Vickers, Inc.

Robert J Armstrong

John Michael Kitteridge

A radiation sensitive composition comprises a quaternary ammonium salt and a chemical sensitizer of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.21 is aryl, arylalkenyl or arylalkyl, R.sup.22 is aryl, alkyl, arylalkenyl, arylalkyl, carboxylic acid or salt, or hydrogen and X is carboxylic acid or salt. The quaternary ammonium salt is of the type which will accept at least one electron on exposure to radiation to form a substance capable of causing metal to be deposited onto said substance from an electroless plating solution in contact with said substance and comprising a salt of said metal and a reducing agent. A radiation sensitive plate comprises a metallic substrate coated with a radiation sensitive layer comprising a quaternary ammonium salt. The layer may be formed of the above composition. A lithographic printing plate is produced by image-wise exposing the plate, contacting the plate with an electroless plating solution and, if necessary, rendering the resultant image areas more oleophilic and the resultant non-image areas more hydrophilic.

Lithoplates of quaternary ammonium salt compositions

A radiation sensitive composition comprises a quaternary ammonium salt and a chemical sensitiser of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.21 is aryl, arylakenyl or arylalkyl, R.sup.22 is aryl, alkyl, arylalkenyl, arylalkyl, carboxylic acid or salt, or hydrogen and X is carboxylic acid or salt. The quaternary ammonium salt is of the type which will accept at least one electron on exposure to radiation to form a substance capable of causing metal to be deposited onto said substance from an electroless plating solution in contact with said substance and comprising a salt of said metal and a reducing agent. A radiation sensitive plate comprises a metallic substrate coated with a radiation sensitive layer comprising a quaternary ammonium salt. The layer may be formed of the above composition. A lithographic printing plate is produced by image-wise exposing the plate, contacting the plate with an electroless plating solution and, if necessary, rendering the resultant image areas more oleophilic and the resultant non-image areas more hydrophilic.

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Leeds, United Kingdom

Robert J Armstrong