Methods of manufacturing embossing elements

A method of manufacturing an embossing element for decorative surfaces, the method comprising the steps of:

• inkjet printing a UV curable inkjet ink to form a decorative pattern on a metallic surface;
• and
• forming a relief by etching metal from the metallic surface;
• wherein
• the UV curable inkjet ink includes:
• one or more photoinitiators;
• optionally, a colorant that decolorizes at a pH of more than 10;
• (a) one or more hydrolyzable polyfunctional monomers including at least one alkali hydrolyzable group located in an atomic chain between two polymerizable groups of the hydrolyzable polyfunctional monomer, or (b) one or more hydrolyzable polyfunctional oligomers including at least one alkali hydrolyzable group located in an atomic chain between two polymerizable groups of the hydrolyzable polyfunctional oligomer;
• and
• one or more water absorption controlling monomers that are a monofunctional or difunctional monomer including at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an ethylene oxide or oligo-ethylene oxide group, a tertiary amine group, an acidic group having a pKa not lower than 3, and a five to seven membered aromatic or non aromatic heterocyclic group;
• and
• the at least one alkali hydrolyzable group located in the atomic chain between two polymerizable groups of the polyfunctional monomer or oligomer is selected from the group consisting of Formulas H-1 to H-4:
• wherein
• Q represents the necessary atoms to form a five membered aromatic ring group;
• Z represents the necessary atoms to form a five or six membered ring group;
• and
• the dashed lines represents the bonds to the rest of the polyfunctional monomer or oligomer.