Pearl Paste

Screen printing Pearl paste is a special printing ink, mainly composed of pearlescent powder, resin, solvent and additives, etc.

Components and functions:
Pearlescent powder: It is a key component, usually made from natural mica flakes through special processing techniques. It has a layered structure and can produce a pearl-like luster and color effect under light, giving printed matter a unique visual appeal. The particle size of pearlescent powder has a significant impact on the printing effect. Generally, in screen printing, the particle size range of pearlescent powder is quite wide, with common ones ranging from 300 mesh to 1500 mesh.
Resin: As an adhesive, it bonds pearlescent powder and other components together, enabling the ink to firmly adhere to the surface of the substrate and form a uniform and stable printing film layer. Different resins can affect the adhesion, abrasion resistance, solvent resistance and other properties of the ink.
Solvent: It is used to adjust the viscosity and fluidity of the ink to better meet the requirements of the screen printing process. Appropriate solvents can improve the printability of ink, enhance printing quality, and also affect the drying speed of printed matter.
Additives such as dispersants, leveling agents, defoamers, etc., can improve the performance of ink. Dispersants help pearlescent powder to be evenly dispersed in the ink, prevent the sedimentation and aggregation of pearlescent powder, and ensure the uniformity of color in printed matter. Leveling agents can enhance the leveling property of ink on the surface of the substrate, reduce printing marks and orange peel phenomena, and make the printed surface smoother and flatter. Defoamers are used to eliminate the bubbles produced during the stirring and printing of ink, preventing defects such as pinholes and pockmarks on printed materials.

Product features:
Good adhesion: It can firmly adhere to the surface of various printing materials, such as textiles, paper, plastic, glass, metal, etc., ensuring that the printed patterns do not fall off or fade easily during normal use and cleaning.
Bright colors and luster: With a rich selection of colors and a pearl-like luster effect, it can give printed materials a unique appearance and high-end texture, enhancing the visual appeal and added value of the products. Its color can be adjusted according to needs to meet the personalized requirements of different customers.
Moderate viscosity and fluidity: Its viscosity and fluidity have been precisely adjusted to ensure smooth passage through the mesh during screen printing, forming complete patterns, without excessive flow or diffusion, thereby achieving high-precision printing results and meeting the printing requirements of fine lines, small characters, and complex patterns.
Environmental friendliness: With the improvement of environmental protection requirements, many screen printing Pearl paste products have adopted environmentally friendly raw materials, reducing pollution to the environment and harm to human health, which is in line with the trend of sustainable development. For example, some water-based Pearl paste inks have obtained environmental protection certifications such as Oeko-Tex.
Chemical resistance and weather resistance: It has certain resistance to common chemical substances such as acids, alkalis, and organic solvents, and is not easily corroded or dissolved. Meanwhile, under environmental conditions such as light, high temperature and humidity, its color and performance can also remain relatively stable, thus extending the service life of the printed matter.

Application field:
Textile printing: It is one of the most widely applied fields of screen printing Pearl paste. It can be used for pattern printing of various garments such as T-shirts, shirts, skirts and hats, as well as decorative printing of accessories such as silk scarves and ties. It can add unique luster and color to textiles, enhancing their sense of fashion and beauty.
Paper printing: It is also widely used in the printing of paper products such as packaging paper, brochures, posters, and greeting cards, which can make the paper products have a more attractive appearance, enhance the grade and appeal of the products, and is often used for decorative printing on the packaging of cosmetics, food, gifts, etc.
Plastic products printing: It is suitable for surface printing of various plastic products, such as plastic bottles, plastic boxes, plastic toys, plastic stationery, etc., and can enhance the aesthetic appeal and market competitiveness of plastic products.
Glass and metal products printing: It can be used for decorative printing on glass and metal products, such as glass bottles, glass cups, metal ornaments, metal handicrafts, etc., adding unique artistic effects and value to them.

Key Points of printing technology:
Screen selection: Based on the fineness of the printed pattern and the characteristics of the substrate, choose appropriate screen parameters such as mesh count, screen Angle, and screen thickness. Generally speaking, fine patterns require the use of screens with a higher mesh count to ensure the clarity and accuracy of the patterns. For rough substrate surfaces or larger patterns, the mesh count can be appropriately reduced.
Scraper parameter control: The pressure, speed and Angle of the scraper have significant influences on the transfer and printing quality of Pearl paste. The pressure of the scraper should be moderate. Excessive pressure can easily cause the slurry to be squeezed and deformed, resulting in a blurred appearance. If it is too small, the slurry will not be transferred completely and the pattern will be incomplete. The speed of the scraper should be adjusted according to the viscosity and fluidity of the slurry, usually between 10 and 30cm/s. If the speed is too fast, it will result in insufficient pattern filling; if it is too slow, the slurry may dry too quickly, affecting the printing effect. The Angle of the scraper is generally between 60 and 80 degrees. The larger the Angle, the greater the pressure exerted by the scraper on the slurry, but it is also more likely to cause excessive squeezing of the slurry.
Printing environment requirements: Keep the printing environment clean, dry, constant temperature and humidity, and avoid dust, impurities, etc. from mixing into Pearl paste, which may affect the printing quality. Meanwhile, appropriate temperature and humidity help control the drying speed and fluidity of the slurry. Generally, it is advisable to keep the temperature at 20-25℃ and the humidity at 40%-60%.
Drying and curing after printing: The printed substrate needs to undergo drying and curing treatment after printing to allow the solvent in Pearl paste to evaporate, and the components such as resin to cure and cross-link, forming a firm film layer. The methods and time of drying and curing depend on the type of Pearl paste selected and the characteristics of the substrate. Common ones include natural drying, hot air circulation drying, ultraviolet curing, etc.
To sum up, screen printing Pearl paste has excellent performance and a wide range of application fields. By reasonably selecting and controlling the printing process parameters, high-quality and high-precision printing effects can be achieved, meeting the requirements of different industries for product appearance and decoration.