TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE LIQUID CRYSTAL SCREEN INKS

GENERAL INFORMATION AND NOTES

A) The MSA5000 screen ink contain microencapsulated Cholesteric Liquid Crystal mixtures.

B) MSA5000 ink is water-based and has been developed for application to clear polyester and PVC substrates.

C) As with all TLC color change effects, the colors shown by MSA5000 ink are best visualized against a dark (preferably black) background. The MSA5000 ink should, therefore, be backed by black (or very dark) backgrounds.

D) TLC inks are not scratch resistant or stable in UV light, and there will always be a need to protect them. The best method of protection is a clear heat applied overlaminate, with low to no plasticizers and preferably strong UV absorbing properties and the TLC inks should ideally be dry before it is applied. It should be noted that if the temperature setting of the laminating machine is too high then damage can be done to the TLC's and it is therefore necessary to run a short test before running the complete job. The surface finish of the dry TLC inks is important to the quality of the color change images obtained and the use of a clear overlaminate might also offer benefits in this respect. Also in some cases an overcoat or varnish can be used (again with UV absorbing properties) however care needs to be taken as many of these contain products harmful to TLC's and therefore again tests should always be carried out in advance to check suitability.

E) As indicated in (c) and (d) above, additional coatings/inks (blacks, clear overcoats, etc.) will need to be used in conjunction with MSA5000 TLC ink to produce a finished product or acceptable effect. Such coatings, which may or may not be in direct contact with the MSA5000 ink, should be water based or fully cured UV. Materials containing volatile solvents should be avoided. Tests for compatibility with TLC's should always be carried out before hand as even some "water based" inks can contain unsuitable components.

F) At the time of printing MSA5000 TLC ink, the use of volatile organic solvents (like those commonly used in screen printing - ketones, esters, etc.) should be avoided. These can penetrate the microcapsule wall and interact with the TLC mixture inside changing (and eventually destroying) the color reflecting properties. The interactions likely to occur between the TLC ink and any materials used with it to produce color change effects must always be considered. The color change properties of TLCs are produced by a very delicate and sensitive arrangement of molecules, and it is very easy to change/destroy them without realizing.

G) Coating thickness is an important variable for TLC inks. The color change properties of inks containing microencapsulated TLC mixtures are dependent on the thickness of ink deposited. Generally, for inks containing microencapsulated cholesteric TLC mixtures (like the MSA5000 ), the thicker the coat, the lower the onset of color (red start). Too thick a coating often results in the normally bright colors appearing slightly milky, more noticeably at the red end of the spectrum. For MSA5000 ink, wet film thicknesses of around 150-300 microns (6-12 mil. approx.) which dry to approximately 50-100 microns (2-4 mil.) are recommended. Optimized coating thicknesses depend on the actual printing conditions used.

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