Printing form precursor, a process for making the precursor, and a method for preparing a printing form from the precursor

A method of making a printing form precursor comprising:

• a) applying a photopolymerizable composition comprising a first binder, a monomer, and a photoinitiator onto a support to form a photopolymerizable layer;
• b) printing an ink onto a surface of the photopolymerizable layer opposite the support to form a pattern layer;
• c) applying an infrared ablation composition forming an infrared ablation layer on the photopolymerizable layer over the printed pattern layer, the infrared ablation composition comprising (i) at least one infrared absorbing material;
• (ii) a radiation opaque material, wherein (i) and (ii) can be the same or different;
• and (iii) at least one second binder.

A method of making a printing form precursor comprising:

• a) printing a plurality of features with an ink onto a surface of a coversheet to form a pattern layer on the surface, wherein the pattern layer comprises a plurality of features wherein each feature has an area between 5 to 750 square microns, and the ink is opaque to actinic radiation and transparent to infrared radiation;
• a) applying an infrared sensitive composition to the pattern layer to form an infrared ablation layer;
• b) exposing to infrared radiation to cause ablation to the infrared ablation layer;
• c) laminating onto a surface of a photopolymerizable layer comprising a first binder, a monomer, and a photoinitiator, that is opposite a support for the photopolymerizable layer, wherein the pattern layer is disposed between the infrared ablation layer and the coversheet.