Printable coating

Abstract

A primer-less coating composition for facestock comprises: a binder being a water-dispersible polymer; an ethylenically unsaturated compound which is aqueous-dispersible and miscible with or bonded to said water-dispersible polymer, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound is able to form a covalent bond with an ink; and a crosslinker, wherein said crosslinker is suitable for binding the coating to the facestock. The coating composition may be applied to a substrate to form a printable film. A printed film in accordance with the invention may be used in a label, for example for use on a container such as a bottle.

1 . A primer-less coating composition for facestock, comprising: a binder being a water-dispersible polymer; an ethylenically unsaturated compound which is aqueous-dispersible and miscible with or bonded to said water-dispersible polymer, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound is able to form a covalent bond with an ink; and a crosslinker, wherein said crosslinker is suitable for binding the coating to the facestock. 
     
     
         2 . The coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein binding in the finished product occurs between the crosslinker and the ethylenically unsaturated compound. 
     
     
         3 . The coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , which is able to provide a smooth-film formed and ink-receptive surface suitable for printing. 
     
     
         4 . The coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said water-dispersible polymer is present in an amount of 10 to 98% by weight after drying of the coating composition. 
     
     
         5 . The coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound is present in an amount of 2 to 90% by weight after drying of the coating composition. 
     
     
         6 . The coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinker is present in an amount of 1 to 5% by weight after drying of the coating composition. 
     
     
         7 . The coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said water dispersible polymer is selected from water dispersible acrylates, urethanes, urethane acrylates, styrene butadiene/maleic anhydride copolymers and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinking agent, a carbodiimide crosslinker, or an aziridine crosslinker. 
     
     
         9 . The coating composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated compound is able to form a covalent bond with an ink by virtue of ethylenically unsaturated groups extant in the coating at the time an ink is applied thereto. 
     
     
         10 . The coating composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the ink is applied to the coating at a time when the coating has been applied to a film by means of a coating step and the coated film has been supplied on to a printing station. 
     
     
         11 . A printable film comprising a substrate and at least one surface layer formed from a coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising no primer layer. 
     
     
         12 . A printable film comprising:
 a substrate;   a first surface layer, suitable for printing, formed from a coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising no primer layer; and   a second surface layer, suitable for adhesion.   
     
     
         13 . A printable film comprising:
 a substrate;   a first surface layer, suitable for printing; and   a second surface layer, suitable for adhesion,   wherein the first layer and the second layer are formed from a coating composition as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising no primer layer.   
     
     
         14 . The printable film as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of polymer films, polyolefin films, papers, synthetic papers, woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, ceramic sheets, metallic fiber sheets, metallized sheets (film), metallic foils, metallic plates, and multilayer composite sheets formed by combination of said materials. 
     
     
         15 . The printable film as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the substrate is an oriented polypropylene film. 
     
     
         16 . The printable film as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein only one face is coated with a surface layer and the reverse face of the substrate is covered with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. 
     
     
         17 . The printed film comprising a printable film as claimed in  claim 11 , further carrying print. 
     
     
         18 . A process for the manufacture of a printable film, comprising the step of coating at least one side of a substrate with an aqueous dispersion comprising the coating of  claim 1 ; and drying the coating so obtained. 
     
     
         19 . A process for the manufacture of a printed film as claimed in  claim 17 , comprising the steps of
 coating at least one side of a substrate with an aqueous dispersion comprising a coating comprising:
 a binder being a water-dispersible polymer; 
 an ethylenically unsaturated compound which is aqueous-dispersible and miscible with or bonded to said water-dispersible polymer, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated compound is able to form a covalent bond with an ink; and 
 a crosslinker, wherein said crosslinker is suitable for binding the coating to a facestock; 
   drying the coating so obtained;   inking the dried coating with a radiation curabie ink; and   curing the ink with UV or EB radiations.   
     
     
         20 . A printed film obtainable by the process of  claim 19 . 
     
     
         21 . The printed film as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said film is in the form of a label, and wherein said film is combined before or after printing with a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and optionally with a release film. 
     
     
         22 . A container labelled with a label as claimed in  claim 21 .