SICER: Sustainable digital printing with water-based inks and materials

Sicer’s Digital R&D Lab has developed the Water Based series, a complete range of glues, glazes, engobes, coloured inks and glossy and white effects.

Sicer’s Italian Research Centre is working constantly to develop new materials capable of enhancing the technical, tactile and aesthetic qualities of ceramic surfaces.

Innovation has always been a constant feature of Sicer, with the pursuit of eco-friendly solutions at the heart of its operations.

Sicer’s patented .LE series of low-emission, solvent-based digital inks and materials has long stood as a guarantee of quality for its customers. In recent years, however, the increase in application weights of certain digital materials on ceramic surfaces has created the need for an even higher‑performance product range with lower emissions.

Sicer’s Digital R&D Lab responded by developing the exclusive Water Based series of digital materials formulated with water and water‑soluble solvents, consisting of glues, glazes, engobes, coloured inks and glossy and white effects. Thanks to the use of a water-based organic phase, these materials can reduce total organic carbon (TOC) emissions by up to a half or even two-thirds while minimising the formation of compounds responsible for unpleasant flue gas odours.

The first products in the Water Based series were the material digital glue range, which contain a precisely calibrated amount of flux and a sufficient quantity of water to significantly reduce VOC emissions. In particular, the SCD3001H Matt Water Based Glue, used in conjunction with matt grits, allows for the production of natural, fully anti-reflective ceramic surfaces that are currently in high demand among manufacturers.

In addition to the complete range of glues designed to deliver excellent performance in digital printers and high-quality finished ceramic products, the Sicer research laboratory has also developed two effects: Glossy Water Based and White Water Based.

To meet the growing demand for fully digitalised applications, the company has created water-based digital glazes and finishes tailored to individual manufacturers’ needs that deliver specific light‑reflection effects, a pleasant tactile feel and precise technical characteristics.

Finally, Sicer has developed a range of Water-Based Pigmented Inks that go beyond standard four-colour printing (Cyan, Red Brown, Honey and Black) to include Sicer’s special red and yellow inclusion inks, allowing for digital configurations with a far wider colour gamut than the standard four-colour process.

These water-based inks and materials have the same chemical and physical properties as their solvent‑based counterparts but offer a number of clear advantages, including a significant reduction in all environmentally harmful emission parameters. This is an aspect that is becoming increasingly central to the growth and development strategy of Sicer as an ESG‑certified company.