Printing on water-impermeable substrates with water-based inks

A method of printing with water-based inkjet inks on a water-impermeable, low-surface-energy substrate, comprising:

• a) modifying surface properties of the water-impermeable, low-surface-energy substrate to increase the surface energy and make it receptive to a water-based coating composition;
• (b) coating the modified surface of the water-impermeable, low-surface-energy substrate with a first layer comprising a colorless and transparent water-based tie-layer composition;
• c) coating over the first layer with a second layer comprising a colorless water-based ink-receptive composition comprising:
• i) a water-soluble multivalent metal salt;
• and
• ii) a hydrophilic binder polymer;
• d) depositing directly on the surface of the second layer one or more water-based ink compositions containing an anionically stabilized pigment colorant, wherein the one or more water-based ink compositions are deposited in a predetermined pattern with an inkjet deposition system in response to electrical signals;
• e) drying the first and second coated layers and the deposited inks to substantially remove the water;
• and
• f) post-coating the one or more dried deposited ink layers and any exposed first and second layers with one or more functional compositions to form a multi-layered structure.