ISO 2836:2021

Overview

ISO 2836:2021 - Graphic technology - Prints and printing inks - Assessment of resistance of prints to various agents describes laboratory methods for testing how printed materials resist contact with liquids and solids, solvents, varnishes and acids. It applies to printing on all substrates and to both traditional (offset, screen, gravure, flexo) and newer digital processes (inkjet, electrophotography). The standard defines test principles, lists typical agents, required apparatus and evaluation criteria - but does not cover food‑contact safety or consumer protection for food contact materials.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and principle: Exposure of a test piece by immersion, contact with agent‑soaked filter paper, or direct contact for prescribed times; assessment of colour change and staining.
• Agents covered: water, 1% NaOH (alkali), oils and fats (animal/vegetable/mineral), cheese (solid), detergents and soaps (1% solutions), waxes, spices, solvents and varnishes (including a solvent mix: 60% ethanol, 30% ethyl acetate, 10% 1‑methoxy‑2‑propanol; MEK recommended for UV inks), and various acids (lactic, citric, acetic, hydrochloric, sulfuric). Other agents (perfumes, beverages, cosmetics, perspiration and saliva simulants, hydraulic fluids, sodium hypochlorite, etc.) are also covered as needed.
• Apparatus and consumables: glass plates, specified laboratory filter paper (α‑cellulose), Petri dishes, test tubes, 1 kg mass, oven (50 ±2 °C), hot plate, thermometer, grey scale (ISO 105‑A03), spectrocolorimeter (ISO 13655), pH measuring device.
• Preparation and conditioning: Test pieces may be production samples or representative test prints; conditioning in accordance with ISO 187 is recommended. Printing/cure methods should be representative (references to ISO 2834 series for process preparation).
• Evaluation and reporting: Visual assessment and instrumental colour measurement, use of grey scale for staining, documented agent types and concentrations, test conditions, and observed changes.

Applications and users

Who benefits from ISO 2836:2021:

• Print manufacturers and converters validating ink‑substrate combinations and print durability.
• Ink and coating formulators testing resistance to solvents, varnishes and common contaminants.
• Quality assurance and R&D teams specifying acceptance criteria for labels, packaging and printed materials.
• Suppliers and specifiers comparing processes (offset, flexo, inkjet, electrophotography) for end‑use resistance.

Practical uses: selecting inks and substrates for packaging and labels, qualifying curing processes (e.g., UV inks with MEK testing), and reproducing standard test conditions for quality control and supplier agreements.

Related standards

• ISO 105‑A03 (grey scale for staining)
• ISO 187 (conditioning for paper and board)
• ISO 13655 (spectral measurement for graphic arts)
• ISO 14487 (standard water for testing)
• ISO 2834 series (print preparation standards)
• ISO/IEC 10373‑1 and DIN 53160 (simulants referenced for perspiration/saliva)

Keywords: ISO 2836:2021, print resistance testing, printing inks, graphic technology, print durability, solvents and varnishes, inkjet, offset, flexographic, gravure.