Abstract: A negative image-recording material which can be imagewise-exposed by IR radiation from IR lasers and enables direct image formation from digital data of a computer or the like. The material, when used in a lithographic printing plate, ensures good hardenability in an image area, exhibits good printing durability, even if not heated for image-formation, and ensures a large number of good prints from the printing plate. The material includes (A) an IR absorber having an oxidation potential of at most 0.35 V (vs. SCE), (B) a thermal radical generator and (C) a radical-polymerizing compound. The material is imagewise-exposed to IR radiation for image formation. Preferably, the IR absorber (A) has, in a chromophoric group, an electron-donating substituent having a Hammett's &sgr;para value of at most −0.10, and the thermal radical generator (B) is an onium salt.

Abstract: There is provided an infrared-sensitive lithographic printing plate capable of direct plate-making based on digital data from a computer or the like, and excellent in development latitude and scratch resistance, which is an infrared-sensitive lithographic printing plate comprising a support and a heat-sensitive layer, the heat-sensitive layer comprising (A) a copolymer having a specific monomer unit having a carboxyl group, (B) an alkali-soluble high molecular weight compound having a sulfonamide group, and (C) a light-heat conversion material.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support having thereon two image-forming layers each containing a polymer insoluble in water and soluble in an aqueous alkaline solution, wherein an upper layer of the image-forming layers contains a copolymer including a monomer unit represented by formula (A) defined in the specification.

Abstract: A process for producing a heat mode-compatible positive planographic printing plate precursor comprising a support and a photosensitive layer whose solubility in an aqueous alkali solution increases upon heat-mode exposure, which includes: applying a photosensitive layer coating solution onto the support, and drying the photosensitive layer coating solution at a drying temperature not less than 150° C. and not greater than 200° C. and for a drying time of 110 seconds or less.

Abstract: A negative image-recording material which can be imagewise exposed to IR radiation from IR lasers and ensures direct image formation from digital data of a computer or the like. The material, when used in a lithographic printing plate, ensures good hardenability in an image area and exhibits good printing durability, even if not heated for image formation, and ensures a large number of good prints from the printing plate. The recording material contains (A) an IR absorber, (B) a radical generator having an onium salt structure, (C) a radical-polymerizing compound, and (D) a reducing additive, and this is imagewise exposed to IR radiation for image formation. Preferably, the reducing additive (D) is highly reactive with radicals and a reaction product with a radical has high reductivity. Preferred examples of the reducing additive are ether-type hydrogen donors, alcohol-type hydrogen donors, vinyl ethers and phosphine-type compounds.

Abstract: A heat mode-applicable image-formation material having high sensitivity and excellent image-forming property, and a novel infrared absorber which can be suitably used in this material. The present invention relates to a substrate carrying thereon an image-formation layer which contains an infrared absorption agent. The agent has at least one surface orientation group in the molecule, and solubility of the image-formation layer in an alkaline aqueous solution is changed by action of radiation in the near-infrared range. Preferable as the infrared absorbing agent is an infrared absorber comprising, in a molecule thereof, a fluorine-containing substituent which have at least 5 fluorine atoms, or a polymethine chain of at least 5 carbon atoms and an alkyl group of at least 8 carbon atoms, said alkyl group being connected to the polymethine chain via any of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image recording material onto which images can be recorded with an infrared ray, the material comprising an infrared absorbent (A), a radical-generating agent (B) and a radically polymerizable compound (C), wherein the infrared absorbent is a cyanine dye in which at least one substituent on a nitrogen atom in a heterocyclic ring at each end forms a cyclic ring which includes a methine chain.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprises: a compound capable of directly or indirectly generating a radical (A) on irradiation with an energy ray; or a cyclic ether compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat mode-compatible planographic printing plate comprising a photosensitive layer which is capable of recording with an infrared laser and formed by applying a photosensitive layer coating solution onto a hydrophilic support and then drying the photosensitive layer coating solution, the photosensitive layer coating solution being obtained by dissolving or dispersing I) an IR absorber, II) a polymerization initiator, and III) a compound having a polymerizable unsaturated group in a solvent, wherein the residual solvent in the photosensitive layer is 5% by weight or less relative to the weight of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: A positive-type planographic printing original plate for direct plate-making with an infrared laser, with excellent latitude in forming an image by development, and excellent flaw resistance. The planographic printing original plate includes, on a support, a positive-type recording layer whose solubility with respect to an alkaline aqueous solution is increased by infrared laser exposure. The recording layer contains an alkali-soluble resin, which has a fluorine atom in the molecule, and an infrared absorbing agent. The alkali-soluble resin can be provided by introducing at least one substituent having a fluorine atom to a known alkali-soluble polymer compound.

Abstract: The invention provides a photosensitive composition including (A) a vinyl polymer containing a copolymerization component having a carboxyl group, having a content of the carboxyl group in a molecule of 2.0 meq/g or higher and having a solubility parameter less than 21.3 MPa1/2, (B) a polymer compound including a phenolic hydroxyl group, and (C) an IR absorber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a resin composition comprising: an alkali-soluble resin (A); an infrared absorbing agent (B); and a thiol compound (C), wherein a solubility thereof in an alkaline aqueous solution is changed by exposure with a infrared laser ray, and a positive or negative-type image recording layer containing the resin composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photosensitive composition comprising an infrared absorbing agent represented by the following formula (I) and a polymer compound which is insoluble in water and soluble in an aqueous alkali solution and becoming soluble in an aqueous alkali solution by radiation of an infrared laser. In the formula described below, R1 and R2 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an alkyl group having 9 to 30 carbon atoms and Z represents a heptamethine group which may have a substituent. The definitions of other substituents are shown in the specification. According to the present invention, a photosensitive composition having high development latitude and storage stability, together with a positive type planographic printing plate for direct plate-making which can form an image with high sensitivity by using an infrared laser, are provided.

Abstract: An image recording material comprising (a) an infrared ray absorber and (b) a polymer to lower a dynamic coefficient of friction to from 0.38 to 0.60, which can undergo image formation upon exposure with infrared laser; or a long-chain alkyl group-containing polymer having a reduction rate of coefficient of friction to a base polymer of from 0.5 to 0.97, the polymer being a copolymer of a long-chain alkyl group-containing monomer having 6 or more carbon atoms and a hydrophilic monomer.

Abstract: An infrared-sensitive photosensitive composition comprising:

Abstract: A positive planographic printing plate precursor includes a support having disposed thereon a lower thermosensitive layer containing a water-insoluble but alkali-soluble polymer compound and an upper thermosensitive layer containing a water-insoluble but alkali-soluble polymer compound, with alkali-solubility increasing under heat, wherein (i) both the upper thermosensitive layer and the lower thermosensitive layer contain an IR absorbing dye, with the ratio of the IR absorbing dye concentration in the upper thermosensitive layer to the IR absorbing dye concentration in the lower thermosensitive layer is 1.6 to 10.0, and/or (ii) the upper thermosensitive layer and the lower thermosensitive layer contain different IR absorbing dyes, and/or (iii) at least one of the upper thermosensitive layer and the lower thermosensitive layer contains an IR absorbent having, in one molecule, at least two chromophoric groups that absorb IR light, with the chromophoric groups bonding to each other via a covalent bond.

Abstract: An image-forming material which has high sensitivity and is excellent in image-forming performance and which does not produce smudges on an optical system of an exposing apparatus, and a planographic printing original plate which uses this image-forming material and can produce images by an infrared laser for a direct plate-making process. These can be achieved by an image-forming material containing an infrared absorber having in the same molecule thereof two or more chromophoric groups which can absorb infrared radiation and are each bonded by a covalent bond.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image recording material onto which images can be recorded with an infrared ray, the material comprising an infrared absorbent (A), a radical-generating agent (B) and a radically polymerizable compound (C), wherein the infrared absorbent is a cyanine dye in which at least one substituent on a nitrogen atom in a heterocyclic ring at each end forms a cyclic ring which includes a methine chain.

Abstract: A positive resist composition comprises: a compound capable of directly or indirectly generating a radical (A) on irradiation with an energy ray; or a cyclic ether compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a positive type image forming material comprising A: an alkali-aqueous-solution-soluble polymer compound having a phenolic hydroxyl group, B: a light and heat decomposing compound which suppresses alkali-aqueous-solution-solubility of said alkali-aqueous-solution-soluble polymer compound (A) having a phenolic hydroxyl group and is decomposed by light or heat to lose its alkali-aqueous-solution-solubility-suppressing effect on said compound (A), and C: a cross-linkable compound which increases said solubility-suppressing effect of said compound (B) when used together with said component (B) in a composition containing the alkali-aqueous-solution-soluble polymer compound (A) having a phenolic hydroxyl group, and which has in its molecule two or more cross-linkable groups which are cross-linked with the alkali-aqueous-solution-soluble polymer compound (A) with heating.