Preparation of alcohol-resistant ink using polyester resin for thermal transfer ribbon

Purpose The purpose of this study is to prepare thermal transfer ribbons with good alcohol resistance. Design/methodology/approach A variety of alcohol-resistant thermal transfer inks were prepared using different polyester resins. The printing temperature, printing effect, adhesion and alcohol resistance of the inks on the label were studied to determine the feasibility of using the ink for manufacturing thermal transfer ribbons. The ink formulations were prepared by a simple and stable grinding technology, and then use mature coating technology to make the ink into a thermal transfer ribbon. Findings The results show that the thermal transfer ink has good scratch resistance, good alcohol resistance and low printing temperature when the three resins coexist. Notably, the performance of the ribbon produced by 500 mesh anilox roller was better than that of other meshes. Specifically, the ink on the matte silver polyethylene terephthalate (PET) label surface was wiped with a cotton cloth soaked in isopropyl alcohol under 500 g of pressure. After 50 wiping cycles, the ink remained intact. Originality/value The proposed method not only ensures good alcohol resistance but also has lower printing temperature and wider label applicability. Therefore, it can effectively reduce the loss of printhead and reduce production costs, because of the low printing temperature.