Recyclable printed plastic container and method
View Patent ↗A recyclable article having an external surface with an image printed thereon by droplets of ink is provided. The droplets of ink comprise a composition that includes a hydrophilic component. In embodiments, the hydrophilic component can facilitate the separation or loosening of the image from the external surface of the container when the image is exposed to a liquid-based solution at an elevated temperature. Methods for facilitating recycling of recyclable articles having printed images are also disclosed.
1. A recyclable plastic article comprising:
a curved external surface with a digitally-printed image printed directly on the curved external surface, the image comprising cured droplets of ink, and the droplets of ink comprising a composition including a removal-promoting additive;
wherein the digitally-printed image has an adhesion score of at least 6.0 and up through 9.0, and the removal-promoting additive is configured to cause the cured droplets of ink to separate or loosen from the curved external surface of the article when the digitally-printed image is exposed to a liquid-based solution at an elevated temperature of at least about 85° C.
2. The plastic article of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-based solution is agitated.
3. The plastic article of claim 1 , wherein the article comprises a plastic container.
4. The plastic article of claim 1 , wherein the removal-promoting additive comprises a hydrophilic component.
5. The plastic article of claim 1 , wherein the removal-promoting additive comprises an acidic component.
6. The plastic article of claim 1 , wherein at least two removal-promoting additives are present in the droplets of ink.
7. The plastic article of claim 1 , wherein the digitally-printed image includes:
a base coat including a plurality of cured base coat ink droplets, and
a secondary coat including a plurality of cured secondary coat ink droplets, the secondary coat being applied to at least a portion of the base coat.
8. The plastic article of claim 1 , wherein the article is comprised of one or more of the following materials: polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene.
9. The plastic article of claim 3 , wherein the container is a bottle.
10. The plastic article of claim 5 , wherein the acidic component comprises an acidic acrylate oligomer.
11. The plastic article of claim 5 , wherein the acidic component comprises a monofunctional acid ester.
12. The plastic article of claim 5 , wherein the acidic component comprises an acidic acrylate oligomer and a monofunctional acid ester.
13. The plastic article of claim 5 , wherein the acidic component comprises at least about ten percent of the total composition of the droplets of ink.
14. The plastic article of claim 6 , wherein one removal-promoting additive comprises a hydrophilic component, and another removal-promoting additive comprises an acidic component.
15. The plastic article of claim 7 , wherein the base coat includes white or colorless portions.