Evaluation of the compatibility between low pressure melamine (LPM) film printing substrates and inkjet inks

Surface coated wood-based panels play a major role in the forest products industry as materials for construction and furniture elements in numerous interior and exterior applications. Their most important feature besides appropriate mechanical performance and chemical durability is an appealing visual appearance. In this contribution, recent research on the compatibility between two UV-curable inks and different melamine formaldehyde based surface films is presented. The surface texture properties of the printing substrates were investigated by roughness measurements. Substrate surface free energy was measured by contact angle measurements using three different testing liquids covering a wide range of polarities (glycerol, ethylene glycol and diiodomethane). The physical shape of the inkjet ink drops which were placed on the LPM printing substrates was monitored and recorded over time and used as an indicator for the wetting behavior of the tested inks and hence the printability. By combining contact angle and pendant drop measurements the surface tension of the inks was determined. The theoretical findings were confirmed by technological printing tests. To this end, as a hands-on method to establish ink-substrate wetting and compatibility flow coating tests were run and the most suitable ink was selected for printing. The printing results were closely related to the surface properties of the printing substrates.