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.