Electron‐Beam Processing for Industrial Inkjet Printing: Cross‐Linking and Curing

Electron beam (EB) processes are used to modify the molecular structure of materials in cross-linking and grafting applications, to polymerize or cure inks, coatings, and adhesives to sterilize medical and pharmaceutical goods, and for many other industrial applications. Cross-linking improves the mechanical, electrical, and thermal characteristics of certain plastics. Typical products are shrink tubing, shrink packaging films, cable and wire insulations, and tire material. EB curing involves electron initiated free-radical polymerization. EB printing inks, coatings, or adhesives are highly reactive chemical systems consisting of prepolymers and monomers. This chapter shows the differences between UV and EB chemistries (inks, coatings). With EB processing, all environmental protection requirements are met with the lowest possible energy consumption (future CO2 - and energy consumption taxes!). The EB process combines environment-friendliness with high production speeds, low operating cost, and faster equipment amortization.