UFlex Chemicals Business has presented its comprehensive water-based (WB) ink binder portfolio under the Flexbinder brand — a suite of advanced acrylic emulsions engineered to meet the demanding requirements of modern printing and packaging applications.Â
As the packaging industry accelerates its shift towards sustainable, low-VOC, and environmentally responsible solutions, UFlex Chemicals stands at the forefront with a range of high-performance, water-based binders that deliver superior print quality without compromising on safety or ecological responsibility.
The Flexbinder portfolio is specifically developed for water-based flexographic and gravure printing inks, as well as overprint varnishes (OPVs), catering to a diverse range of substrates and end-use applications in flexible packaging, corrugated board, and paper-based packaging.
Why water-based ink binders?
The global printing and packaging industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by stringent environmental regulations, brand owner sustainability commitments, and increasing consumer awareness. Solvent-based inks, while effective, are associated with volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, flammability risks, and health hazards for workers. Water-based ink systems offer a compelling alternative:
- Significantly reduced VOC emissions, supporting regulatory compliance
- Improved worker safety and reduced fire risk in printing facilities
- Lower environmental footprint across the packaging value chain
- Excellent compatibility with modern flexographic and gravure printing presses
- Superior adhesion, gloss, and print quality on a wide range of substrates
The flexbinder portfolio: A technical overview
UFlex Chemicals offers four distinct Flexbinder grades, each tailored to specific performance requirements. The portfolio spans non-film forming, film forming, soft film forming, and colloidal acrylic emulsions, enabling ink and varnish formulators to select the ideal binder chemistry for their application.
| Product Name | % Solids | Tg (°C) | Chemistry | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flexbinder ACRYLIC EMULSION AHNFF – 18 | 46.0 – 48.0% | 98°C | Hard, Non-Film Forming Acrylic Copolymer Emulsion | Water base Flexo & Gravure ink for Paper |
| Flexbinder ACRYLIC EMULSION AFF – 15 | 44.0 – 46.0% | 35°C | Film Forming Acrylic Copolymer Emulsion | Water base Flexo & Gravure ink for Paper |
| Flexbinder ACRYLIC EMULSION SA – 12 | 46.0 – 48.0% | -8°C | Soft, Film Forming Acrylic Copolymer Emulsion | Water base Flexo ink for labels of coated paper or films |
| Flexbinder ACRYLIC EMULSION 668 | 43.0 – 45.0% | 120°C | Acrylic Colloidal Emulsion | Water base Flexo ink for Corrugation / Kraft paper |
Product deep dive
1. Flexbinder Acrylic Emulsion AHNFF-18 — the high gloss extender
Flexbinder AHNFF-18 is a hard, non-film forming acrylic copolymer emulsion engineered as a high-gloss extending vehicle for water-based flexographic and gravure inks and overprint varnishes. With a high glass transition temperature (Tg) of 98°C and a solids content of 46.0–48.0%, this grade is ideally suited for applications requiring exceptional hardness and non-blocking characteristics.Â
It is very hard polymer, thereby necessary to modify by addition of coalescing agent or Soft emulsion (SA-12) & film-forming emulsion (AFF-15) to enable film formation at normal operating temperature.
Key Performance Attributes:
- High gloss and optical clarity in finished prints
- Excellent re-solubility, minimising press downtime and cleaning costs
- Non-blocking properties — critical for roll-to-roll and stacked packaging
- Fast drying kinetics for high-speed printing operations
2. Flexbinder Acrylic Emulsion AFF-15 — the versatile film former
AFF-15 is a film forming acrylic copolymer emulsion with a Tg of 35°C and solids content of 44.0–46.0%. Designed for broad-spectrum use in water-based flexographic and gravure inks and OPVs, AFF-15 delivers a balanced combination of gloss, levelling, re-solubility, and drying speed, making it a workhorse binder for everyday ink formulations.
This emulsion can be used alone or in combination with hard non-film forming emulsion (AHNFF-18) as per requirement.Â
Key performance attributes:
- Excellent film formation across a range of application temperatures
- Superior gloss and levelling for high-quality print reproduction
- Good re- solubility to support press cleaning and uptime
- Fast and uniform drying across flexographic and gravure processes
Typical guideline formulation using Flexbinder AFF-15 & Flexbinder AHNFF-18:
Flexo/gravure ink for paper:
Pigment concentrate : 30.0 – 35.0 parts
Flexbinder AFF-15 : 25.0 – 30.0 parts
Flexbinder AHNFF-18 : 25.0 – 30.0 parts
PE wax emulsion : 4.0 – 6.0 parts
Defoamer : 0.4 – 0.6 parts
DM water : 4.0 – 5.0 parts
         100.0 parts
3. Flexbinder Acrylic Emulsion SA-12 — the soft, multifunctional binder
SA-12 is a soft, film forming acrylic copolymer emulsion with a notably low Tg of -8°C and solids content of 46.0–48.0%. Its softness makes it an exceptional co-binder to improve the film forming properties of high minimum film forming temperature (MFFT) emulsions. Beyond inks and varnishes, SA-12 extends its utility into functional paper packaging coating formulations.
This emulsion can also be used in combination with hard non-film forming emulsion (AHNFF-18) as per requirement.Â
Key Performance Attributes:
- Excellent gloss, levelling, and re-solubility
- Acts as an effective plasticiser/co-binder for high-Tg emulsion systems
- Outstanding water, oil, and grease resistance — ideal for food-safe paper packaging coatings
- Broad compatibility with functional packaging coating formulations
Typical guideline formulation using Flexbinder SA-12:
Flexo ink for Labels (Paper):
Pigment concentrate : 30.0 – 35.0 parts
Flexbinder SA-12 : 55.0 – 60.0 parts
PE wax emulsion : 4.0 – 6.0 parts
Defoamer : 0.4 – 0.6 parts
DM water : 2.0 – 4.0 parts
         100.0 parts
4. Flexbinder Acrylic Emulsion 668 — Specialist for corrugated & kraft applications
Flexbinder 668 is a colloidal acrylic emulsion with a high Tg of 120°C and solids content of 43.0–45.0%. Purpose-engineered for the corrugated board and Kraft paper printing segment, it supports both pre-print and post-print applications — two technically distinct processes with demanding performance requirements.
Key Performance Attributes:
- Excellent hot mar resistance — essential for post-print corrugated board in high-friction logistics environments
- Superior transfer and printability on corrugated and Kraft substrates
- Robust performance in both pre-print (liner printing before board conversion) and post-print applications
Typical guideline formulation using Flexbinder 668:
Neutralized solution:
Flexbinder 668 : 20.5 parts
Mono Ethanol Amine (MEA) : Â 1.8 parts
DM water : 77.7 parts
         100.0 parts
- Viscosity , cps (25°C, Brookfield) : 800 ± 200 centipoise
- pH : 9.0 – 10.0Â
Corrugation / Kraft paper ink:
Pigment concentrate : 35.0 – 40.0 parts
Neutralized solution : 50.0 – 55.0 parts
(Flexbinder 668 solution)
PE wax emulsion : 4.0 – 6.0 parts
Defoamer : 0.4 – 0.6 parts
DM water : 3.0 – 5.0 parts
         100.0 parts
Application areas
The Flexbinder portfolio serves a broad range of end-markets within the flexible and rigid packaging sectors:
- Flexible Packaging — Inks for food, personal care, and household product films
- Corrugated Board — Pre-print and post-print water-based inks for secondary and tertiary packaging
- Kraft Paper — Ink systems for retail bags, wrapping paper, and sack applications
- Overprint Varnishes — Protective and aesthetic coatings applied over printed substrates
- Functional Paper Coatings — Barrier and protective coatings for food-safe paper packaging
UFlex Chemicals Business is a division of UFlex Limited — India’s largest flexible packaging company and one of the world’s leading multinational packaging solutions companies. With deep expertise across the entire packaging value chain, UFlex Chemicals brings unique insight into the real-world performance requirements of packaging inks and coatings.
- Vertically integrated R&D capabilities ensuring continuous product innovation
- Robust quality management systems with global manufacturing standards
- Dedicated technical support for ink formulation and application development
- Commitment to sustainable chemistry — water-based solutions that reduce environmental impact
- Broad portfolio enabling formulators to address diverse substrate and application needs from a single supplier
The UFlex Chemicals Flexbinder Water-Based Ink Binder Portfolio represents a comprehensive, technically differentiated offering for the water-based printing ink and functional coating market. From hard non-film forming extenders to soft multifunctional binders and specialist corrugated grades, the portfolio is designed to help ink formulators meet the growing demand for sustainable, high-performance, and cost-effective water-based solutions.Â
