Alternative inks and coatings aim to increase recyclability and aid sustainability goals
Carbon reduction and ease of recycling at end of life are among the sustainability considerations driving some manufacturers to make alternative inks and packaging coatings for their customers.
The commonly used pigment in black inks is carbon black, which is made from hydrocarbons such as tar, petroleum and natural gas. Its use in printing has cropped up in recent legislative debates, with some lawmakers pushing to phase out carbon black in favor of certain alternatives.
Living Ink Technologies is one company that produces an alternative that does not originate from the extraction and burning of dense petroleum substances. To make their algae-based ink, the company thermally treats biomass to become a type of biochar. Then, through patented technology, the crude biochar is purified and stabilized. From there, the pigment is finely milled and mixed with a soy- or water-based liquid medium to create printing ink.
A Colorado State University research team conducted a life-cycle analysis that confirmed the company’s proprietary Algae Black pigment can achieve carbon negativity at large-scale production, indicating that the manufacturing process removes more carbon from the environment than it contributes. This is thanks to the raw material’s ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Living Ink, headquartered in Colorado, currently has the capability to produce roughly 500 kg of ink daily.
According to Devon Murrie, director of partnerships and strategic growth at Living Ink, one additional benefit of the company’s pigment is the larger particle size, which improves worker safety. “Carbon black is so fine, the particle size is so small … it’s really easy to inhale it,” she said.
Algae isn’t the only option for feedstock. “We’ve also tested, successfully, working with spent yeast and grain from beer fermentation, or biomass from pharmaceutical fermentation,” said Murrie. “The ability to scale is really, really massive.”
Origin Materials, a company focused on carbon negative materials, also offers a carbon black alternative. Instead of fossil fuels, its product is derived from sustainable wood residue, such as a locally sourced, Forest Stewardship Council-controlled residue that is a byproduct of lumber and wood flooring production. The primary components — cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin — are chemically deconstructed and reconstructed within a reactor to produce a solid carbon composite material, hydrothermal carbon.
