2008 CATALOG WWW.ICCINK.COM

HOT PEEL OR HOT SPLIT TRANSFERS
TRANSFER PRODUCTS
Hot peel and hot split refer to transfers where the transfer paper is removed immediately after application in
the transfer press. These terms are often used interchangeably to describe these inks and/or transfers. Hot split
transfers split the ink film between the paper and the fabric applied to upon the application of heat and pressure. A
portion of the ink remains on the transfer paper and the majority of the ink melts into the fabric. This splitting of the
ink film produces a very soft, breathable print when using standard opacity inks. Some types of transfer inks melt
almost entirely into the fabric being applied to and leave very little, if any, ink on the paper. The paper and/or the
ink used, along with application time, temperature and pressure of the heat seal machine, can all govern whether the
ink melts entirely into the fabric or not. Hot peel transfers, where almost the entire ink film is released, may not be
quite as soft and breathable as hot split transfers may. The difference in products may be too slight to notice in some
applications.
The papers recommended for printing hot split or hot peel transfers range from non-coated papers to
specially coated papers. Both types of papers perform well, but the specialty-coated papers are usually more
forgiving to the novice transfer printer. The better release of the coated paper, as compared to a non-coated paper,
allows for a little over gelation of the inks. Gelation is the term used for a partial fusing (surface dry) of the inks
when printed. Over gelation of the inks, when printing transfers, can cause poor release, spotty transfers, or poor
adhesion. To print transfers, the inks must be gelled between each color, not printed wet on wet as in direct printing.
Gelation temperatures range from 225°F to 275°F (107°C to 135°C) depending on the ink film thickness, and the
ink being used. Properly gelled ink is dry to the touch, but should break apart easily if removed from the paper. If
ink is severely under gelled and stored before application, the plasticizer (an ingredient in the ink) may exude from
the ink. This may be noticed as a clear uneven border around the outside of the print on the paper. If this happens,
the transfer is now missing an ingredient it needs for proper adhesion and fusing. Adding too much reducer to the
transfer ink may hasten this problem. The final fusing of the inks is accomplished when the transfer is applied to the
garment.
NOTE:
Fusing is the proper term for drying plastisol inks. Curing is a generally accepted term when
referring to the drying of plastisol inks, but is really what happens to most water or solvent based inks
when heated or catalyzed.
It is important to use papers designed for transfer printing, because they are usually more temperature stable
than conventional bond papers. This is very important when printing hot split, multicolor transfers. Papers tend to
shrink when heat is applied to them. Since hot split transfers need to be butt registered, (colors touch or almost
touch each other but do not overlap) too much shrinkage leads to poor registration. Poor registration leads to
noticeable gaps between colors in hot split transfers, or muddy looking colors where colors overlap. It is important
to preheat transfer paper before printing multicolor transfers and to keep paper warm between colors until the job is
finished. Many printers use hot boxes, which is a cabinet that is heated to 120°F to 130°F (49°C to 54°C), to store
printed paper between colors and overnight.
Printing hot split or hot peel inks is done with plastisol inks that have a lower melt point than standard
plastisol inks. The lower melt point allows the inks to release or split quickly from the paper and to penetrate into
the garment. This gives the inks a very soft hand and excellent durability. International Coatings has developed an
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