Preparation of high-performance water-based ink from acrylic-modified rosin resin

This study focuses on the preparation of a water-based ink binder using acrylic-modified rosin polyethylene glycol ester (ROPEGE). This binder is characterized by a low acid value (12.23 mg NaOH/g), low viscosity (5.40 mPa s), high fixed content (92.40 %), and excellent printability. Compared to reported water-based inks, the inks derived in this study exhibit higher fixed content (resulting in lower VOC emissions), low acid value (indicating high oxidation resistance), and low viscosity (enhancing print quality). The individual effects of emulsifier type, emulsifier content, initiator type, initiator content, acrylic acid content, and dispersant content are analyzed as single factors. The optimal formulation is achieved by selecting specific components: emulsifier PEG-400 (40 wt%/ROPEGE), initiator potassium persulfate (10 wt%/ROPEGE), functional monomer acrylic acid (10 wt% of ROPEGE), and wetting and dispersing agent OT-75 (10 wt%/ROPEGE). The enhancement of the water-based ink formulation is accomplished through the use of acrylic-modified rosin resin (AMRR) as the binder, dimethyl silicone oil as the defoamer, and malachite green as the pigment.