Aqueous Coatings: Defined

A lot of people are confused about what aqueous coatings are and their advantages for users. For a long time, it was industry standard to use varnish as coating and it was thought of as good enough. Aqueous coatings were introduced to the market at the end of the 70s, but they were prohibitively expensive back then.

Also called water based coatings, they were invented and adopted because they are vastly superior to varnish. The finish and quality one gets from aqueous coatings far exceeds anything that is possible with varnish or any other type of coating. It is also better than varnish in many other ways. There is no yellowing problem with time which is a common complaint when it comes to varnish. Ghosting issues are also solved with aqueous coatings and they also do not pose a risk to the environment the way varnish does.

There are many different types of aqueous coatings such as:

High Gloss
If you want a high gloss finish then aqueous coatings will be a great choice for you. They provide a high amount of gloss and also offer press stability, tailored coefficient of friction, and good hot stamp receptivity.

Matte Finish
Aqueous coatings are also available in matte finish with gloss ranges in 5-20° at 60° angles. The clarity and adhesion of these is excellent plus they also have great water and chemical resistance.

Soft Feel
Soft Feel aqueous coatings have a luxurious leather type feel along with excellent rub and mar protection. They are receptive to ink as well as ballpoint pens.

Chemical Resistant
Aqueous coatings can also be made resistant to alkalis, acids, ketenes, alcohols, dry cleaning solvents, acetates, household cleaners as well as automotive fluids.

Controlled C.O.F.
Controlled COF (coefficient of friction) allows a stable COF and are available in both gloss and matte finish.

Heat Resistant
Heat resistant aqueous coatings can survive temperatures up to 450°F (232°C) which makes them ideal for processes involving hot temperatures.

Heat Seal
Heat Seal aqueous coatings can be used to keep the heat locked in and have a dwell time as low as 0.01 to 0.1 seconds and can handle pressure up to 40-0 psi.

Security Coatings
Aqueous coatings can also be used for invisible security purposes and are only visible in certain conditions.

UV Cure
UV (ultraviolet) curable aqueous coatings are specially formulated to act as topcoats and primers.

Print Receptive
These are receptive to many different types of inks such as digital, solvent borne, offset, water based, inkjet and UV.

To learn more about custom aqueous coatings please contact Roymal, Inc. at (602) 2863-2410 or email roymal@roymalinc.com.