The peer reviewed study, which was published in the Journal of Coatings Technology and Research, was led by Dr Chris Phillips and Professor Davide Deganello.

It evaluated the performance of high viscosity aqueous inks manufactured by Nazdar, compared with conventional ink formulations and using Xaar’s Aquinox printheads.

Key findings included enhanced colour impact, improved efficiencies, and a reduction of drying energy when printing onto a variety of corrugated boards.

The study found that colour density increased by up to 13% on uncoated and 67% on coated white corrugated substrates, delivering richer, more vibrant print outcomes.

The high viscosity fluids used required less ink to achieve the same colour intensity as conventional inks, translating to lower energy usage and faster drying times.

In addition, the increased viscosity of the fluids minimised absorption into substrates, enabling greater colour impact without additional pigment or energy-intensive processes. The research also demonstrated significant gains on uncoated substrates.

The findings were recently shared with the industry during a presentation by Xaar’s group R&D director, Karl Forbes, and business development manager for inks, Neil Cook, at the FuturePrint Tech Conference.

Their presentation outlined how Xaar’s Ultra High Viscosity Technology was supporting significant progress in more sustainable corrugate, textile, and advanced manufacturing applications.

Speaking at the event, Karl Forbes said: “The publication of this research validates the incredible opportunities high viscosity inks and Xaar’s printheads and technologies bring to industrial printing.

“With improved print quality, sustainability, and productivity, this breakthrough represents a step change in how inkjet printing can compete and excel in a diverse range of applications.”

Nazdar and Xaar have recently further developed the High Viscosity concept into multiple sets of commercially available inks, suitable for markets such as textile and corrugate printing.