MONHEIM AM RHEIN, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–More sustainable and economical printing is easily possible by simply
replacing the solvent system. This is shown in a recent study. It was
carried out at the Hochschule der Medien (HdM), Stuttgart, Germany, in
the Rotogravure working group of Professor Armin Weichmann at the
Faculty of Printing and Media and at the DFTA Flexographic-Printing
Competence Center. The scientists replaced conventional ethanol / ethyl
acetate blends (Ethyls) 1:1 with a blend consisting of n-propanol /
n-propyl acetate (Propyls) and retained all other printing press
parameters. The study included industrial scale test runs under
laboratory conditions with 17,000 m run length in flexographic printing,
and 10,000 m run length in gravure printing. The result: Printing
processes based on Propyls offer decisive advantages over conventional
Ethyls. The savings potential of 30 percent on average in solvent
consumption and 20 percent on average in the consumption of printing
inks, as shown in industrial studies conducted by major customers of the
chemical company Oxea, was verified in the Stuttgart test runs. Other
important advantages such as reduced residual solvent content, reduced
ink foaming in flexographic printing and the ability to dispense with
retarders such as ethoxypropanol have also been reproduced.

"The results of the HdM study validate all of our experiences to date:
Propyls surpass conventional solvents such as ethyl acetate and ethanol
in gravure or flexography processes without the need for further
adjustments," said application engineer Dr. Jens Klabunde from Oxea. In
several international industrial studies, Oxea’s global lead for Propyls
project Lucia Paniagua has accompanied the exchange of Ethyls by Propyls
at converters and printing plants with production runs of up to 2,000
km: “In all cases, considerable savings in printing ink and solvents
were achieved, mostly with higher print quality. Other advantages such
as increased overall process stability and increased performance due to
less waste and higher printing speeds are perfect arguments that will
motivate printing companies to use Propyls instead,” she stated.

Propyls reduce the so-called plugging (drying out). As a medium
evaporating solvent, they evaporate more slowly than Ethyls but ensure
that the ink dries reliably in the process. It means that less
post-dosing is required in the printing process, resulting in generally
lower emissions of harmful substances, so-called VOCs (volatile organic
compounds). In a Propyls solvent system, the pigments of the printing
ink can distribute more evenly on the film during application due to the
slightly slower drying process. This results in a higher ink density for
the same amount of pigment. In this way, the same print quality can be
achieved with significantly less pigment, which saves expensive stock
ink. In addition, improved emptying and pick-up characteristics of both
the engraving cylinder and the anilox ensure optimum transfer of the
printing ink onto the film.

Pictures: www.oxea-chemicals.com/propyls-cdn

About Oxea

Oxea is a global manufacturer of oxo intermediates and oxo derivatives,
such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters, and
amines. These products are used for the production of high-quality
coatings, lubricants, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, flavorings
and fragrances, printing inks and plastics. Oxea employs more than 1,400
people worldwide. Oxea is part of the Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C. (OOC), a
commercial company wholly owned by the Government of Oman. Established
in 1996, it pursues investment opportunities in the wider energy sector
both inside and outside Oman. OOC plays an important role in the
Sultanate's efforts to diversify the economy and to promote domestic and
foreign investments. For more information about Oxea, visit www.oxea-chemicals.com

Contacts

OXEA GmbH
Dr. Jens Klabunde
Business Development Manager
Phone:
+49 (0)2173 9993-3181
or
Media contact
Thorsten
Ostermann
Communications and Press Relations
Phone: +49
(0)2173 9993-3009
[email protected]