Six core advantages of water-based ink wetting agents
Six core advantages of water-based ink wetting agents
As a key additive in the formulation, water-based ink wetting agents not only solve the technical problem of water-oil repulsion, but also show significant advantages in environmental protection, printing quality and cost-effectiveness. The following analyzes its core value from six dimensions:
1. Environmental Revolution: Terminator of VOCs
Low volatility: Compared with traditional solvent-based inks, the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) content of the water-based system itself is reduced by more than 80%, and the wetting agent further reduces the residual solvent, which complies with global environmental regulations (such as EU REACH, China GB 38507-2020).
Degradability: The new generation of bio-based wetting agents (such as modified polyethers and natural alcohol derivatives) have excellent biodegradability (>90%), avoiding environmental accumulation risks.
2. Leveling optimization: the nemesis of printing defects
Dynamic surface tension control: By adjusting the HLB value (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) of the wetting agent, the wetting requirements of different substrates (paper, plastic, metal) can be matched to reduce surface defects such as "shrinkage", "orange peel" and "pinholes".
Rapid leveling mechanism: non-ionic wetting agents form a uniform molecular layer during the ink film formation stage, making the droplet contact angle approach zero and achieving mirror-level smoothness.
3. Adhesion enhancement: guarantee of lasting imprint
Chemical bond cooperation: wetting agents containing siloxane structures can react with hydroxyl groups on the surface of the substrate to form covalent bonds, and the adhesion is increased by 30%-50%.
Flexible layer construction: some wetting agents form elastic film layers after drying, which adapt to the thermal expansion and contraction of substrates such as plastics and metals, reducing the risk of cracking.
4. Multifunctional integration: a powerful tool for formula simplification
Complex functional design: New wetting agents have the triple effects of leveling, defoaming and anti-slip. For example, fluoropolymer wetting agents can simultaneously reduce surface tension to below 20 mN/m and suppress foam.
Process compatibility: A single wetting agent is suitable for multiple processes such as gravure, flexographic, and inkjet, reducing the cost of changeover and debugging.
5. King of compatibility: Stabilizer for complex systems
pH adaptability: A wetting agent that works stably in a wide pH range (3-11) and is compatible with different resin systems such as acrylic acid and polyurethane.
Ionic compatibility: Non-ionic wetting agents avoid charge repulsion with pigments and dispersants, and improve color paste stability.
6. Cost-effective dual drive: Hidden champion of cost reduction and efficiency improvement
Additional amount optimization: High-efficiency wetting agents only need 0.5%-2% addition to achieve the effect of 3%-5% of traditional products, directly reducing formulation costs.
Scrap rate control: By reducing printing defects, the overall scrap rate can be reduced by 15%-20%, improving production efficiency.
Future trend: Smart wetting agent 2.0 era
With the development of nanotechnology and AI material design, wetting agents are moving towards:
Dynamic response: Automatically adjust surface activity through temperature/humidity sensing.
Targeted wetting technology: Design molecular structure for specific substrates (such as low-energy plastics).
Carbon-based composite materials: Graphene derivatives achieve superwetting (contact angle <5°) and conductivity.
Water-based ink wetting agents are no longer just auxiliary additives, but a key technical fulcrum for promoting the upgrading of green printing and smart packaging industries.