1. The versatility of water-based inks – history and future

2. Overview History of water-based printing inks
Composition of water-based printing inks
Application methods and product ranges
Advantages of water-based printing inks
Summary and conclusion

3. Overview History of water-based printing inks
Composition of water-based printing inks
Application methods and product ranges
Advantages of water-based printing inks
Summary and conclusion

4. History of water-based inks
Evolution
Applications
1890
Aniline printing inks (solvent)
Wrapping paper
1938
First water-based printing inks
on protein-based, natural resins
Cardboard and industrial paper sacks
1950
Start of polymer chemistry:
modified natural resins
Cardboard and industrial paper sacks
1980
Start of acrylat chemistry:
Resins and dispersions
Cardboard and industrial paper sacks
1990
Wrapping paper, gift wraps, envelopes
napkins, bakery bags, liquid food packaging, simple film printing
Emission regulations: Increased demand for water-based inks!
2015
self-crosslinking systems/hybrid
Quality film printing

5. Water-based inks today
Current applications of water-based inks
Flexography:
Rotogravure:
Image source: Follmann GmbH & Co. KG
Image source: Doneck Network

6. Water-based inks tomorrow
Food packaging
Deep freeze
Laminated packaging
Corona Inline
Hybrid systems
Fine Anilox-Rollers
PU-chemistry
Doctor Blades
Self-crosslinking dispersions
Better drying conditions
Technical machine parameters
Ink formulation technology
Image source: Doneck Network

7. Overview History of water-based printing inks
Composition of water-based printing inks
Application methods and product ranges
Advantages of water-based printing inks
Summary and conclusion

8. Composition of a water-based ink
2-8 %
30-50 %
10-30 %
5-15 %
Additives
Water
Extender
Binder
Base
Pigment

9. Pigments in water-based inks
Carbon black Titaniumdioxide Organic – processed
Magenta PR 57: Cyan PB15: Yellow PY 13
Lithol pigment Copper(II)phtalocyanine Azo pigment
Image source: Flint Group
The colourant of the printing ink is based on organic or inorganic pigments.
The pigments are per definition insoluble in the medium in which they are used and they must therefore be dispersed in a ”carrier” (binder).
Organic pigments can be of threee types:
Pigmentary colours are pigments in their own right, being water insoluble compounds which happen because of their constitution to be coloured. These group represent the largest.
Metal salt pigments are derived from coloured water soluble organic compounds, dyes, which have ben converted into insoluble salts.
Lakes as used in the textile industry are similar to the metal salt pigments.
The pigments can be classified into following types:
The inorganic pigments used are primilary opaque white and carbon black.
Fillers like calcium carbonate can be used as extender of inks. Due to the particle size, hardness of fillers and stability in the ink, especially with opaque white,the trend is to leave these out from the ink formulation. The degree of whiteness of the substrate will
Have impact on the need for opaque white and fillers.
The organic pigments represented by organic compounds of arylamides, azo, phtalocyanines etc.
The organic pigments used are transparent or semi transparent and have various resistance properties based on their chemistry.

10. Components of water-based inks
Binders
Additives
acrylic or styrene-acrylic copolymer
PU + Hybrid emulsions
Waxes
Surfactants (wetting agents)
Defoamers
Retarders
Biocides

11. Overview History of water-based printing inks
Composition of water-based printing inks
Application methods and product ranges
Advantages of water-based printing inks
Summary and conclusion

12. Application Methods Flexography Rotogravure
Both printing technologies cover a broad variety of different application areas with specific ink series.
Waterbased ink systems are processed mainly in the flexo and gravure. I would like at this point to point out that there are a variety of application areas for each procedure and to a wide variety of applications with an even greater number of ink series.

13. Product Range Flexography
pre-print
post-print
Corrugated board
Paper
Tissue
Film & Foil
bakery bags
paper bags
newspapers
Printing ink
Substrate
Impression cylinder
Printing plate
napkins
table cloths
kitchen towels
toilette paper
plastic bags
flexible packaging
Bildquelle: „Technik des Flexodrucks“,
4. Auflage, DFTA und Prof. K.-H. Meyer
One of the major application areas for aqueous printing inks is the corrugated board printing. Here the inks are for the pre - as well as for the post-print – a generally suitable water based ink systems for all absorbent substrates such as paper and tissue. In the paper area, there are a variety of end applications such as paper bags and newspapers, but also applications regulatory differently considered need to be, such as bakers bags and muffin cups. When printing by tissue we distinguish different application areas such as E.g. napkins, kitchen towels, table cloths, but also toilet papers. All applications must meet different criteria of resistances so that there are a variety of ink systems in the market. Printing on film are becoming more and more important. Some years ago the printing of PE was just possible, but nowadays there are printed a lot of flexible packaging as mono films as well as laminates.

14. Product Range Rotogravure
Decor printing
Giftwrapper
Wallpaper
furniture foils
floor-covering/laminate
Substrate
Impression cylinder
Printing ink
Gravure cylinder
paper/non-woven
vinyl
Bildquelle: „Technik des Flexodrucks“,
4. Auflage, DFTA und Prof. K.-H. Meyer
We have a large portfolio that can be used in gravure printing. The largest amounts are required today in the field of furniture foils. Also wrapping paper and wallpaper are mainly in gravure printing. Waterbased systems can be used very well for the printing of aluminium foil. Since there are even subgroups in each of the applications listed here you can perhaps imagine how many exist different types of waterbased inks on the market.

15. Primer & Coatings Primer Effect Coatings Functional Coatings
matt & gloss laquers
Functional Coatings
antislip coatings
barrier coatings
Do not ignore the area should remain primers and coatings. Some substrates to be coated with waterbased primer before printing. A large portfolio for Coatings is available on the market. I will mention here only briefly on the most common such as glossy and matt lacquers with those effects are to be achieved. There are still the function coatings like E.g. antislip coatings.

16. Overview History of water-based printing inks
Composition of water-based printing inks
Application methods and product ranges
Advantages of water-based printing inks
Summary and conclusion

17. Broad Technical scope Absorbent substrates Non Absorbent substrates
Good print hold out, cost effectiveness, excellent printability characterize water- based inks. Traditional limitations are being overcome e.g. high speed printing, chemical resistances.
Can be used advantageously in combination with other ink technologies and print techniques in a wide range of applications.
Market requirements for technical performance can be achieved, eg printing speed, print resistance, bond strength. Water-based inks gain ground as a complementing technology in this application field.
Technology is characterised by High colour strength coloured bases. Consequently low ink film weights can be applied with associated advantages.

18. Socially and Environmentally responsible
Environmental profile
Workplace safety
VOC emissions are very low.
Waste water produced can be readily cleaned limiting the impact of water consumption.
Work to develop monomers produced from bio-reactors is well advanced, leading to a possibility to decrease dependence of fossil fuel based feedstocks in the future.
Water-based inks are non flammable and do not require special workplace precautions relating to flammability.
Solvent contents are reduced to a minimum - need for surveillance of workers health with respect to solvent exposure is low.

19. Competitive „Total Cost“ Profile
Emissions monitoring costs
Insurance costs
Diluent cost
Waste Disposal Costs
Ink Cost
Invest-ment costs

20. Overview History of water-based printing inks
Composition of water-based printing inks
Application methods and product ranges
Advantages of water-based printing inks
Summary and conclusion

21. Summary and conclusion
Water-based inks gain in importance:
Modern ink formulations and adjusted printing/technical parameters open up a broad variety of applications.
Water-based inks are in accordance with EuPIA Exclusion Policy and can fulfill regulatory requirements for food packaging if neccessary.
Main applications are flexo and gravure printing with a large product range including laminated food packaging.
Water-based inks offer a positive environmental profile.
Due to their composition handling of waterbased inks is non-critical.
Total cost profile is competitive.

22. Summary and conclusion
Water-based inks are already being used widely due to their strengths today. In the future they will take their rightful place in each application.
Image source: ACTEGA Colorchemie