Lithographic printing with printing members including an oleophilic metal and plasma polymer layers

A method of imaging a lithographic printing member, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a printing member having an imaging layer, a plasma polymer layer, a metal in the form of a discrete layer adjacent to the plasma polymer layer or dispersed in particulate form within the plasma polymer layer, and a substrate therebeneath, wherein (i) the imaging layer, but not the metal, is subject to ablative absorption of imaging radiation, (ii) the plasma polymer layer comprises a plasma-polymerized hydrocarbon, and (iii) the imaging layer and at least the metal have opposite affinities for at least one of ink and a liquid to which ink will not adhere;
• (b) exposing the printing member to imaging radiation in an imagewise pattern so as ablate substantially all of the imaging layer, but not the metal, exposed to the imaging radiation;
• and
• (c) removing at least the imaging layer where the lithographic printing member received radiation to reveal the metal, thereby creating an imagewise lithographic pattern on the printing member.