Details:
Summary:
Coatings are used in order to enhance the visual appeal of a package, as well as to provide certain functional elements related to its performance throughout the processing line of the printer/converter and end user. This study examines the performance of UV coatings for packaging applications, as determined by the amount of friction, expressed as degrees of slide angle; durability, expressed as number of rubs; and gloss levels. These performance parameters are determined by the formulation of the coating, but they are also affected by a number of other variables. In this study, the examined variables are two substrates, different ink formulations, different amounts of radiant energy, two coating formulations, and the amount of time off the press. It was found that for UV non-skid coatings, both the substrate and the amount of radiant energy significantly affect the slide angle of the package. Additionally, there is a strong inverse relationship between the slide angle and rub resistance; however, the greater the number of variables involved in the relationship between slide angle and rub resistance, the weaker the correlation. No relationship between gloss levels and any of the other variables was found. Finally, the variability in slide angle testing and its correlation with rub resistance is being discussed.