TiO2 for Printing Inks
Offset, flexo, gravure, screen, UV inks — easy dispersion, anti-screen-blinding, narrow particle size.
Printing inks use TiO2 as the white pigment in opaque white inks for offset, flexo, gravure, screen, UV, and waterborne formulations. The TiO2 in inks typically faces three demands: (1) rapid bead-mill dispersion to Hegman 7+, (2) anti-screen-blinding behavior on flexo and gravure presses with 200–400 mesh anilox rolls, and (3) compatibility with ink vehicle chemistry (oil-based, solvent, UV-curable, waterborne).
SEMITI INK-1 (Ti-Pure R-931 equivalent) is the recommended grade for offset and flexo inks. SEMITI 996 is acceptable for general-purpose ink applications. SEMITI A100 anatase is preferred when brighter undertone or softer crystal is required (UV-cured inks, art paper printing).
Recommended SEMITI grades
Ink-grade rutile engineered for fast bead-mill dispersion and screen anti-blinding.
Our flagship chloride-process rutile — high tinting strength and broad compatibility for coatings, plastics, and inks.
Universal anatase grade for inks, paper, fiber and rubber — bright white with soft, easily-dispersed crystal.
Performance requirements
| Bead-mill time to Hegman 7+ | ≤ 60 min in standard ink vehicle |
| Anti-screen-blinding (anilox 220 mesh) | > 24 hr continuous run without cleaning |
| Tinting strength retention | No measurable loss after 6-month storage |
| Color tolerance (batch-to-batch) | Δb* < 0.5 |
Dosage guidance
Dispersion / processing notes
Modern bead mills (Eiger, Netzsch, Buhler) achieve target dispersion in 30–60 min. Pre-mix TiO2 with ink vehicle and dispersant (0.5–2%) at low speed for 5 min; then run mill at 2000–3000 rpm with 0.6 mm zirconia beads. Hegman scale 7+ is the typical target.
Formulation tips
- →Use SEMITI INK-1 for production-volume ink — fast dispersion saves milling cost
- →For UV-cured ink, verify TiO2 doesn't interfere with photoinitiator (oxygen inhibition, light penetration depth) — limited testing recommended at >30% loading
- →For art paper / decor print, SEMITI A100 anatase has brighter undertone than rutile
- →Anti-foam (0.1–0.3%) in waterborne ink prevents foaming during bead milling at high TiO2 loading
Common pitfalls
Failure modes we've seen in customer trials — worth checking before scale-up.
- ×Skipping the pre-wet step — adding TiO2 to milling tank without pre-wet causes lumping
- ×Using TiO2 with broad PSD in fine-screen flexo — causes immediate anilox blinding
- ×Mixing chloride and sulfate TiO2 in ink — color and gloss inconsistency batch-to-batch
Common questions
Why does my flexo white ink blind the anilox after 4 hours?+
Is anatase suitable for offset opaque white?+
Pair with matting agent for printing inks
TiO2 provides hiding power; silica matting agent provides gloss control. Both products are typically required in the same matte/eggshell formulation. Our sister brand GMATT (matting-agents.com) supplies the matched silica matting agent.
Need help picking a grade for printing inks?
Send us your reference grade, formulation type, or competitor TDS. We'll respond with the SEMITI match + sample within 48 hours.