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Removal of solvent-based ink from printed surface of HDPE bottles by alkyltrimethylammonium bromides: effects of surfactant concentration and alkyl chain length

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Abstract

Three alkyltrimethylammonium bromides (i.e., dodecyl-, tetradecyl-, and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide or DTAB, TTAB, and CTAB, respectively) were used to remove a blue solvent-based ink from a printed surface of high-density polyethylene bottles. Either an increase in the alkyl chain length or the surfactant concentration was found to increase the deinking efficiency. Complete deinking was achieved at concentrations about 3, 8, and 24 times of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of CTAB, TTAB, and DTAB, respectively. For CTAB, ink removal started at a concentration close to or less than its CMC and increased appreciably at concentrations greater than its CMC, while for TTAB and DTAB, significant deinking was only achieved at concentrations much greater than their CMCs. Corresponding to the deinking efficiency of CTAB in the CMC region, the zeta potential of ink particles was found to increase with increasing alkyl chain length and concentration of the surfactants, which later leveled off at some higher concentrations. Wettability of the surfactants on an ink surface increased with increasing alkyl chain length and concentration of the surfactants. Lastly, solubilization of ink binder in the surfactant micelles was found to increase with increasing alkyl chain length and surfactant concentration. We conclude that adsorption of surfactant on the ink pigment is crucial to deinking due to modification of wettability, zeta potential, pigment/water interfacial tension, and dispersion stability. Solubilization of binder (epoxy) into micelles is necessary for good deinking because the dissolution of the binder is required before the pigment particles can be released from the polymer surface.

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Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by the Petroleum and Petrochemical Technology Consortium (through a Thai governmental loan from the Asian Development Bank), Chulalongkorn University (through a grant from the Ratchadapisek Somphot Endowment Fund for the Foundation of the Applied Surfactants for Separation and Pollution Control Research Unit), and the Petroleum and Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn University. Funding was also provided by the industrial sponsors of the Institute for Applied Surfactant Research at the University of Oklahoma, including Akzo Nobel, Clorox, Conoco/Phillips, Church and Dwight, Ecolab, Halliburton, Huntsman, Oxiteno, Procter & Gamble, Sasol, Shell Chemical, and Unilever. Special appreciation goes to Uni Ink Co. for supplying blue solvent-based ink formulation, Winson Screen Co. for technical assistance with the printing technique, and P-Thai Co. for printing the as-received ink on HDPE bottles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Petroleum and Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Arubol Chotipong, Thirasak Rirksomboon, Pitt Supaphol & Sumaeth Chavadej

  2. Institute for Applied Surfactant, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA

    John F. Scamehorn

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  1. Arubol Chotipong
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  2. John F. Scamehorn
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  3. Thirasak Rirksomboon
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  4. Pitt Supaphol
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  5. Sumaeth Chavadej
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Correspondence to Sumaeth Chavadej.

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Chotipong, A., Scamehorn, J.F., Rirksomboon, T. et al. Removal of solvent-based ink from printed surface of HDPE bottles by alkyltrimethylammonium bromides: effects of surfactant concentration and alkyl chain length. Colloid Polym Sci 284, 980–989 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-005-1421-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-005-1421-3

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