CAB is the abbreviation of Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, which is a polymer compound obtained by esterification of cellulose with acetic acid and butyric acid. CAB has good transparency, weather resistance, oil resistance and electrical insulation, so it is widely used in plastic products, coatings, inks, adhesives and other fields.
In the coating industry, CAB is mainly used as a film-forming substance and leveling agent, which can improve the fluidity of the coating and the smoothness of the coating. Its melting point and tensile strength will increase with the increase of acetyl content, while its compatibility with plasticizers and the flexibility of the film will increase within a certain range with the decrease of acetyl content. The increase of hydroxyl content will increase the solubility of CAB in polar solvents, while the increase of butyryl content will reduce the density of CAB and expand the solubility range.
The production process of CAB usually includes the use of natural cellulose with sulfuric acid as a catalyst, acetic acid and butyric acid as solvents to carry out homogeneous esterification reaction with acetic anhydride to obtain a crude product, and then the final product is obtained through hydrolysis, neutralization, precipitation, water washing, cooking, drying and other steps.
The main functions of CAB (cellulose acetate butyrate) in coatings include:
1. Improve leveling: CAB can provide a good leveling effect, making the surface of the coating smoother after coating.
2. Shorten drying time: CAB helps to accelerate the drying process of the coating and improve coating efficiency.
3. Reduce surface defects: By inhibiting sagging and shrinkage, CAB helps to reduce surface defects that may occur after coating.
4. Promote the directional arrangement of metallic pigments: In coatings containing metallic pigments, CAB helps the directional arrangement of metallic pigments, thereby enhancing the decorative effect of the coating.
5. Solvent erosion resistance: CAB can improve the chemical resistance of the coating and resist solvent erosion.
6. Plasticizer migration resistance: CAB helps to prevent plasticizers from migrating out of the coating and keep the performance of the coating stable.
The application of CAB (cellulose acetate butyrate) in ink provides a variety of effects, including:
1. Improved leveling: CAB can improve the fluidity and leveling of the ink, so that the ink can be evenly distributed on the substrate after printing, reducing the unevenness.
2 Improved gloss and transparency: CAB helps to improve the gloss and transparency of the ink, making the color of the printed product more vivid and realistic.
3. Enhanced wear resistance and color stability: CAB can enhance the wear resistance of the ink, so that the printed product can still maintain a good appearance after long-term use, while maintaining color stability.
4. Reduced drying time: CAB helps to shorten the drying time of the ink and improve production efficiency.
5. Improved chemical resistance and weather resistance: CAB can improve the resistance of the ink to chemicals, so that it can maintain stability in various environments, and has good weather resistance, and is not easy to fade due to light or climate change.
6. Good flexibility and anti-adhesion: CAB gives the ink good flexibility, making the printed product not easy to break, and reducing the adhesion phenomenon during the printing process.
7. Pigment dispersion medium: CAB can be used as a dispersion medium for pigments, which helps to evenly disperse the pigments in the ink and improve the visual effect of the printed product.
8. Control the orientation of metallic pigments: In inks containing metallic pigments, CAB helps to control the directional arrangement of metallic pigments and enhance the decorative effect of the ink.
9. Anti-plasticizer migration: CAB can reduce the migration of plasticizers from the ink and keep the performance of the ink stable.
10. Applicable to water-based systems: CAB can also be used in water-based ink systems, providing performance advantages similar to solvent-based inks, while having lower environmental impact. In summary, the application of CAB in inks can significantly improve the performance of inks and meet the needs of the modern printing industry for high-quality printed products.