Screen printing emulsion is a light-sensitive liquid chemical mixture spread across a mesh screen to create a precise stencil for printing. After spreading a thin layer of emulsion over a clean mesh screen, place a dark film transparency of your design onto the dried screen and expose it to ultraviolet (UV) light. Light hits the exposed areas, causing the chemicals to bind and harden into a water-insoluble solid.
Main Types of Emulsion
- Pure Photopolymer (SBQ): Pre-mixed, fast-exposing, and great for fine details, though it requires careful UV-safe darkroom lighting.
- Diazo (Dual-Cure): Requires manual mixing with a sensitizer paste, offering higher durability and forgiveness with imperfect light setups.
- Hybrid/Water-Resistant: Formulated specifically to resist breakdown when using water-based inks instead of standard plastisol inks.
