Green packaging materials call for environmentally friendly ink products

Printing inks are one of the more polluting raw materials in packaging materials. “Green packaging materials” call for environmentally friendly ink products to meet the packaging requirements for high-end products.

As people's environmental awareness is enhanced, green printing is an inevitable trend in the development of the printing industry. The use of environmentally friendly ink is the only way to achieve green printing. In order to reduce environmental pollution, the development of green inks and the development of green printing are gradually becoming known. At present, there are many professional ink manufacturers in China that have begun to research and develop environmentally friendly inks.

Environmental ink application development is fast

Printing inks are one of the more polluting raw materials in packaging materials. "Green packaging materials" call for environmentally friendly ink products. To meet the packaging requirements of high-end goods. Therefore, how to reduce the environmental pollution and energy consumption of ink has become the most important development direction of the ink industry.

In terms of ink and wash, in recent years, flexographic printing has developed rapidly worldwide, and is considered to be “the best and most promising printing method on the planet” in developed countries in Europe and America. In the United States, for example, 95% of flexographic prints and 80% of gravure prints use ink. There are nearly 200 narrow-width flexographic printing production lines in China, which require more than 100,000 tons of water-based ink annually. In addition, the widespread application of ink and ink in the packaging and printing of corrugated boxes has considerable market potential.

China's water-based ink was first developed and put into production by the Tianjin Ink Factory. At that time, it mainly served gravure printing. Because the ink is easy to lose light during storage, thinning, drying slow, poor water resistance, and easy to cause paper shrinkage and other defects, so that China's gravure printing and flexographic printing has been limited, had to use high-priced imports of high-grade Water-based ink. Virtually increased printing costs.

With the rapid economic development of our country, from 1995 to the end of 1998, we introduced more than 130 modular flexo lines in just a few years. Distributed in more than 20 provinces and cities across the country, of which 90% is a narrow flexo printing press, is now increasing the number of about 30 units per year. In the flexo package printing. At present, the vast majority of domestic and foreign water-based ink printing. The widespread use of flexographic water-based inks is one of the important factors for the rapid development of flexographic printing. At present, there are about 230 flexible machines in the country, which are calculated with 10 tons of ink per year. The total amount used is 2,300-2,500 tons. The ink consumption of the gravure printing machine has exceeded the amount of solvent ink. To reach 3,000 tons, the flexographic carton machine uses more than 10,000 tons of ink. The total national ink consumption is about 5,000 to 16,000 tons per year. In China, water-based inks have considerable market potential. China's current ink and wash market is characterized by The existing ink-manufacturing factories mainly produce low-grade inks: cigarette bags, wine labels, and food packaging that use mid-range ink and wash, and imports and domestic ink-and-wash inks account for half; high-grade inks used for printing on plastic packaging, lottery tickets, checks, etc. import.

In the uV ink, the development of foreign uV ink is very fast. In the United States, the largest market for uV ink is offset printing, which accounts for approximately 40% of the market. European 2000 UV ink products totaled 2.05 million tons. Asian uV ink market started late compared to Europe and America, but the growth rate is not low. Among Asian countries, Japan has the largest market share. Although the domestic uV ink market started late, it has been thriving with the sustained rapid growth of the domestic economy in recent years. According to the inaccurate statistics of the China Radiation Society Professional Committee on Radiation Curing, the output of uV ink in 2003 reached 65l4 tons. Compared with the previous year, it increased by 64.2% and the output value was 441.13 million yuan, an increase of 55.7% over the previous year. among them. Offset uV ink, optical imaging resist ink, optical imaging solder mask ink, optical disc ink and other high-grade ink production has increased significantly. Since domestic UV inks have a low starting point and uV inks are favored by the industry, domestic UV inks will have better market prospects and will achieve rapid development in the coming years.

In the past few years, the output of uV flexo inks has continued to grow steadily. And from narrow-width printing to wide-format development, 90% of flexographic inks are used in label printing. Mainly used in some plastic substrates, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, etc. The main reason is the relationship between the printing cost and the printing quantity. uV flexo inks have a fast cure and are stable on the press so that continuous and rapid production can be achieved. The printing effect of uV flexo ink is better than that of conventional water-based flexographic inks. This benefits from the many advances in the ink itself, which can achieve the same printing effect as offset printing. China's uV flexo printing ink mainly relies on imports. The monopoly uV flexo printing inks are several European and American ink manufacturers. Due to the temptation of rapid growth, some domestic UV ink manufacturers have shown great desire for uV flexo ink formulation technology.

UV offset printing inks developed from printing ordinary paper to printing PP, PE, PVC, gold and silver paperboard, etc., and quickly improved the printing efficiency and print quality. Printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing is a very successful field of UV ink application. In addition to using a variety of UV fiber coatings and adhesives, optical fiber coating inks are also used in optical fiber manufacturing. There are l2 different colors. To distinguish between different fibers and for bonding. In the manufacture of optical discs, uV coatings and adhesives are also required. Finally, after silk screen or offset uV ink. Printed on the pattern and text, finished product. Cards, smart card text pattern printing, televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners and other home appliances and computers, mobile phone keyboard production, keyboard surface printing, touch switch production, etc. are inseparable from uV ink. The production of various nameplates and signs also requires UV inks.

     $Page Breaker $ Technical progress in eco-friendly ink

In early 2004, Shanghai Meide Fine Chemical Co., Ltd. launched a full-water low-temperature thermosetting ink. The formaldehyde content of the product is less than 15ppm, in line with the environmental protection requirements of Japan and Germany textile printing and dyeing. MD-l002 water-based low-temperature thermosetting ink has a high hiding power, delicate texture. Can over 250 mesh screen, do not block the network, easy to operate, ink color can be their own deployment. The ink is odorless and is a high quality, environmentally friendly product. The ink has excellent stretchability to the knitted fabric, and the shelf life in the sealed and cool place can reach 5 years. The product can be widely applied to all kinds of fabrics such as cotton, chemical fiber and the like other than waterproof nylon cloth.

In the improvement of the adhesion of radiation curing ink. The professional company dedicated to static control, Eltex Germany, made a great contribution. Has now successfully developed a professional system. To offset the adverse effects of static electricity in print production. The greatest innovation of the Eltex system is that it requires less photoinitiator than many uV systems. It is reported that Eltex also applied innovative curing technology to the field of gravure printing. In this area, this new curing technology ensures that the UV coating of the magazine cover is completed on the gravure printing unit. Simultaneously. The speed of uV coating can be coordinated with printing speed of 420 meters/hour or 25,000 printing/hour.

In order to better meet market demand. And to promote the development of UV ink in the field of digital printing, many well-known manufacturers have already developed new products as their important plans, and have launched corresponding innovative technologies and products. One of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of screen printing inks and prepress products, the United States’s Sericol Corporation has launched the Uvijet series of uV curing inks for inkjet printing. This series of inks can be used for a variety of substrates, including paper and cardboard, as well as various polymers such as PVC, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and polyethylene. In the field of screen printing, equipment suppliers have also developed special wire mesh systems that make the use of uV inks more efficient. This ensures that uV inks can perform well in the reproduction of fine four-color images on CD and DVD disks. . The technical improvement of UV screen printing inks for CD and DVD disc printing has effectively promoted its share in the screen printing ink market. According to statistics, the proportion of uV screen printing inks has been higher than 25%, and its annual growth rate is as high as 5% to 10%.

The residual odor produced on the printed matter of UV printing has been criticized. Therefore, as a printing ink for food packaging film, which has been well-deserved, despite the fact that there is no clear restriction in the food hygiene law, customers are still away from it. In order to reduce this residual odor, UV ionic inks and inks that do not require initiators such as electron beam (EB) have been developed using a curing system for a printing amount initiator or an initiator that has been used to produce a decomposition product in the past (EB ink) As an odorless ink, this ink has been applied in Europe. EB ink not only combines the advantages of UV technology, but also has a high hiding power. Today, the use of EB ink curing equipment in combination printing still appears to be too costly, but once the price of this technology is reduced, EB curing ink will be the next leap forward, it will make the ink layer hiding power and printer's Speed ​​is higher. Adaptable and fast processing requirements.

    $Page Break $ China's green ink application space is vast

In my country. Water-based inks are mainly used for flexo printing. The printing materials are mainly absorbent media such as paper and are rarely used in the gravure printing of plastic films. The flexible version of Ep~uJ currently accounts for only about 3% of the printing field in China and is still in its infancy. In the flexo package printing, the vast majority of domestic and foreign water-based ink printing. With the increasing popularity of green packaging and environmentally-friendly packaging, many tobacco companies, wineries, pharmaceutical companies, cosmetics, and food companies are all planning to use flexo-printed carton packaging. The proportion of flexographic printing in the printing industry, especially in the carton printing industry, will increase. Gradually increase. It is imperative to vigorously develop, develop, and produce high-grade water-based inks.

In recent years, with the rapid development of the packaging industry, especially the extensive application of photosensitive resin plates and laser ceramic anilox rollers, the development of flexographic printing has accelerated. At the same time, it also led to the rapid development of flexographic inks. Experts predict that by 2010, China's water-based ink will account for 25-30% of the total ink consumption, annual demand for water-based ink more than 100,000 tons. After the gradual implementation of China's ISO14000 environmental management system, the prospects for the development of water-based inks are even more inestimable.

The use of water-based inks in the printing of plastic films is an inherent requirement for the development of gravure printing. On the one hand, in the printing of plastic flexible packaging, the printing pattern is bright, the performance is strong, and the printing rate is very good. It can reach more than one million printings and achieve seamless image printing. On the other hand, the adverse effects brought about by gravure printing are also obvious. Due to the non-absorption characteristics of the plastic film, a large amount of organic solvents is used in the ink itself and the actual printing process, which damages the environment and harms human health. If the gravure printing industry wants to avoid weaknesses and achieve sustainable development, it must eliminate the negative environmental impact and safety and health hazards caused by gravure printing.

In the application of UV inks, in Europe, water-based uV inks have long been used for screen printing of large-format road signs and posters. The increasing use of water-based uV inks is mainly due to environmental regulations and requirements to improve the operating environment. . Therefore, the rapid expansion of the water-based uV ink market is inevitable. At present, uV inkjet inks account for less than 1% of the global inkjet ink market. However, according to online survey statistics, uV inkjet inks have the highest growth rate among all inkjet printers. UV inkjet inks are expected to be sprayed by 2010. The proportion of the ink market will exceed 10%. Especially in the platform type inkjet printer. uV inkjet inks will dominate. In addition to its application in inkjet printing, uV inkjet printing technology has now been extended to offset printing, flexo printing, and silk screen printing. With the digital production of printed circuit boards, uV inkjet inks will become a new force in the field of digital imaging materials.

Electron beam (EB) curing is the use of high-energy electron beams generated by electron accelerators to cause compound decomposition. Produces free radicals, ions, and other highly reactive intermediates that initiate polymerization and cross-linking. Make