Highly Pigmented Colorants

for
UV/EB

Guidelines For Use

262 Carlton Drive • Carol Stream, IL 60188 • Tel: 800.644.6784 • www.centchem.com

 Highly Pigmented Colorants
for Radiation Cured Printing Applications

Introducing
Yellow 14 Green 7

Lithol Rubine 57:1 Reflex Blue

Phthalo Blue 15:4 Violet 23

Black 7 Yellow 74

White Quinacridone Red 122

DPP Red Yellow 139

Warm Red 48:1 Red 170

262 Carlton Drive • Carol Stream, IL 60188 • Toll Free: 800-644-6784 • www.centchem.com
Introduction
As part of our commitment to bring value solutions to the market, Central Chemical & Service
would like to present our new range of easily dispersible products designed to bring value in
use in the manufacture of UV/EB curable printing inks. In this technical bulletin we are introducing
a range of fourteen pigment colorants for use in radical curable printing applications. The
following information and formulas can also be used as a guideline for ink formulations when
using other colorants in our product line.

The colorants have been specifically formulated to ensure that they offer the ink maker
maximum formulation flexibility and ease of processing.
The specific selection of the polyester acrylate oligomer backbone allows for letdown
variations into flexo, offset and screen formulations.

We will also custom formulate or consult on let down packages designed for use with RadFlex
colorants for specific print applications in Flexo and Screen printing.

Key Benefits
- high pigmentation
- stir in dispersibility
- ease of handling
- high mileage and high gloss
- multipurpose
formulated for use in flexo, offset and screen
- excellent storage stability

Product Overview

Colorant Chromophore Viscosity Dispersion Pigmentations

Pa.s* m %
Yellow 14 PY 14 43 < 10 30

Lithol Rubine PR 57:1 31 < 10 30

Phthalo Blue PB 15:4 33 < 10 35

Violet PV 23 48 < 10 30

Black PB 7 37 < 10 40

White PW 6 38 < 10 65

* low shear viscosity measurement at 10s-1.

Guidelines for Use / Start Point Formulations
Flexographic Inks
The following formulations were used to let down RadFlex colorants for use in
flexographic printing.
Central Chemical will also custom blend or consult on let down packages designed for use with
RadFlex colorants for specific print applications or substrates.

Yellow Magenta Cyan Violet Black White

Colorant 50.0 46.7 40.0 46.7 50.0 61.5
Letdown
Polyester Oligomer 0.0 0.0 6.7 0.0 2.7 11.2
GPTA 32.0 34.7 34.7 34.7 29.8 13.4
TMPEOTA 7.0 7.6 7.6 7.6 6.5 2.9
IRGASTAB UV10 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Photoinitiator Blend 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

GPTA - propylated glycerol triacrylate

TMPEOTA - ethoxylated trimethylpropane triacrylate

Photoinitiator Blends
% Colours Black White
DAROCUR EDB 27.5 - -
DAROCUR ITX 27.5 25.0 -
IRGACURE 651 34.0 - -
IRGACURE 379 11.0 - -
IRGACURE 907 - 75.0 -
IRGACURE 2022 - - 100

Final Ink Formulations

Yellow Magenta Cyan Violet Black White

Pigmentation 14.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 20.0 40.0
Polyester Acrylate 36.0 32.7 32.7 32.7 32.7 32.7
GPTA 32.0 34.7 34.7 34.7 29.8 13.4
TMPEOTA 7.0 7.6 7.6 7.6 6.5 2.9
IRGASTAB UV10 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Photoinitiator Blend 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

Procedure
A letdown formulation is prepared by dissolving the appropriate weights of photoinitiators and
stabilizer in the GPTA monomer. Heat is used to aid dissolution, and on completion the
letdown is cooled to room temperature.
The colorant is added to a pot along with the additional oligomer and letdown solution. A
butterfly impeller is then used to mix the components until a homogeneous final ink was
obtained ( approximately 5 minutes at a tip speed of ~ 3.5 m/s ).
Guidelines for Use / Start Point Formulations
Flexographic Ink Results

Colorant Pigmn Viscosity Density @ Gloss Stability

2 o
(%) ( Pa.s ) ( 1.0 g/m ) ( 60 ) ( weeks )
Yellow
14.0 3.0 1.4 75 >4

Magenta 14.0 0.6 1.5 65 >4

Cyan 14.0 0.8 1.6 65 >4

Violet 14.0 2.7 1.3 64 >4

Black 20.0 1.6 1.8 52 >4

White 40.0 0.2 - 69 >4

Methods of Assessment

Viscosity - Cone & Plate Controlled Stress Rheometer

Viscosity measured at shear rate of 10s-1

Density - Prufbau print, metal cone, 500N, 1.0ms-1, 25oC

Printed on Top Coated White Polyethylene substrate at 1.0 g/m2

Gloss - Mini Glossmaster / 60o

Stability - Inks are filled to the brim in polypropylene containers and placed in an
oven calibrated at 60oC. Inks are assessed on a weekly basis, for a
maximum of 4 weeks, for premature curing.
Offset Inks

Starting Point Formulations – Porous Substrates

The following formulations were used to let down RadFlex colorants for use in offset
lithography.

Black Cyan Magenta Yellow

Colorant 45-50 55-60 55-60 55-60
Ebecryl 846 25-30 15-20 15-20 15-20
Ebecryl 3701 5-10 5-10 5-10 5-10
Inert filler 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5
TRPGDA 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3
ViaCure DX 8-10 8-10 8-10 8-10

Starting Point Formulations – Non - Porous Substrates

Black Cyan Magenta Yellow

Colorant 45-50 55-60 55-60 55-60
ViaSet 212 31-36 24-30 24-30 24-30
Inert filler 4-6 2-4 2-4 2-4
TRPGDA 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-3
ViaCure DX 8-10 8-10 8-10 8-10

The above recommendations were formulated and tested by Cytec Surface Specialties
for tack, gloss, viscosity and density to meet the requirements for offset lithography.

Colorant % 45 50 55 60
(pigment solids)
Black (40) 18 20
Cyan (35) 19.2 21
Magenta (30) 16.5 18
Yellow (30) 16.5 18
Guidelines for Use / Start Point Formulations
Offset Inks

The following formulations were used to let down RadFlex colorants for use in offset
lithography.

Yellow Magenta Cyan Violet Black White

Colorant 50.0 46.7 40.0 46.7 50.0 61.5
Letdown
Polyester Oligomer 24.0 27.3 34.0 27.3 24.0 12.5
GPTA 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0
IRGASTAB UV10 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Photoinitiator Blend 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

GPTA - propylated glycerol triacrylate

Photoinitiator Blends

% Colours Black White

DAROCUR EDB 27.5 - -
DAROCUR ITX 27.5 25.0 -
IRGACURE 651 34.0 - -
IRGACURE 379 11.0 - -
IRGACURE 907 - 75.0 -
IRGACURE 2022 - - 100

Final Ink Formulations

Yellow Magenta Cyan Violet Black White

Pigmentation 14.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 20.0 40.0
Polyester Acrylate 60.0 60.0 60.0 60.0 54.0 34.0
GPTA 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0
IRGASTAB UV10 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
Photoinitiator Blend 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

Procedure
A letdown formulation is prepared by dissolving the appropriate weights of photoinitiators and
stabilizer in the GPTA monomer. Heat is used to aid dissolution, and on completion the
letdown is cooled to room temperature.
The colorant is added to a pot along with the additional oligomer and letdown solution. A
butterfly impeller is then used to mix the components until a homogeneous final ink was
obtained (approximately 5 minutes at a tip speed of ~ 3.5 m/s ).
Guidelines for Use / Start Point Formulations
Offset Ink Results

Colorant Pigmn Viscosity Tack Density @ Gloss Stability

2 o
(%) ( Pa.s ) ( 1.0 g/m ) ( 60 ) ( weeks )
Yellow
14.0 7 20.0 1.3 71 >4

Magenta 14.0 9 22.1 1.3 69 >4

Cyan 14.0 15 23.2 1.6 56 >4

Violet 14.0 11 20.2 1.5 62 >4

Black 20.0 7 21.7 1.5 >4

White 40.0 2 12.5 - >4

Offset prints are illustrated at the end of this document

Methods of Assessment

Viscosity - Cone & Plate Controlled Stress Rheometer

Viscosity measured at shear rate of 10s-1

Tack - Beta Tech Tack Meter

Gloss - Mini Glossmaster / 60o

Density - Prufbau print, metal cone, 1200N, 0.5ms-1, 25oC

Printed on APCO II/II substrate at 1.0 g/m2

Stability - Inks are filled to the brim in polypropylene containers and placed in an
oven calibrated at 60oC. Inks are assessed on a weekly basis, for a
maximum of 4 weeks, for premature curing.