POLLUTION-PREVENTION LITHOGRAPHIC INKS

A pollution-preventing lithographic ink system works conventionally at a pH less than 7, but becomes its own emulsifying agent at high pH. A ccordingly, it can be washed off lithographic printing presses with aq ueous base. The emulsification kinetics of the ink have been experimen tally studied as mass transfer coefficients under the conditions of lo w shear. Correlations for this mass transfer suggest that washing is c ontrolled by diffusion of components within the ink. The results point toward a strategy for achieving other pollution-preventing technologi es. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.