Nanotech’s Antistatic Innovation for Print Rollers
Static electricity remains one of the most persistent production issues in high-speed printing lines. As substrates such as film, foil, or paper move across rollers, friction generates electrostatic charge. This can lead to dust attraction, image distortion, material sticking, or even sparking — a costly and potentially dangerous combination.
Resolving this issue can be achieved with the smart application of nanomaterials which increase conductivity within roller coatings, enabling permanent static dissipation without compromising mechanical strength.
Yet this is far from a theoretical, MIT-inspired future invention, but is instead an off-the-shelf product called NANO AF EPO-58. Created by NANO CHEMI GROUP, the carbon nanomaterials are supplied as an enhanced epoxy additive for printers and print roller manufacturing. It is an industrial form of nanotechnology which provides a route to reduced waste, lower downtime, and improved profit margins for large-scale printing.
Why Does Static Build Up?
In modern flexographic, gravure, and packaging lines, rollers are typically coated with insulating materials such as rubber or polyurethane. As the substrate passes over these rollers, a charge accumulates through friction. Without a conductive path to discharge, this static builds up, can cause ink repellence and print defects, substrate clinging, dust contamination, and the catastrophic risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD).
Print industry experts frequently highlight that controlling static is critical not just for print quality but also for operator safety, especially in solvent-based systems.
For printers, every misprint or substrate jam adds cost, while frequent roller cleaning, maintenance stoppages, and re-runs directly affect productivity. Reducing static at the material level — rather than relying solely on external eliminators — can significantly lower operating costs and boost consistency across production runs.
Introducing a Nanotechnology-Driven Epoxy Concentrate
NANO AF EPO-58 is a bisphenol A/F epoxy resin concentrate containing approximately 0.5 wt% carbon nanomaterials. A formulation which allows manufacturers to produce antistatic epoxy coatings or conductive composite layers for print rollers and other industrial components.
The key advantages of nanotechnology in manufacturing include:
· Permanent static control: Nanocarbon particles lower surface and volume resistivity, providing long-term static dissipation.
· Enhanced mechanical performance: Nanomaterial reinforcement increases abrasion and chemical resistance — ideal for high-duty roller coatings.
· Low dosage, high effect: Unlike traditional carbon black fillers, NANO AF EPO-58 achieves conductivity at minimal loading, maintaining flexibility and appearance.
· Tailored formulations: Nanomaterial concentrations can be adjusted to meet specific electrical or mechanical targets depending on resin system and end use.
The result is that off-the-shelf nanotechnology products are bridging the gap between conventional raw material supplies and specialty markets — offering manufacturers value-added properties, such as antistatic, added durability, and increased abrasion and chemical resistance.
Integrating Nanotechnology into Print Roller Systems
NANO AF EPO-58 is designed for easy dispersion into standard epoxy systems used for roller coatings or surface composites. Once cured, the coating becomes intrinsically conductive, continuously neutralising charge build-up. Additionally, because of the nanomaterial’s exceptionally low content, any of the print roller’s conventional properties, such as toughness and wear resistance, can be preserved or even enhanced— a key performance factor for long print runs.
This combination of added properties through nanotechnology alongside the enhancement of conventional materials provides many commercial benefits, such as reduced downtime, extended roller life, waste reduction, and unique-selling points like antistatic-enhanced rollers.
For too long, static-related defects have been an inherent cost in the printing industry — but they no longer have to be. By integrating nanotechnology, even from ready-to-use industrial ingredients like NANO AF EPO-58, printers, roller manufacturers, and distributors can transform standard coatings into antistatic epoxy systems that deliver both performance and profitability.
With a blend of ultra-small science and conventional chemistry, nanotechnology companies are providing industry with practical solutions.
As the print industry seeks smarter, more sustainable ways to control static and reduce waste, the adoption of nanotechnology-based additives will only accelerate. Manufacturers who integrate these advanced materials early will not only improve operational performance but also secure a lasting competitive edge in a market where reliability and precision define success.
To learn more or to request a technical specification, visit NANO CHEMI GROUP’s product page.
Photo credit: usertrmk, NANO CHEMI GROUP, usertrmk, & usertrmk on Freepik