The printing industry is changing tracks: These days, more and more specialist firms are switching from the traditional analog approach to digital printing procedures, preferring in particular the use of inkjet printers that increasingly involve the use of UV-curing inks. By producing raw material for water-based UV applications, BASF is assisting the printing industry in this technological change. At the RadTech Europe 2015, an important radiation curing trade fair and conference event, BASF is going to invite its customers to have a look at its innovative technologies and concepts for UV and electronic beam curing. The RadTech Europe 2015 will take place at the Clarion Congress Hotel in Prague in the Czech Republic from October 13 to 15.

At the event, BASF is going to focus particularly on solutions for water-based UV inkjet applications in the packaging sector. When labels and packaging are printed via inkjet procedure, the industry primarily tends to utilize UV curing inks that, in a split second after the UV curing, generate an ink film that can immediately withstand chemical and mechanical pressure. When it comes to food packaging however, the UV inkjet has its limits because there are concerns as to whether, in terms of migration, the extremely low-viscose UV inks are suitable for applications with indirect food contact.

BASF widening scope of UV inkjet printing technology
By providing raw material for water-based UV applications BASF widens the scope of the UV inkjet printing technology. As one of the leading producers of radiation curable raw material for inks and coatings, BASF helps UV ink manufacturers to develop practical solutions that are suitable for indirect food contact in the packaging market.

At the RadTech Europe 2015, Dr. Jürgen Baro from Technical Marketing Resins and Additives for Printing and Packaging in Europe, will present, on October 13, a concept study on new solutions for the printing of food packaging based on the water-based UV inkjet technology. The title of his presentation is: “Water-Based UV Inkjet – Innovative Chemistry Approach for Food Packaging Applications”.

More sustainable solutions for furniture and floor coatings due to innovative resins and additives
In addition, in Prague BASF is going to present innovative resins and additives for radiation-curing furniture and floor coatings that enable customers to develop more sustainable solutions. The company offers high-performance resins that constitute an alternative to products containing Bisphenol A. Laromer® PR 9119, for example, is a new resin sold by BASF whose performance features are similar to those of conventional epoxy-acrylate resins. It has an excellent hardness, high reactivity and good chemical resistance.

In the field of UV polyurethane dispersions, Laromer UA 9095 combines excellent grain enhancement properties with good physical drying characteristics. The product enables customers to switch from solvent-based to water-based UV curing coatings for surfaces such as furniture and PVC floors. BASF also sells the Irgacure® 819 photoinitiator that is particularly suitable for UV LED curing. Furthermore, the company is currently developing innovative UV resins for LED curing.