This category uses a wide range of organic solvents, chosen based on the substrate and desired drying speed.
Common Solvents:
How it works:
These solvents dissolve the resins that bind the pigment. Heat in the dryer evaporates the solvents, and the resins form a tough, adherent film on the substrate (often non-porous plastic).
You cannot identify a single "solvent for flexo ink." The correct solvent is determined by:
Always refer to the ink manufacturer's technical data sheet (TDS) for the specific solvent recommendations and safety guidelines for a particular ink.
Alcohols: Ethanol, Isopropanol (IPA), n-Propanol. These are fast-evaporating and common for polyolefin films like PP and PE.
Esters: Ethyl Acetate, n-Propyl Acetate, Isobutyl Acetate. These offer a medium evaporation rate and are very common.
Ketones: Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) (fast), Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK). These are powerful solvents that provide strong adhesion to difficult films.
Glycol Ethers: Used as slower-evoking solvents to keep the ink open on the printing plate and prevent drying.
The Substrate: Porous paperboard uses water. Non-porous plastic films often require solvent-based or UV inks.
Drying Equipment: A press needs the correct dryer (air/heat for water/solvent, UV lamps for UV) to remove the specific solvent.
Environmental Regulations: Solvent-based inks emit VOCs and often require abatement systems. Water-based and UV inks are chosen for their lower environmental impact.