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OwnerMarion F. Wyatt, R. Scott Gallagherinventors
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This invention describes photopolymer printing plate developing solvents comprising diisopropylbenzene, alone or in combination with one or more co-solvents. Compared with solvents of the prior art, the developing solvents of the present invention have lower toxicity, higher flash points, a milder and more pleasant odor, increased resistance to thermal decomposition, higher solvency, faster dry time, and pose reduced threat to the environment. The solvents of the present invention can exhibit azeotropic-like properties resulting in improved recycling characteristics and reduced drying times. Also, the solvents of the present invention exhibit a degree of selective solvency towards non-crosslinked photopolymers vs. crosslinked photopolymers that is not seen in solvents of the prior art.
A process for producing a flexographic printing plate comprising the steps of image-wise exposing a photosensitive resin composition on a substrate and then selectively washing away unexposed non-crosslinked areas of the photosensitive resin composition with a developing solution to form a relief pattern of the photosensitive resin composition on the substrate and drying the flexographic relief printing plate to remove the residual developing solution, wherein said developing solution comprises diisopropylbenzene.
A photopolymer developing solution comprising diisopropylbenzene, characterized in that said solution selectively removes non-crosslinked polymer from a substrate without removing cross-linked polymer.
An azeotropic photopolymer developing solution comprising diisopropylbenzene and a co-solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.