Magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃) is a white inorganic powder with good chemical stability, low density and certain adsorption capacity. In UV ink systems, as an inorganic filler, magnesium carbonate can not only reduce costs, but also impart a series of functional characteristics to the ink.
1. Improve rheological performance (fluidity and thixotropy)
Magnesium carbonate has a certain particle size distribution and a sheet-like or porous structure, which can form a reasonable three-dimensional dispersed network structure in the ink, thereby improving fluidity and thixotropy, which helps control the ink stability and spreadability during the printing process.
2. Improve hiding and whiteness
Magnesium carbonate itself has a certain covering ability, especially at high filling amounts, which can be used in conjunction with titanium dioxide to improve the covering effect of white ink or light ink while controlling costs.
3. Adjust gloss (matte/semi-matte)
Due to its irregular structure, magnesium carbonate can be used to reduce the surface gloss of UV inks and create a matte or soft texture. It is widely used in packaging printing, labeling, decoration and other fields.
4. Enhance printing suitability
The appropriate amount of magnesium carbonate can improve the transferability of the ink and the shrinkage behavior during the drying process, reduce the cracking of the ink film and improve adhesion. It is especially suitable for use on different substrates such as plastic film, metal, and paper.
5. Improve settlement resistance and storage stability
Its larger specific surface area and light specific gravity help improve the ink’s anti-settlement performance, making it difficult to layer or agglomerate in the long-term storage of ink.
6. Adjustment of flexibility of auxiliary curing layer
In high-solid UV formulations, magnesium carbonate, as a non-reactive component, will affect the flexibility and balanced hardness of the ink system, and is suitable for customizing products of different flexibility levels (such as soft packaging or flexographic printing needs).