Eastman-kodak Company

Anna C Greene

Steven Evans

Christine Joanne Landry-Coltrain

A laser-engraveable layer is used in a laser-engraveable element to provide relief images. The resulting laser-engraved elements can take various forms and can be used to apply various inks to receiver materials in an imagewise fashion. The laser-engraveable element has a thermally crosslinked laser-engraveable layer containing a crosslinked elastomeric fluoropolymer and a fluoro-functionalized near-infrared radiation absorber. The crosslinked fluoropolymer has a glass transition temperature of less than and including 0&#xb0; C. and the crosslinked laser-engraveable layer is formed from a reactive fluoropolymer composition comprising a reactive fluoropolymer, the fluoro-functionalized near-infrared radiation absorber, and a compound that causes crosslinking of the reactive fluoropolymer during thermal curing. The reactive fluoropolymer can have a reactive group selected from the group consisting of: poly(tetrafluoroethylene oxide-co-difluoromethylene oxide) &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-diol bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl ether), poly(tetrafluoroethylene oxide-co-difluoromethylene oxide) &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-diol, ethoxylated poly(tetrafluoroethylene oxide-co-difluoromethylene oxide) &#x3b1;,&#x3c9;-diol, and a multifuncational (meth)acrylate end-functionalized derivative of one of such compounds.

Laser-engraveable elements

A composition comprises a fluoropolymer such as an elastomeric fluoropolymer and at least 1 weight % of a fluoro-functionalized near-infrared radiation absorber. This composition can be formed into laser-engraveable layers for various elements that can be laser-engraved to provide relief images. The resulting laser-engraved elements can take various forms including flexographic printing members, and can be used to apply various inks to receiver materials in an imagewise fashion.

Growing community of inventors

Henrietta, NY, United States of America

Anna C Greene