Exploring Different Inks for Printing on Silicone Rubber

Silicone is a synthetic material that derives from silicon, a natural element. Unlike silicon, silicone is a polymer made by combining silicon with oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. This article will explore the process of printing on silicone rubber using different types of inks.

 

What sets silicone ink apart from silicon ink?

 

Silicon ink and silicone ink are two distinct products with different applications. Silicon ink, an economical nanotechnology product, is used to enhance the efficiency of silicon-based solar cells during production. On the other hand, silicone ink, which is made from a silicone polymer derivative, is used for printing on textiles and silicone rubber materials.

 

Silicone rubber is known for its durability and resistance to various environmental factors like heat, electricity, chemicals, and radiation. This resilience makes it ideal for numerous uses. For effective printing on silicone rubber, specialized silicone-based ink is required, as it is the only type that can adhere properly to this material. While silicone inks perform exceptionally well on silicone surfaces, it is important to note that digital printing with silicone inks is currently not feasible.

 

The intricacies of silicone printing

 

Silicone printing, especially with screen and pad methods, often involves higher costs due to the use of silicone inks compared to traditional solvent-based inks. To address issues like ink sticking to silicone pads, new formulations of inks and solvents have been developed to release more easily from the pad, minimizing the need for frequent cleaning. These advancements have also significantly enhanced print quality.

 

However, multi-color printing on silicone presents difficulties in pad and screen printing, which hampers the ability to mass-produce full-color items on silicone.

 

Contrastingly, solvent-based inks used in screen and pad printing do not adhere to silicone due to the material's low surface energy. Currently, there are no effective adhesion promoters that facilitate the bonding of screen, pad, or UV inks to silicone surfaces.

 

Pre-treatment Approaches for Silicone Printing

 

Various companies have crafted primers designed to bond silicone rubber with different materials like metals, glass, and thermoplastics. Unfortunately, these primers haven't been effective for printing purposes. However, combining these primers with mechanical pre-treatments can activate radicals on the silicone surface, enhancing its compatibility with non-silicone inks. It's crucial to understand that the adhesion achieved with solvent or UV inks on silicone isn't as durable as that with silicone-based inks, highlighting another challenge in the printing process on silicone using diverse inks.

 

Finding a Way Forward in Silicone Printing

 

Although digital printing on silicone rubber remains a challenge, vibrant and detailed multi-color prints are achievable using screen and pad printing techniques with Natron® SE Silicone inks. These inks come in more than 40 standard high-opacity HD colors. Furthermore, custom color matching services are available, allowing for prints in any desired shade. By blending multiple colors on a screen, decorators can also create stunning gradient effects. The options for creative silicone rubber printing are limitless.