| abstract |
The present invention provides a liquid printing ink that produces high quality flexographic or gravure printing images that have excellent solvent and abrasion resistance. In addition, the printing ink of the invention has high re-solubility, even after complete drying, upon contact with the liquid vehicle of the same ink, thereby preventing clogging of the printing plate, anilox or gravure cylinders over time. These characteristics of the printing ink are obtained by preparing a hybrid ink in which conventional organic solvent and/or water-based liquid inks are mixed with energy curable monomers and/or oligomers of resins and, optionally, a photoinitiator. After drying the ink, the printed images are exposed to an actinic radiation so that highly cross-inked polymers are formed in the printed images, which become water, chemical and abrasion-resistant. |