Wacker to unveil new binder for high-end digital printing inks

MUNICH, GERMANY: Wacker Chemie AG said that it will unveil its new low-viscosity binder VINNOL E 18/38 for high-end digital printing applications. The vinyl chloride-vinylacetate-copolymer resin ensures excellent droplet formation in solvent-based inkjet inks. This increases the print quality of the end product and extends the longevity of the printhead. VINNOL E 18/38 adheres extremely well to flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) along with numerous other substrates and is therefore ideally suited for wide-format printing of advertising banners, but also for cables, screw caps and many other plastic items.

The new VINNOL E 18/38 is a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin and was developed specifically as a binder for solvent-based digital printing. The copolymer displays excellent dispersion properties, which enable even distribution of pigment particles. In very low-viscosity inks, it counteracts the tendency of the pigment particles to agglomerate and sediment. VINNOL E18/38 thereby plays a crucial role in achieving trouble-free high-quality ink-jet printing and in extending the service life of modern ink-jet printheads. This results in an outstanding print image with brilliant colours and high resolution at increased print speeds.

Additionally, VINNOL E 18/38 adheres remarkably well to diverse substrates such as flexible PVC or other plastic materials. The binder is very resistant to a wide variety of liquids, from oils and greases, through dilute, aqueous acids and alkalis, of alcohol and aqueous salt solutions. It also displays excellent compatibility with co-binders and high solubility in ketones, esters and numerous low-odor glycol esters and glycol ethers.

The new VINNOL E 18/38 is therefore ideally suited for high-end printing, from digital processes such as drop-on-demand (DOD) or continuous inkjet (CIJ) printing through conventional solvent-based printing methods such as gravure printing for coating plastics. The applications range from large billboards or vehicle wrapping films to markings such as printed cables, barcodes or expiry dates.

The binder also complies with numerous provisions for food contact, for example regulations issued by the Food & Drug Administration in the US. Thus, VINNOL E 18/38 is also a suitable binder for food packaging inks.

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