Eliminating Floating and Blooming in Water-Based Inks

Water-based inks with multi-pigment blends (e.g., light gray, beige) frequently exhibit floating (pigment stratification) and blooming (mottling) due to density and surface energy differences, leading to color shifts. Chemi Tech's KMK-033 features polar anchor groups and tailored chains for synchronized dispersion:

Strong polar segments bind inorganic pigments (e.g., TiO₂);

Moderate polarity chains adsorb on organics (e.g., phthalocyanine blue).

Key Advantages

Floating Suppression: Balanced dynamic surface tension (22–24 mN/m) eliminates Benard cell formation.

Particle Size Control: Narrow distribution (D90≤0.5μm) minimizes settling differentials.

Process Adaptability: Stable at pH 8–10 and ≤50°C grinding temperatures.

Case Study: Flexible Packaging Gray Ink

A packaging plant using phthalocyanine blue/TiO₂ for light gray ink observed blue-phase floating (ΔE＞2.0). After adding 1.2% KMK-033:

Color Consistency: Batch ΔE≤0.8 across 10 production runs.

Print Quality: Mottling reduced by 90%; no plate clogging over 5,000-meter printing.

Efficiency: Dispersion time cut by 40%, lowering energy consumption 18%.

Implemented in medical packaging and film printing lines, Chemi Tech provides on-site defect diagnosis and dispersant blending services.