Ink World staff10.16.20
Fujifilm successfully tested the Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400 dispersion varnish for its digital inkjet press Jet Press.
The new water-based gloss varnish finishes print products and contains an additive that reduces bacteria and viruses with an exclusive nanosilver active ingredient complex.
Intensive tests by Fujifilm on the Jet Press in the Advanced Print Technology Center in Brussels showed that varnish with Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400 delivers impressive results on both fresh and a few days old digital print products.
The active ingredient complex in Epple's Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400 dispersion varnish drastically reduces the risk of bacteria and viruses being transmitted via printed media, as it has been proven to reduce their number by up to 99.9%.
This makes it ideal for use on printed products that "are passed from hand to hand", such as playing cards, menus, magazines or all types of packaging, including pharmaceutical packaging and various plastic foils.
Fujifilm has intensively tested the varnish on the digital press Jet Press with a wide range of print products.
"As a leading company in inkjet printing, Fujifilm was a logical choice for testing Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400," said Helmut Fröhlich, Product Line manager Coatings at Epple Druckfarben AG. "The Vividia inks used on the Jet Press produce a smooth, neutral surface that is ideal for dispersion and UV-based varnishes. The varnish can be printed on numerous substrates and we are constantly testing it with other printing inks and processes."
Finishfit Microbe Protect 2400 contains elementary silver nanoparticles that are firmly anchored in the varnish film. It releases positively charged silver ions that significantly reduce the number of bacteria and viruses on the surface.
The effect is permanent and long-lasting, as the nanoparticles themselves are not released and cannot be rubbed off the dried varnish.
With Finishfit, Epple starts the new Microbe Protect series.
The varnish is the result of one and a half years of development work with the renowned nano research company RAS AG from Regensburg and a state subsidy from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as part of the "Central Innovation Program for Medium-Sized Businesses."
