Basic mechanisms of

UV curing systems
Content

 The composition of UV ink

Polymerisation

 Different UV curing systems

The composition of UV ink
 The composition of UV ink

PIGMENTS

MONOMERES
ADDITIVES
Viscosity; Reactivity
Slip; Stability;
Foam

UV ink

PHOTOINITIATORES OLIGOMERES
Activation of the system; Viscosity; Reactivity;
Reactivity Flexibility; Adhesion;
Resistances
The composition of UV ink

UV ink Offset ink Solvent based

ink
Pigments 12 – 16 % Pigments 10 – 12 %
Pigments 18 – 22 %

Monomeres & Solvents

Oligomeres ~70 %
Resins & oils
~75 %
65-80 %

Binders
Photoinitiatores ~15 %
6-10 %
Additives 2-10 % Additives 3–5 %
Additives 2-4 %
The composition of UV ink

 -Ray X-Ray UV VIS IR

<10pm 10pm-1nm 1-380nm 380-700nm 700-10000nm

UV-C UV-B UV-A

100-280nm 280-315nm 315-380nm

Surface curing Complete curing

Complete curing
How does the polymerisation
happen?
 Radical curing

P-P P-P
P-P
Pigment

Oligomer
P-P
Monomer

Photoinitiator

P-P
P-P
 Radical curing

. .
PP .
PP
.
.
PP
.

.
PP
.

.
PP
.
. .
PP
Radical curing

PP
PP
PP

PP

PP
PP
Radical curing

PP
PP
PP

PP

PP
PP
Radical curing

PP
PP
PP

PP

PP
PP
Radical curing

PP
PP
PP

PP

PP
PP
Radical curing

PP
PP
PP

PP

PP
PP
Radical curing

PP
PP
PP PP

PP PP
PP
PP

PP
PP

A three-dimensional network is formed

 Cationic curing

P-H
P-H Pigment

Oligomer
P-H
Monomer

Photoinitiator

P-H
P-H
 Cationic curing

P
+
H
H+
P

P H+

H+
P P H+
 Cationic Curing

P + +
H H
P

H+

+
H H+
P P
 Cationic Curing

P + +
H H
P

H+

+
H H+
P P
Cationic Curing

H+
P

H+ P

H+

+
H

P P
+
H
How does the polymerisation happen?

P
P

P
P

A three-dimensional network is formed

Different UV curing systems

Radical curing

RAD Cationic
curing

H+
Polymeric
ink layer

e-

Electron ray
curing
How does the polymerisation happen?

On a substrate (0.09 m2) printed

with 4 g/m2 UV ink, there are about

41020
(400‘000‘000‘000‘000‘000‘000)

Monomeres/Oligomeres
Different UV curing systems
Different UV curing systems

RADICAL CATIONIC

Reactivity high medium

After drying limited complete
Adhesion foils good good – very good
Adhesion paper good good – very good
Flexibility high very high
Resistances high high
Shrinkage up to 10% < 3%
Moisture sensitivity No Yes

Inhibition by O2 Yes No
Summary statement:

The curing of UV ink is initiated by a chemical reaction (polymerisation)

Different UV systems show different properties

Optimal properties of UV inks are achieved by targeting the composition of

monomeres, oligomeres, photoinitiators and additives