Abstract: An electron-beam curable ink or coating for sensitive applications such as food packaging and pharmaceutical packaging. The ink or coating of the invention comprises a high bio-renewable content. A printed article or laminate comprising a cured layer derived from the ink or coating of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for applying multiple ink and/or coating layers on a substrate. At least one of the ink and/or coating layers contains one or more photoinitiators, and at least one of the ink and/or coating layers does not contain any photoinitiators. In certain embodiments, all of the ink and/or coating layers are wet trapped and the entire print construct is cured by exposure to UV radiation after all of the ink and/or coating layers have been applied. In certain embodiments, the wet trapping method of the present invention can be used to prepare laminates.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an energy curable, single phase, aqueous composition comprising water, an ethylenically unsaturated oligomer, and an ethylenically unsaturated resin containing neutralized acidic or basic functional groups. Advantageously, in certain embodiments, the compositions contain greater than 25 wt. % water at less than 60 wt. % resin in the total composition.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making liquid polyester resins, and the liquid polyester resins produced by the method. The liquid polyester resins are prepared by depolymerizing virgin, scrap, recycled or reclaimed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) via an alcoholysis reaction with one or more mono-alcohols and/or polyols; transesterifying the resulting polyol oligomer with vegetable oils or fatty acid alkyl esters; and re-polymerizing with acids or anhydrides. The present invention also provides ink and coating compositions, and overprint varnishes, comprising the liquid polyester resins of the invention.

Abstract: A chlorine-free, low migration, electron-beam curable composition which is a primer or first-down white ink. Preferably, applied by offset printing, the composition provides good adhesion of electron-beam curable offset inks to substrates, especially plastics. Moreover, the present invention is directed to a chlorine-free, low migration lithographic electron-beam curable primer providing good ink adhesion to corona-treated PET films for flexible packaging.

Abstract: The present invention provides radiation curable hybrid ink and coating compositions comprising large amounts of inert hard resin. The radiation hybrid ink and coating compositions have good lithographic properties, low roller swelling, and a low gloss-back effect when overprinted with a UV varnish. The ink and coating compositions are useful for lithographic wet and waterless printing.

Abstract: The present invention provides lactic acid polyester resins that are readily soluble in acrylates, and novel acrylated polyester resins thereof. The present invention further provides novel energy curable inks and coating compositions comprising the lactic acid polyester resins, and/or acrylated polyesters. The energy curable inks and coating compositions are especially useful for lithographic and flexographic printing.

Abstract: The invention relates to photoactive oligomeric aminoketones of general Formulae I and II, for compositions and inks curable with ultraviolet (UV) light. The oligomeric aminoketones of the general Formula I are made by condensation of aminoketones with aldehydes, and aminoketones of the general Formula II are made by acylation of aromatic amines with phthalic anhydride, followed by esterification with a polyol. The aminoketones provide good curability of energy curable coatings and inks with UV-A light, and are proposed for photoinitiator systems for low migration inks.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for applying multiple ink and/or coating layers on a substrate. At least one of the ink and/or coating layers contains one or more photoinitiators, and at least one of the ink and/or coating layers does not contain any photoinitiators. In certain embodiments, all of the ink and/or coating layers are wet trapped and the entire print construct is cured by exposure to UV radiation after all of the ink and/or coating layers have been applied. In certain embodiments, the wet trapping method of the present invention can be used to prepare laminates.

Abstract: Single phase, water based, energy curable compositions and a method of preparing coatings and printing inks from same.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to polyester resins which are prepared by depolymerizing virgin, scrap, recycled or reclaimed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) via an alcoholysis reaction with one or more polyhydric alcohols to form a depolymerization product and esterifying the depolymerization product with one or more polybasic carboxylic acids and/or anhydrides and optionally polyhydric alcohol to form a polyester polyol. The polyester may then be acrylated with acrylic acid to form a polyester acrylate resin. The polyester resins are then used in energy curable coating compositions or inks and in particular, the polyester acrylate resin is suitably used as a reactive binder/oligomer.

Abstract: The present invention provides technical varnishes comprising polystyrene, especially recycled polystyrene, and biofuels such as fatty acid alkyl esters and/or aliphatic softeners such cyclohexane-dialkyl esters. The technical varnishes are useful, for example, in conjunction with printing inks, especially lithographic inks, and coatings and protective lacquers, and overprint varnishes for sheet-fed inks.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an energy curable, single phase, aqueous composition comprising water, an ethylenically unsaturated oligomer, and an ethylenically unsaturated resin containing neutralized acidic or basic functional groups. Advantageously, in certain embodiments, the compositions contain greater than 25 wt. % water at less than 60 wt. % resin in the total composition.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making liquid polyester resins, and the liquid polyester resins produced by the method. The liquid polyester resins are prepared by de-polymerizing virgin, scrap, recycled or reclaimed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) via an alcoholysis reaction with one or more mono-alcohols and/or polyols; transesterifying the resulting polyol oligomer with vegetable oils or fatty acid alkyl esters; and re-polymerizing with acids or anhydrides. The present invention also provides ink and coating compositions, and overprint varnishes, comprising the liquid polyester resins of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides radiation curable hybrid ink and coating compositions comprising large amounts of inert hard resin. The radiation hybrid ink and coating compositions have good lithographic properties, low roller swelling, and a low gloss-back effect when overprinted with a UV varnish. The ink and coating compositions are useful for lithographic wet and waterless printing.

Abstract: The present invention provides technical varnishes comprising polystyrene, especially recycled polystyrene, and biofuels such as fatty acid alkyl esters and/or aliphatic softeners such cyclohexane-dialkyl esters. The technical varnishes are useful, for example, in conjunction with printing inks, especially lithographic inks, and coatings and protective lacquers, and overprint varnishes for sheet-fed inks.

Abstract: The invention relates to photoactive oligomeric aminoketones of general Formulae I and II, for compositions and inks curable with ultraviolet (UV) light. The oligomeric aminoketones of the general Formula I are made by condensation of aminoketones with aldehydes, and aminoketones of the general Formula II are made by acylation of aromatic amines with phthalic anhydride, followed by esterification with a polyol. The aminoketones provide good curability of energy curable coatings and inks with UV-A light, and are proposed for photoinitiator systems for low migration inks.

Abstract: The invention relates to photoactive oligomeric aminoketones of general Formulae I and II, for compositions and inks curable with ultraviolet (UV) light. The oligomeric aminoketones of the general Formula I are made by condensation of aminoketones with aldehydes, and aminoketones of the general Formula II are made by acylation of aromatic amines with phthalic anhydride, followed by esterification with a polyol. The aminoketones provide good curability of energy curable coatings and inks with UV-A light, and are proposed for photoinitiator systems for low migration inks.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to photoactive resins employed in radiation curable compositions and ink. The radiation curable compositions include mono or multi-functional acrylates, an amine and the above-mentioned photoactive resin. Radiation curable inks at least include the components of the radiation curable composition in addition to colorants.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to polyester resins which are prepared by depolymerizing virgin, scrap, recycled or reclaimed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) via an alcoholysis reaction with one or more polyhydric alcohols to form a depolymerization product and esterifying the depolymerization product with one or more polybasic carboxylic acids and/or anhydrides and optionally polyhydric alcohol to form a polyester polyol. The polyester may then be acrylated with acrylic acid to form a polyester acrylate resin. The polyester resins are then used in energy curable coating compositions or inks and in particular, the polyester acrylate resin is suitably used as a reactive binder/oligomer.