The science of stick

Adhesion isn’t luck—it’s chemistry. Achieving consistent ink performance across substrates requires understanding what’s happening at the interface: surface energy and wetting, boundary layers, diffusion and anchoring, the role of polymers and resins, and how treatments and contaminants can make or break a bond.

In The Science of Stick, Bhushan Patil of Amcor will connect foundational surface chemistry to real-world flexographic outcomes. The session will explore how different substrate families (films, papers, foils, and coated structures) present different chemical and physical surfaces; how ink vehicles and additives influence wetting and interfacial interactions; and how drying/curing conditions impact final adhesion and durability. The webinar will also cover common adhesion failure modes—such as poor wet-out, weak boundary layers, and intercoat incompatibility—and the practical tests and controls that help diagnose root cause.

Ideal for: pressroom and quality teams, ink & substrate suppliers, process engineers, and anyone troubleshooting adhesion, rub, or delamination issues in flexible packaging and label applications.

Duration: 60 minutes (includes Q&A)

Learning objectives

Attendees will be able to:

• Explain the core adhesion mechanisms relevant to flexo inks on packaging substrates

• Relate surface energy/wetting to print quality and bond strength

• Identify how treatments, additives, and contamination influence adhesion

• Recognize typical failure modes and link symptoms to likely causes

• Choose practical tests and process controls to improve repeatability