Research in Non–Toxic materials
By Andrea Juan
Photopolymer
The investigation of non-harmful materials, with the goal of minimising the negative effects on one's personal health as well as to that of the environment, has been widely accepted and disseminated in countries throughout the world. Much of this has happened as a result of on-going contributions by artists investigating the use of non-toxic materials within their work.
New institutions, like the School of non-toxic Engraving of Alberta in Canada were created, and studies in non-toxic engraving have been undertaken in Copenhagen, Denmark and The School of Edinburgh, Scotland.
The idea is to work with new material that do not have harmful residuals and/or toxic vapours yet still obtain quality results within a manageable production period.
The graphic industry continues to produce new materials which were unimaginable only a few years ago, so it seems obvious to start using them for printing-making.
The continued use of highly toxic products, such as nitric acid and those derived from asphalt (lacquer and solvents), can lead to cancer as well as produce serious allergic reactions (such as skin infections, eye and throat irritation, nausea and headaches), damaging the central nervous system, causing impotence, etc.
In 1996 I began to investigate the possibility of optimising the use of photopolymers within the production of my work.
Photopolymers and their possibilities.
The use of nitric acid is no longer necessary, nor are another caustic materials, now that it is possible to use solar or ultraviolet light together with soluble gels and heat to prepare a matrix.
This technique creates the impression in intaglio, or in relief, for use in engravings processes such as copper or zinc etching. An etching press is used for transferring the image onto the printable material and afterwards, the plates are able to be cleaned with vegetable oil.
There are a wide variety of images which are possible to print in this manner, such as pencil drawings, watercolours, collage, photographs or any other image that you might want to use. All of these images can be prepared for use in a few minutes and can be printed in large editions because of the durability of the plate material.
Photopolymers, What are they?
Photopolymers are composed of a layer of light-sensitive plastic joined firmly with the support material by means of an adhesive layer. This support material can be aluminium steel or polyester.
When exposing the plate to the ultra-violet light through a film (a photographic transparency, a photocopied transparent sheet of plastic or any opaque graphic medium on a transparent PVC or other transparent ground) the polymerisation of the light sensitise layer of the plastic takes place. That is to say, all the exposed areas become solid, or insoluble, and the unexposed areas become soluble able to be eliminated with water.
Photopolimerization
When the plate is exposed to ultraviolet light (UV light), the structure of the light-sensitive layer is transformed through the creation of giant molecules. These molecules are linked within this layer in the form of a net which hardens and becomes insoluble.
CHRONOGRAM
UNIT 1
- Introduction: Audio-visual. Description and possibilities of the new material.
- Drawing in transparency
UNIT 2
- Exposure using sunlight
- Drying and hardening the plate
- Inking and Printing in intaglio and relief.
UNIT 3
- Conclusions
- Film printed at boureau or photocopy transparencies.
- Exposure using UV light.
- Process’s Plate of drying and hardening.
UNIT 4
- Inking and Printing.
- Conclusions and evaluation with UV light.
- Different possibilities of preparing an original.
- Final evaluation.
- Mixing with other techniques.
- Final dialogue and exchange of ideas.
- Health and safety.
MATERIALS
- Fotopolymer.
- Film printed at boureau, photocopy transparencies.
- inks, brushes, towels, hair dryer.
- Vacuum table. UV light.