Abstract: This invention relates to a printing ink set. The ink-jet ink set comprises a plurality of ink-jet inks, each ink being substantially free of water and volatile organic solvents, having a viscosity of 100 mPas or less at 25° C., and comprising at least one radiation-curable monomer, a photoinitiator, and a colorant, wherein the set includes a cyan ink, a magenta ink, a yellow ink, a black ink, and one or more of an orange ink, a green ink and a violet ink. The ink set may also include light CYMK inks. An eight ink set comprising cyan, magenta, yellow, black, orange, green, violet and light magenta inks is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printing ink for use in ink-jet printing which is cured using ultraviolet radiation. The ink-jet ink has a viscosity of less than 100 mPas at 25° C. and comprises the following components: 20 to 70% by weight of at least one epoxy functional monomer, 2 to 70% by weight of at least one oxetane functional monomer, 0.5 to 40% by weight of at least one hydroxy-containing compound, 0 to 40% by weight of at least one allyl and/or vinyl ether monomer, at least one cationic photoinitiator, and at least one colouring agent, the ink. The ink jet ink formulation provides a balance of the properties of the ink, namely viscosity, flexibility and cure speed.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ink-jet printing method using a cationic ink-jet cured by low-intensity actinic radiation. The method comprises printing an ink-jet ink comprising at least one cationically polymerisable monomer, oligomer and/or prepolymer and at least one cationic photoinitiator on to a substrate using an ink-jet printer. The substrate has a surface pH of less than 7.0 and the ink is cured using low-intensity actinic radiation typically providing a dose energy at the surface of the substrate of no more than 150 mJ/cm2.

Abstract: A radiation-curable composition for use as a base coat in printing on plastic substrates such as polycarbonate. The radiation-curable composition comprises: (i) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer that is capable of being photopolymerized; (ii) a photoinitiator that is capable of initiating the polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer (i) when irradiated with ultra-voilet light; (iii) an inorganic transfer agent; (iv) an adhesion promoter; and (v) optionally, a pigment. The base coat is suitable for use in printing plastics substrates using electrostatic offset printing.