Excimer lacquers create deep matt surfaces with special haptic effects. The Herford-based company Lott-Lacke has many years of experience in development and is one of the market leaders in terms of expertise. The advantages of surface coating with excimer lacquers are also of interest to the packaging industry.
The principle of painting with Eximer paints leads to deep matt and highly resistant surfacesAt the beginning of the process, the lacquer is applied to the substrate using a rolling or casting process. Prior levelling using UV, PAC or LED technology influences the feel of the coating after final curing. Additional properties such as a Soft-touch surface and a Anti-fingerprint effect can be achieved in this way.
Special excimer lamps then start a polymerisation process in the uppermost area of the UV-curable paint layer. However, the penetration depth is comparatively low, meaning that this process only leaves a thin film on the liquid paint without curing deeper layers of paint. This leads to a shrinkage of the lacquer: the lacquer film near the surface forms so-called Microfolds. With the right formulation and optimum application, homogeneous microfolds are produced on the surface of the coating, which can be easily visualised under a scanning electron microscope.
In the final curing process using conventional UV, LED or ESH technology, the entire coating is then cured to the full layer depth. The result is a deep matt, mechanically and chemically highly resistant surface.
„Deep matt coatings have been in high demand in recent years, particularly in the furniture industry, but are now finding their way into other sectors such as the packaging industry, consumer electronics and automotive.“ Henrik Lott, Managing Partner of the company Lott-Lacke.
Application in the packaging industry
Currently, coatings with soft-touch effects (also known as soft-feel) are mainly used in the packaging industry. These are often products such as high-quality shopping bags for luxury boutiques or Cardboard packaging for high-priced products, which are laminated with a film lamination on which an excimer varnish provides the soft-touch effect as the top layer.
Through this haptic effect products and packaging are generally perceived as higher quality and sometimes warmer. For very high-priced products, an anti-fingerprint coating is often applied to the packaging to give the customer the feeling that no one has ever held this packaging in their hands before.
The areas of application for excimer coatings are far from exhausted. Cost factors or product-specific characteristics are often the current obstacles. However, wherever deep matt surfaces offer design or utility advantages over glossy or reflective surfaces, there are potential applications. Paint formulations are constantly being developed further and the range of experience in terms of application options is constantly expanding.
[infotext icon]In 1886, the chemist Heinrich Lott founded a paint factory in the Bielefeld suburb of Milse. The company produced dry colours, synthetic resin paints and nitrocellulose lacquers. In 1964, production and the laboratory moved into a new building, and since 1986, the entire production has been outsourced to three local paint factories certified to DIN 9001 and in some cases also to DIN 14001, which produce Lott formulations on a contract basis. Since then, the company has specialised in the development of environmentally friendly, radiation-curing and water-based paint systems. With the advent of excimer coatings, the company acquired expertise leadership early on and is a leader in the development of these coating systems in various industries. Since 2014, the company has been based in Herford, East Westphalia[/infotext].Three questions for Managing Partner Henrik Lott:
pjExcimer coatings are currently used primarily in the furniture industry. What advantages do they offer when it comes to finishing packaging?
Henrik LottCoating with excimer lacquers can give packaging a significantly more valuable appearance in terms of look and feel. The deep matt gloss level paired with a soft-feel surface make packaging appear more natural. Excimer coatings are significant scratch and chemical resistant than conventional lacquers for the finishing of packaging, thus opening up completely new possibilities. New areas of application.
pj: What applications can you imagine in the packaging sector, what specific examples already exist?
Henrik Lott: Typical applications are found in Packaging for the cosmetics industry or in the field of graphic arts. The trend towards greater sustainability and ecology in the packaging sector is also a field of application for Excimer coatings. Packaging for animal feed, for example, looks much more natural and „healthier“ with a deep matt coating than the previous glossy finish, which was often perceived by the end consumer as „chemically artificial“ and therefore „unhealthy“.
As we also Antistatic excimer coatings packaging for electronic goods is an important field of application. Where it makes sense, we also provide our excimer coatings with antibacterial or antiviral properties.
pj: We are still in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. How has your company been affected by the restrictions?
Henrik Lott: Our focus at Lott-Lacke is on the research and development of modern coating systems, and our customers are also using the current phase for new developments and optimisation of their systems. This is why we currently have a good order situation and fortunately do not have to apply for short-time working. Thanks to a large liquidity cushion and an equity ratio of more than 95 per cent, we can look forward to the future with confidence. optimistic about the future despite a virus-related decline in sales.
