Imageable elements and methods useful for providing waterless printing plates
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsOphira Melamed, Jianbing Huang, Efrat Konstantini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An imageable element can be imaged using non-ablative processes. This element has a non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer contiguous to and under an ink-repelling crosslinked silicone rubber layer. These elements can be used for providing lithographic printing plates useful for waterless printing (no fountain solution). Processing after imaging is relatively simple with either water or an aqueous solution consisting essentially of a surfactant or mechanical means to remove the crosslinked silicone rubber layer and a minor portion of the non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer in the imaged regions.
Claims16
An imageable element imageable by non-ablative process useful for waterless printing, said element comprising a substrate having thereon, in order, the following contiguous essential layers:
- an ink-accepting non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer comprising a first polymeric binder and an infrared radiation absorbing compound, wherein said first polymeric binder comprises recurring units that have been derived from a (meth)acrylonitrile and an N-substituted cyclic imide, and optionally recurring units that have been derived from a (meth)acrylamide, and
- an ink-repelling crosslinked silicone rubber layer disposed directly on said non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer,
- wherein said first polymeric binder is present in an amount of at least 60 weight % and said ink-receptive non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer has a dry coverage of from about 0.7 to about 3 g/m2 and,
- wherein said ink-accepting non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer has chemical resistance such that the loss in dry coating weight is less than 35% as demonstrated by soaking said dried ink-accepting non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer alone on a substrate for five minutes in a 2-butoxyethanol:water 80:20 weight solution at room temperature.
A method of making an imaged element suitable for waterless printing, said method comprising, without ablation:
- A) imagewise exposing an imageable element that is imageable using a non-ablative process and useful for waterless printing using infrared radiation to provide both exposed and non-exposed regions in said imageable element,
- said non-ablative imageable element comprising a substrate having thereon, in order, the following contiguous essential layers:
- an ink-accepting non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer comprising a first polymeric binder and an infrared radiation absorbing compound, wherein said first polymeric binder comprises recurring units that have been derived from a (meth)acrylonitrile and an N-substituted cyclic imide, and optionally recurring units that have been derived from a (meth)acrylamide, and
- an ink-repelling crosslinked silicone rubber layer disposed directly on said non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer, and
- wherein said first polymeric binder is present in an amount of at least 60 weight % and said ink-receptive non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer has a dry coverage of from about 0.7 to about 3 g/m2 and,
- B) removing the ink-repelling crosslinked silicone rubber layer and an upper portion of less than 10% of said ink-accepting non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer in predominantly only in said exposed regions to provide an imaged element,
- solely by:
- a) contacting said imagewise exposed imageable element with water or an aqueous solution comprising less than 8 weight % organic solvents,
- b) by applying mechanical removal means to said imagewise exposed imageable element, or
- c) by a combination of contacting said imagewise exposed imageable element with water or an aqueous solution comprising less than 8 weight % organic solvents and applying mechanical removal means.
A method of making printed images by waterless printing, said method comprising, without ablation:
- A) imagewise exposing an imageable element that is imageable using a non-ablative process and useful for waterless printing using infrared radiation to provide both exposed and non-exposed regions in said imageable element,
- said imageable element comprising a substrate having thereon, in order, the following contiguous essential layers:
- an ink-accepting non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer comprising a first polymeric binder and an infrared radiation absorbing compound, wherein said first polymeric binder comprises recurring units that have been derived from a (meth)acrylonitrile and an N-substituted cyclic imide, and optionally recurring units that have been derived from a (meth)acrylamide, and
- an ink-repelling crosslinked silicone rubber layer disposed directly on said non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer,
- wherein said first polymeric binder is present in an amount of at least 60 weight % and said ink-receptive non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer has a dry coverage of from about 0.7 to about 3 g/m2 and,
- B) removing the ink-repelling crosslinked silicone rubber layer and an upper portion of less than 10% of said ink-accepting non-silicone, non-crosslinked layer in predominantly only said exposed regions to provide an imaged element, and
- C) contacting said imaged element on-press with only a lithographic printing ink.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.