Inkjet printing is a digitally driven, non-contact, high-definition method of printing patterns or images onto a wide range of substrates. Increasingly the preferred method for applications such as ceramic tile decoration, it delivers substantial benefits over traditional processes in terms of pattern flexibility, higher image definition, reduced waste and greater automation.
However, realizing these improvements relies on formulating inkjet inks to exhibit desirable rheological behavior across the diverse conditions experienced during the printing process. Inks must be stable at the low shear stresses that apply during storage while simultaneously meeting exacting flow and transfer performance targets at the extremely high shear rates generated within an inkjet print head. The size and concentration of dispersed pigments within an ink, and the viscosity profile of the base fluid, must be carefully considered to control formulation rheology and achieve a desirable finish.