The Chemistry of Ultraviolet Cured Printing Inks

The development of ultraviolet cured printing inks and coatings over the past five years exemplifies the technology involved. This paper will focus on the basic chemistry of UV inks in relation to their commercial application. Photoinitiation and polymerization are discussed with respect to the properties of the finished ink. The parameters of UV inks relative to conventional inks are presented along with some color, intensity, and pigmentation variances. In addition, problems facing the UV ink formulator are detailed and comparisons to conventional heatset inks are made where possible. 43 refs.