usage is small, the ink The price is not a big problem. Printing with UV ink is advantageous.
2 Environmentally coordinated UV ink
UV inks have been used as an environment-friendly ink in the past. This can be illustrated in the following ways:
1) From the perspective of global environmental protection:
1 Control the emission of carbon dioxide from ink drying;
2 Do not use volatile organic solvents;
2) From the health point of view, to reduce the use of substances that may cause harm to the human body or are recorded on the basis of industrial self-regulation laws and regulations such as the 1NL regulations, labor safety and health laws, and toxic article bans;
2 Reduce the use of environmental hormones;
3) From the perspective of the operating environment:
1 Do not use dusting;
2 Reduce operational burdens such as the preservation of dangerous goods;
3 Space savings can be achieved.
However, from the following point of view, the environmental coordination of the said UV ink is not perfect: the use of petrochemical products that are depleted resources as the main raw material; there must be special materials for printing engineering, ethanol in the fountain solution, and circulation Increased energy consumption for regeneration.
Take Japan's Toyo Ink Company as an example. The company is dedicated to the development of ink for the purpose of further reducing the environmental burden.
First, SOY conversion of UV inks was established by introducing soybean oil as a representative vegetable oil (plant modified oil). Next, by introducing a rosin resin (a rosin-denatured material) derived from a natural material and introducing a vegetable oil (vegetable modified oil) represented by a soybean ink, an ink having both UV and oil properties is established.
Since the UV and oil-based hybrid ink series contain the above-described oil-based ink component, the drying performance deteriorates compared to ordinary oil-based inks. However, this series of inks has obtained the eco mark and soybean oil SOY mark due to its good deinking properties, has met the environmental requirements, has become the designated product of the trademark owner, and has also been evaluated as having a high degree of similarity to oily inks. With the characteristics of printability, users are indeed increasing. It is now being repeatedly studied how to improve the drying performance of the mixed ink.