October 2019

A collaboration with EuPIA is underway in the Photoinitiators Platform photolytes task force. A joint study will be performed to establish and agree methodologies for investigating photoinitiator photolyte generation and migration. PIP and EuPIA agreed to conduct a two-part study on one photoinitiator to assess:

• Photolysis study on the raw material in a test tube
• Photolysis study in coated/printed assemblies to test migration

The current study available lead to the EuPIA recommendation on photoinitiator use that a 10-ppb migration limit is acceptable. In the study, seven photolytes were identified in a test tube, but only two migratable species were identified in an assembly. It is hoped that the results of the study will provide more evidence on the topic of photolytes in UV-cured inks for sensitive packaging assemblies.