What is the function of wax powder in water-based ink?

What is the function of wax powder in water-based ink?

author: Uvink

2023-04-06

Wax is a commonly used additive for paint and ink. The most commonly used variety in

solvent-based systems is micropowder wax. Its material types are generally polyethylene

wax and polytetraethylene wax. The main functions are scratch resistance and durability.

Friction, also has the characteristics of improving hand feeling, anti-adhesion, anti-sticking,

waterproof and so on.

Anti-sagging, anti-sedimentation, large powder surface area. Positioning of metallic pigments.

Wax is dispersed in aromatic and aliphatic solvents, which can increase the anti-sedimentation of

coatings and inks. It also shows different degrees of thixotropy, anti-sagging and positioning

of metallic pigments.

Matting effect, gloss is the ability of the surface of the paint film to reflect the light projected

on it in one direction, the greater the amount of reflected light, the higher the gloss. Migrate to

the surface of the coating film to wax particles, and through refraction, diffusion, etc.

the reflection of light projected on the surface of the coating film in the same direction is

weakened to achieve a matting effect. The gloss and transparency of wax in water-based paint

inks are affected by many factors, the most important of which are the difference in refractive index

between the wax material and the tree and the fineness of the wax. The difference in refractive

index is not easy to analyze, but the difference in fineness is easy to analyze. Generally,

in varnishes or varnishes with thinner coating thicknesses, under the same amount of wax of

the same type, the gloss is the lowest and the transparency is the worst when

the fineness is about 1um.

In water-based coating systems, waxes are mainly used as additives in solid form water-based

micronized wax and liquid form wax emulsion and wax dispersion. The main advantage of

water-based micronized wax is that it does not contain emulsifiers, and has no effect on

the water resistance of coating inks after film formation. Its main disadvantages are that

the dispersion in water-based systems requires high technical requirements and

poor application convenience.