Eastman-kodak Company

Kodak Polychrome Graphics, Gmbh

John Kalamen

Kevin Barry Ray

Ting Tao

Scott A Beckley

Thap DoMinh

Anthony Paul Kitson

Jayanti Patel

Neil F Haley

Eric E Clark

Jianbing Huang

Shashikant Saraiya

Ken-ichi Shimazu

S Peter Pappas

David A Stegman

Heidi M Munnelly

Eiji Hayakawa

Jeffery Allen Gurney

Ruizheng Wang

Frederic E Mikell

Yasushi Miyamoto

Thomas R Jordan

James Laurence Mulligan

Jeffrey James Collins

Paul Richard West

Christopher J Kloxin

Eric Emery Clark

Negative-working imageable elements have an imageable layer comprising a free radically polymerizable component, an initiator composition capable of generating radicals sufficient to initiate polymerization of the free radically polymerizable component upon exposure to imaging radiation, a radiation absorbing compound, one or more polymeric binders, and at least 5 weight % of core-shell particles comprising a hydrophobic polymeric core and a hydrophilic polymeric shell that is covalently bound to the polymeric core. The hydrophilic polymeric shell has one or more zwitterionic functional groups. These elements can be imaged such as by IR lasers to provide lithographic printing plates.

Negative-working imageable elements

A negative-working imageable element has an imageable layer that includes an infrared radiation absorbing dye that upon exposure to thermal irradiation, changes from colorless to a visible color or from one visible color to another visible color, providing a &#x394;E of at least 5 between the exposed and non-exposed regions of the imageable layer within 3 hours of its exposure to 300 mJ/cmat a laser power of 15 Watts. The imageable element can be imaged to provide images with improved contrast for print-out. The imageable layer includes a primary polymeric binder that has a backbone to which are attached pendant poly(alkylene oxide) side chains, cyano groups, or both, and is optionally present in the form of discrete particles.

On-press developable elements and methods of use

Both single-layer and multilayer imageable elements have a substrate and at least one imageable layer. The elements can be used to prepare either negative- or positive-working imaged elements, for example as lithographic printing plates. The imageable elements also include a radiation absorbing compound and a solvent-resistant polymer comprising pendant phosphoric acid groups, pendant adamantyl groups, or both. When this polymer comprises pendant adamantyl groups, they are connected to the polymer backbone through a urea or urethane group. The imageable elements have improved chemical resistance and thermal bakeability from the presence of the unique solvent-resistant polymer.

Imageable members with improved chemical resistance

The present invention provides an imageable element including a substrate, a first layer applied to the substrate and a second layer applied to the first layer. The first layer may contain polymeric material and a radiation absorbing compound. The second layer may contain a hydroxyl group-containing polymer that includes a heat-labile moiety.

Thermally sensitive imageable element

Alkali soluble copolymers, imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors that contain the alkali soluble copolymers, and methods for forming images using the imageable elements are disclosed. The alkali soluble copolymers comprise, in polymerized form: (a) N-phenylmaleimide, N-cyclohexylmaleimide, N-benzylmaleimide, or a mixture thereof; (b) acrylamide, methacrylamide, or a mixture thereof; (c) acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, or a mixture thereof; and (d) one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of monomers of the structure: CH&#x2550;C(R)-Z-X&#x2014;NHC(O)NH&#x2014;Y&#x2014;R', in which: X is &#x2014;[C(CH)]&#x2014; or &#x2014;[(CH)]&#x2014;, in which n is 0 to 12; Y is o-, m-, or p- &#x2014;[CH]&#x2014;; Z is &#x2014;[C(O)O]&#x2014;, &#x2014;[C(O)NH]&#x2014;, or o-, m-, or p- [&#x2014;CH]&#x2014;; R is hydrogen or Cto Calkyl; R&#x2032; is &#x2014;OC(O)&#x2014;OR&#x2033;, &#x2014;OC(O)&#x2014;Ar, or &#x2014;OSO&#x2014;Ar; R&#x2033; is Cto Calkyl, Cto Carylalkyl, Cto Caryl, Cto Calkenyl, or trimethylsilyl; Ar is CHT, in which Ar has a total of six to ten carbon atoms; each T is independently selected from the group consisting of Cto Calkyl, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, and cyano; and n&#x2032; is an integer from 0 to 5; and in which the copolymer is soluble in alkaline solutions having a pH greater than at least about 11.

Positive-working, thermally sensitive imageable element

The present invention provides an imageable composition including an acid curable composition, an acid generator, an infrared absorber having a counter anion derived from a non-volatile acid, and a strong acid such as a sulfonic acid. The imageable composition may include components such as a crosslinkable binder or a colorant. In one embodiment, the imageable composition further includes a colorant having a counter anion derived from a non-volatile acid. The present invention further provides an imageable element, which includes a substrate and an imageable coating on a surface of the substrate. Also provided is method of producing an imaged element according to the invention.

Imageable composition containing an infrared absorber with counter anion derived from a non-volatile acid

Multilayer, thermally imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors are disclosed. The imageable elements comprise a substrate, an underlayer over the substrate, an underlayer over the substrate, and a top layer over the underlayer. The top layer contains a co-polymer that alkylene glycol side chains, polyalkylene glycol side chains, side chains that have silyl groups substituted with three alkoxy and/or phenoxy groups, and/or side chains that have alkyl ammonium side chains. The imageable elements have excellent resistance to press room chemicals.

Multilayer imageable element

The present invention provides a method of imaging a printing plate precursor in which a printing plate precursor including a substrate and an image forming layer is imagewise contacted with a catalyst, for example, by imagewise ink-jet application. The image forming layer is then heated and developed in a suitable developer liquid such that portions of the image forming layer that are contacted with the catalyst resist development while portions of the image forming layer that are not contacted with the catalyst are removed during development.

Ink-jet imaging method

Thermally imageable, positive working, multilayer imageable elements useful as lithographic printing plate precursors are disclosed. The elements comprise a substrate; an underlayer over the substrate; a top layer over the underlayer, and a photothermal conversion material. The top layer comprises a binder and an ionic liquid. A preferred binder is poly(methyl methacrylate).

Ionic liquids as developability enhancing agents in multilayer imageable elements

The present invention provides a thermally sensitive composition that may be coated as a water-borne material onto a substrate to yield a printing plate precursor having an imageable coating. The thermally sensitive composition comprises a sulfated phenolic resin. The sulfated phenolic resin may be a sulfated novolak resin or a sulfated resole resin, for example. The thermally sensitive composition may include a water-soluble binder, such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and a radiation-absorbing component. The invention also provides a printing plate precursor that is developed in water after imaging. The precursor does not require chemical development with a developing solution containing organic solvents or inorganic additives. The imaged precursor is on-press-developable when used with a fountain solution. Methods for making and using the precursor are also provided.

Sulfated phenolic resins and printing plate precursors comprising sulfated phenolic resins

The present invention provides a thermally imageable composition, which includes an acid curable composition, an acid generator, a strong acid and optionally an infrared absorber. The present invention further provides an imageable element, which includes a substrate and a thermally imageable composition according to the present invention coated on a surface of the substrate. Also provided are methods of producing an imaged element according to the present invention.

Negative working imageable composition containing sulfonic acid

Vesicular images are formed by thermal imaging of imageable layers containing thermally imageable vesicular imaging compositions. The vesicular images can be used as masks for imaging printing plate precursors. In one aspect, a printing plate precursor made up of a flexible substrate; a photosensitive layer that contains a negative working photosensitive composition; an optional barrier layer; and the imageable layer is thermally imaged to produce an integral mask. Blanket exposure through the mask with ultraviolet and/or visible radiation followed by development produces a printing plate. The method is especially suited for the production of flexographic printing plates.

Thermal generation of a mask for flexography

A photosensitive composition can be used to prepare negative-working photosensitive elements such as lithographic printing plates. The composition includes a first photocrosslinkable aromatic resin having photocrosslinkable groups and a number average molecular weight of at least about 1500. Also included is a mixture of a polyalkyleneglycol diacrylate and polyacrylate polymerizable monomers, a photocrosslinkable polyester, a photoinitiator, and a photosensitizer. The photosensitive resins are present at a total weight ratio to the polymerizable monomers of at least 1.5:1.

Photosensitive polymer composition and element containing photosensitive

A photosensitive composition can be used to prepare negative-working photosensitive elements such as lithographic printing plates. The composition includes a first photocrosslinkable aromatic resin having photocrosslinkable groups and a number average molecular weight of at least about 1500. Also included is a polymerizable monomer, a photocrosslinkable polyester and a photoinitiator. The photosensitive resins are present at a total weight ratio to the monomer of at least 1.5:1.

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Loveland, CO, United States of America

John Kalamen