The Drying Mechanisms of Water-Borne Printing Inks

The aim of this study is to gain deeper understanding of the drying mechanisms of water-borne printing inks. The study was divided into two parts. In the first part, the evaporation of water from resin emulsions was investigated. The second part of the study concentrated on the absorption and spreading of resin and water in an uncoated paper structure. It was found that the molecular weight and composition of the resin had an impact on the drying rate. It was also found that confocal microscopy offers a potential to understand more about the drying mechanisms within the paper.