The effect of film thickness and concentration of SIO2 nanoparticles in PCL coatings on color change of tonal value increase

This work presents research on the effects of polycaprolactone (PCL) and PCL modified with silica (Si2) nanoparticles, on the color change of offset printed paperboard. The nanocomposite was prepared with three different concentrations (1%, 2% and 3%) of SiO2, and applied in four different coating thicknesses (4 μm, 24 μm, 40 μm and 80 μm). The color values of the printed sample were measured before and after the coating application to facilitate the measurement and comparison of the results. The research shows an overall preview of the effects of coating thickness and the influence of SiO2 modification on color change. Implementing silica particles in PCL improves the optical properties of the coating while adding additional beneficial properties to the paperboard.