Comparison of Different Numbers of White Base Coat Layers on Metallized Cardboard for Obtaining High Print Quality After Rubbing

Metallized papers or cardboards, used when high barrier properties are required in packaging, are usually coated with white ink prior to printing to ensure accurate colors and high print quality. The coating provides well-controlled sorption properties at a certain thickness, allowing for better printability and reduced penetration of ink components into the substrate. The white ink used for coating ensures the dimensional stability of the substrate after the drying process is complete. This research compares how different numbers of white base coat layers affect the print quality of multicolor offset prints onto metallized cardboard after rubbing. A high print quality assessment after rubbing was obtained based on spectrophotometric and gloss measurements. A comparison of the number of white base coat layers on metallized cardboard indicated that multicolor prints with two base coat layers have lower reflectance, better color stability, and high print quality after rubbing. Gloss measurements showed that prints with one layer of white base coat exhibited higher gloss values, while rubbing led to a moderate increase in gloss for all samples. Ultimately, a thicker layer of white base coat enhances mechanical resistance while maintaining acceptable optical properties in multicolor prints on metallized cardboards.