Kao develops water-based pigment inkjet ink

Kao Corporation has successfully developed the world’s first water-based pigment inkjet ink for printing on film materials used in flexible packaging and will enter the industrial printing industry. The newly developed ink’s VOC-free design mitigates its environmental impact. Kao has also developed an inkjet printer exclusively for this water-based ink in co-operation with Think Laboratories Co Ltd, which achieves eco-friendly and high quality printing on flexible packaging.

The Performance Chemicals Research Laboratories at Kao Corporation have been developing pigment dispersion technologies for water-based inkjet ink. Based on Kao’s unique nano-dispersion pigment technology, this newly-developed ink uses functional polymers to encapsulate nano-sized pigments, thus achieving fast, reliable, and high quality printing.

Kao also has the capacity to apply this technology for water-based pigment inkjet ink to eco-friendly water-based rotogravure ink.

With the aim of contributing to a sustainable society, Kao will further advance science and the technology and will promote product development and services that serve to mitigate environmental impact.

The related research findings will be announced and presented at the 2016 international trade fair for print and cross-media solutions (drupa2016; Dusseldorf, Germany; May 31 to June 10, 2016.