Inkjet-printable flexography substrate, method of making, and method of using

A method of making a flexographic I-plate on a UV exposure unit, comprising the steps of:

• (a) obtaining a flexible backing sheet comprising a first substance and having a first surface and a parallel second surface;
• a tie-coat bonded to the first surface and an adhesive layer bonded to the second surface;
• the adhesive layer covering a portion of the second surface;
• a flexible release liner comprising a second substance and having a third surface and a parallel fourth surface;
• the third surface applied to the adhesive layer;
• the fourth surface comprising a material that is inkjet ink-receptive;
• (b) printing an image on the fourth surface;
• (c) placing a relief image negative on the bottom glass of the UV exposure unit;
• (d) placing a layer of liquid photopolymer adjacent to the relief image negative;
• (e) placing the tie-coat in contact with the upper surface of the liquid photopolymer layer;
• (f) shining polymerizing light through the layers created in steps (a) through (e) to form polymerized island floor areas in the layer of liquid photopolymer and bond them to the tie-coat;
• and
• (g) shining polymerizing light through the relief image negative to form a polymerized relief image in the layer of liquid photopolymer between the polymerized island floor areas and the relief image negative and bonded to the floor areas.

A method of making a flexographic I-plate on a UV exposure unit, comprising the steps of:

• (a) obtaining a flexible backing sheet comprising a first substance and having a first surface and a parallel second surface;
• a tie-coat bonded to the first surface and an adhesive layer bonded to the second surface;
• the adhesive layer covering a portion of the second surface;
• a flexible release liner comprising a second substance;
• the second substance comprising either:
• (1) an inkjet ink-receptive polymer, or
• (2) a micro-porous coating:
• the flexible release liner having a third surface and a parallel fourth surface;
• the third surface applied to the adhesive layer;
• the fourth surface comprising a material that is inkjet ink-receptive;
• (b) printing an image on the fourth surface;
• (c) placing a relief image negative on the bottom glass of the UV exposure unit;
• (d) placing a layer of liquid photopolymer adjacent to the relief image negative;
• (e) placing the tie-coat in contact with the upper surface of the liquid photopolymer layer;
• (f) shining polymerizing light through the layers created in steps (a) through (e) to form polymerized island floor areas in the layer of liquid photopolymer and bond them to the tie-coat;
• and
• (g) shining polymerizing light through the relief image negative to form a polymerized relief image in the layer of liquid photopolymer between the polymerized island floor areas and the relief image negative and bonded to the floor areas.

A flexography substrate, comprising:

• a flexible backing sheet comprising a first substance and having one surface and an opposing surface;
• a flexible backing sheet having a tie-coat bonded to one surface and an adhesive layer bonded to the opposing surface;
• the adhesive layer covering a portion of the opposing surface of the flexible backing sheet;
• a flexible release liner comprising a second substance and having a first surface applied to the adhesive layer;
• a second surface comprising a material that is inkjet ink-receptive;
• and
• a layer of photopolymer applied to the tie-coat.