What if acrylic resins like THYON™ became a new standard?

For more than half a century, nitrocellulose (NC) has been the workhorse binder in solvent-based flexographic and gravure inks. Its balance of fast drying, strong adhesion, and good print quality made it indispensable to packaging printers worldwide. Yet the same chemistry that once made NC attractive -its nitrate structure, high solvent demand, and flammability, has turned it into a liability in today’s sustainability-driven market.

Fortunately, the industry no longer needs to choose between environmental responsibility and print performance. Solid acrylic resins, like THYON™ developed by Diransa of Buenos Aires, Argentina, offer a next-generation solution that preserves the speed and brilliance of solvent-based inks while eliminating the drawbacks of nitrocellulose.

The printing-ink industry stands at a turning point. Nitrocellulose, long the workhorse of solvent inks, no longer fits the realities of modern production, environmental responsibility, safety, and supply resilience. These acrylic resins provide one such solution. They deliver all the hallmarks of nitrocellulose – fast drying, high gloss, and reliable adhesion, while offering superior safety, lower VOCs, and compatibility with today’s polyurethane and alcohol-based systems. It’s this latter reality- one of broad compatibility, which makes this approach achievable.

By adopting a resin like THYON™, ink makers and converters can maintain current printing infrastructure, improve operational safety, and ensure full alignment with future environmental legislation.

In short, these new resins enable the versatility and speed of solvent-based printing without the legacy risks of nitrocellulose.