Kodak Polychrome Graphics, Gmbh

Eastman-kodak Company

Alan Stanley Monk

Kevin Barry Ray

Christopher David McCullough

Gareth Rhodri Parsons

Jianbing Huang

Celin M Savariar-Hauck

Shashikant Saraiya

Anthony Paul Kitson

James Laurence Mulligan

Stuart Bayes

David Stephen Riley

John David Riches

S Peter Pappas

Gerhard Hauck

Peter Andrew Reath Bennett

Mark John Spowage

Carole-Anne Smith

Eduard Kottmair

Peter Andrew Bennett

Richard David Hoare

John Andrew Hearson

Geoffrey Horne

Rene Ullrich

Peter S Pappas

Anthony P Kitson

Christopher David McCullogh

Radiation-sensitive negative working element comprising (a) a substrate with a hydrophilic surface and (b) a layer on the hydrophilic surface of the substrate, wherein said layer comprises a modified polymer obtainable by reacting (i) a polymer with &#x2014;COOH, &#x2014;SO3H, &#x2014;P03H2 and/or &#x2014;PO4H2 in the side chains, wherein the polymer is soluble in aqueous alkaline solutions and the solubility is not changed by IR radiation, and (ii) a salt with an inorganic or organic cation, wherein the modified polymer is soluble in aqueous alkaline solutions and the solubility is not changed by IR radiation, said layer being soluble in aqueous alkaline developer, but is rendered insoluble in aqueous alkaline developer by IR radiation.

Modified polymers and their use in the production of lithographic printing plate precursors

Single- and multi-layer positive-working imageable elements include an ink receptive outer layer includes a primary polymeric binder that is a poly(vinyl phenol) or a phenolic polymer having certain acidic groups. The use of this type of polymeric binder makes the imaged elements developable in low pH (11 or less) alkaline developers.

Imageable elements with low pH developer solubility

The present invention also includes an imageable element, comprising a substrate and a thermally imageable composition comprising a thermally sensitive polymer which exhibits an increased solubility in an aqueous developer solution upon heating. The thermally sensitive polymer includes at least one covalently bonded unit and at least one thermally reversible non-covalently bonded unit, which includes a two or more centered H-bond within each of the non-covalently bonded unit. The present invention also includes a method of producing the imaged element. The present invention still further includes a thermally imageable composition comprising comprising a thermally sensitive polymer according to the present invention and a process for preparing the thermally sensitive polymer, which is a supramolecular polymer. The process includes contacting a hydrocarbyl-substituted isocytosine and a diisocyanate to produce a mono-adduct and contacting the mono-adduct and a polyfunctional material to produce the supramolecular polymer.

Imageable element and composition comprising thermally reversible polymers

Pattern formation

Polymeric compounds

Phenolic resin compositions formulated for use in lithographic exposure processes are given a heat treatment at 40-90&deg; C. for at least 4 hours shortly after their coating onto lithographic substrates, to produce lithographic printing forms. It is found that such a heat treatment improves later exposure processes, in particular by rendering the sensitivity of the compositions less variable, over time.

Manufacture of lithographic printing forms

A method for producing a predetermined resist pattern on e.g. a lithographic printing plate, circuit board or mask comprises the imagewise exposure of a radiation sensitive diazide-containing coating (conventionally considered as a UV sensitive material), to non-UV radiation, such as direct heat radiation or infra-red radiation. A positive of the exposed image is revealed on development. Additionally, it has been found that a flood exposure to UV radiation after the imagewise exposure to the non-UV radiation means that a negative of the exposed image is revealed, on development.

Pattern-forming methods

A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising on a support a radiation sensitive composition which comprises (1) a novolac resin, (2) a condensing agent for the novolac resin which is either a methylol polyvinyl phenol compound or a bishydroxymethyl compound, (3) a radiation sensitive latent acid generating compound, and (4) an infra-red sensitizing dye.

Lithographic plates

Photopolymerisable composition

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Cheshire, United Kingdom

Alan Stanley Monk