Process for making a flexographic printing plate and a photosensitive element for use in the process

A process for making a flexographic printing plate comprising:

• 1) providing a photosensitive element comprising:
• at least one photopolymerizable layer on a support comprising an elastomeric binder, at least one monomer, and a photoinitiator, and at least one thermally removable layer disposed above the photopolymerizable layer, the thermally removable layer selected from the group consisting of
• (a) an actinic radiation opaque layer comprising (i) at least one infrared absorbing material, (ii) a radiation opaque material, wherein (i) and (ii) can be the same or different, and at least one binder having a softening or melting temperature less than 190° C.;
• (b) a layer of a composition comprising at least one binder and filler, wherein the binder is less than 49% by weight based on the total weight of the binder and filler, and
• (c) a layer of particulate material having particle size of less than 23 micrometers;
• 2) imagewise exposing the photopolymerizable layer to actinic radiation forming polymerized portions and unpolymerized portions;
• and
• 3) thermally treating the element of step 2) by heating to a temperature sufficient to remove the thermally removable layer and to remove the unpolymerized portions of the photopolymerizable layer and form a relief.