High viscosity aqueous inks to transform inkjet printing

Xaar, a global leader in industrial inkjet technology, is highlighting the recent publication of ground-breaking research into the use of Nazdar’s high-viscosity water-based inks in corrugated printing, and the role played by its Aquinox printhead and Ultra High Viscosity Technology. The peer reviewed study, published in the Journal of Coatings Technology and Research, was conducted by the Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating at Swansea University, proving the transformative benefits of high-viscosity inks for printing, including increased colour density and reduced ink usage.

The independent study, led by Dr Chris Phillips and Professor Davide Deganello, evaluated the performance of high-viscosity aqueous inks manufactured by Nazdar, compared with conventional ink formulations using Xaar’s Aquinox printheads. Key findings included enhanced colour impact, improved efficiencies, and a reduction of drying energy when printing onto a variety of corrugated boards.   

Colour density increased by up to 13% on uncoated and 67% on coated white corrugated substrates, delivering richer, more vibrant print outcomes. The high-viscosity fluids used required less ink to achieve the same colour intensity as conventional inks, translating to lower energy usage and faster drying times. In addition, the increased viscosity of the fluids minimised absorption into substrates, enabling greater colour impact without additional pigment or energy-intensive processes. 

The research also demonstrated significant gains on uncoated substrates, with Xaar’s Ultra High Viscosity Technology enabling higher pigment loads to achieve remarkable print results even without primers, simplifying production and reducing environmental impact. 

The findings were shared with the industry during a presentation by Xaar’s Group R&D Director, Karl Forbes, and Business Development Manager – Inks, Neil Cook, at the FuturePrint Tech Conference in November. Their presentation outlined how Xaar’s Ultra High Viscosity Technology is reshaping the possibilities of digital printing with significant progress in more sustainable corrugate, textile and advanced manufacturing applications.

Speaking at the event, Karl Forbes said, “The publication of this research validates the incredible opportunities high-viscosity inks and Xaar’s printheads and technologies bring to industrial printing. With improved print quality, sustainability, and productivity, this breakthrough represents a step change in how inkjet printing can compete and excel in a diverse range of applications.” 

The full results of Swansea University’s research can be downloaded here and, since the groundbreaking findings of this work, Nazdar and Xaar have further developed the High Viscosity concept into multiple sets of commercially available inks, suitable for markets such as textile and corrugate printing.