The Impact of Solid Content on Water-based Inks

The solid content of water-based inks refers to the amount of non-volatile substances in the ink, which significantly impacts the ink's performance. The level of solid content directly affects multiple aspects such as drying properties, gloss, and adhesion.

Drying Performance

Water-based inks with high solid content can quickly form a solid ink layer as the water evaporates during drying. Research indicates that water-based inks with high solid content can reduce the initial drying time to 10.96 seconds, representing an approximately 8.89% improvement in drying speed compared to inks with lower solid content . This implies that in printing processes, water-based inks with high solid content can dry more rapidly, enhancing production efficiency.

Gloss

There is a positive correlation between solid content and the gloss of water-based inks. Higher solid content means greater relative molecular mass of resins and stronger intermolecular interactions, resulting in a more dense ink layer and higher gloss. Data shows that water-based acrylic resins with high solid content can achieve high gloss in products .

Adhesion

Water-based inks with high solid content can form a robust ink layer after drying. Their adhesion depends on the interaction between the ink and the substrate, as well as the ink's formulation. Under proper application conditions, water-based inks with high solid content can provide good adhesion and wear resistance.

Viscosity

The viscosity of water-based inks is closely related to their solid content. Higher solid content leads to greater viscosity of water-based acrylic resins, making it harder for pigments to disperse and reducing water solubility. Therefore, in practical applications, it is essential to balance the relationship between solid content and viscosity to ensure the ink's printability.

Color Strength and Stability

Water-based inks with high solid content have higher color intensity and better color stability. They exhibit smaller fluctuations in color density values under different pH conditions, ensuring better color stability .

In conclusion, solid content is a crucial factor affecting the performance of water-based inks. In practical applications, the selection of water-based inks with appropriate solid content should be based on specific printing requirements and substrate characteristics to achieve optimal printing results and production efficiency.