In the ink and coatings industry, microcrystalline wax is primarily used as an abrasion inhibitor, scratch-resistant agent and touch modifier, whilst also improving the formability of products.
Abrasion and scratch resistance: After printing, the wax floats to the surface of the ink film to form a lubricating protective layer; this is one of its most important functions.
Anti-adhesion and Slip: It prevents printed materials from sticking together when stacked and enhances slip, facilitating post-press processes such as cutting and stacking.
Printability: In offset printing, it reduces ink viscosity, effectively minimising paper fuzzing and powdering, thereby improving printing efficiency.
Scratch Resistance: Particularly suitable for applications requiring high abrasion resistance, such as scratch-off inks used on airline tickets, lottery tickets and other prize-winning scratch-off products.