Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of a laser-engravable flexographic printing element comprising a thermally crosslinked, elastomeric, laser-engravable relief-forming layer E, having the following steps:

Abstract: A multicolor image forming material comprising: an image-receiving sheet comprising an image-receiving layer; and at least four thermal transfer sheets differing in color each comprising a support, a light-to-heat conversion layer and an image-forming layer, wherein the image forming material is used for recording a multicolor image by superposing the image-forming layer of each thermal transfer sheet and the image-receiving layer to face each other, irradiating laser light and transferring a region irradiated with the laser light of the image-forming layer onto the image-receiving layer, and at least one layer selected from the image-receiving layer and the image-forming layers comprises, as a fluorine-containing surfactant, a copolymer (I) comprising following repeating units (A), (B) and (C) as defined herein.

Abstract: Improved compounds and base precursors that undergo thermal decomposition are disclosed. Thermal-dye-bleach agents, and in particular, a novel class of salts of arylsulfonylacetic acids as bleaching agents for photothermographic use are disclosed. Photothermographic elements employing these thermal-dye-bleach agents are suitable for use as acutance and antihalation systems, bleachable filter dye materials, and in promoting unblocking of various components such as blocked developers, especially in in photothermographic elements.

Abstract: Photothermographic imaging materials having increased photospeed are provided by certain tellurium chemical sensitizers that are added during the formulation of a photothermographic emulsion.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aqueous dispersions of silver (carboxylate-azine toner) particles wherein the azine content of the particles is from about 0.01 to 10% by weight relative to silver carboxylate. The carboxylates are typically silver salts of long chain fatty acids and the azine toners are the compounds that function as development accelerators and toning agents such as phthalazine. These silver (carboxylate-azine) particles can be used to formulate imaging forming compositions that are useful in aqueous thermographic or photothermographic imaging elements.

Abstract: There is provided a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet which has dyeability high enough to realize high-speed printing and low-energy printing, permits a protective layer to be thermally transferred onto an image formed on the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet, is free from heat fusing to a thermal transfer sheet at the time of image formation on the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet, and has satisfactory separability from the thermal transfer sheet.

Abstract: A thermal mass transfer donor element is provided that includes a thermal transfer layer and a light-to-heat conversion layer, wherein the light-to-heat conversion layer has at least two regions exhibiting different absorption coefficients. The thermal transfer donor elements provided can improve imaging performance by increasing transfer sensitivity and decreasing imaging defects.

Abstract: An imaging member, such as a negative-working printing plate or on-press cylinder, can be prepared using a hydrophilic imaging layer comprising a hydrophilic heat-sensitive polymer containing a crosslinking agent comprising ionic groups and epoxy groups. This polymer may comprise quaternary ammonium carboxylate groups which may include at least one substituted-alkylene(C1-C3)-phenyl group. The imaging member also includes an infrared radiation sensitive material to provide added sensitivity to heat that can be supplied by laser irradiation in the IR region. The heat-sensitive polymer may be “switchable” in response to heat, and provides a lithographic image without wet processing.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor which comprises a support having a hydrophilic surface having provided thereon in order of a layer containing a latex (layer A) and an ink-receptive layer (layer B) whose solubility at least either in water or in an aqueous solution is converted by heat, wherein at least one layer of either layer A or layer B contains a light/heat converting agent.

Abstract: Thermally imageable elements and methods for their preparation and use are disclosed. The elements contain, in order, a substrate; an underlayer; and an ink-repellent layer. The underlayer contains a crosslinked allyl functional polyurethane. A photothermal conversion material is present in either in the underlayer or in an absorber layer between the underlayer and the ink-repellent layer. Thermal imaging and development removes the ink-repellent layer and reveals the underlayer in the exposed regions to form an imaged element useful as a waterless lithographic printing plate.

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: A lithographic printing precursor for lithographic offset printing comprises a layer of imageable medium on a hydrophilic base. The imageable medium comprises hydrophobic polymer particles in an aqueous medium, a substance for converting light into heat, and a coalescence inhibitor. The coalescence inhibitor can comprise an inorganic salt, an organic base, an organic acid and a metal complex. The lithographic printing precursor may be used to make lithographic printing surfaces that obtain long run lengths on lower quality paper and in the presence of press-room chemicals. The lithographic printing precursor can be imaged and developed on-press and the imageable medium can also be sprayed onto a hydrophilic surface to create a printing surface that may be processed wholly on-press. It can also be processed in the more conventional fully off-press fashion.

Abstract: A thermally imageable layer comprising an aqueous dispersion containing an immiscible compound, typically a near infrared absorber, and a dispersant, typically an acrylic polymer, which layer is useful in laser induced colorant transfer processes.

Abstract: An imaging member, such as a negative-working printing plate or on-press cylinder, comprises latex polymer-carbon black composite particles. Such imaging members can be prepared with a hydrophilic imaging layer comprised of a heat-sensitive hydrophilic polymer having ionic moieties and the latex polymer-carbon black composite particles as a photothermal conversion material. The latex polymer-carbon black composite particles can be formulated in water or water-miscible solvents without agglomeration with other components such as charged polymers.

Abstract: There are provided a coating liquid for providing an infrared sensitive layer on a photosensitive resin surface, which is obtained by dissolving or dispersing in a specific ester solvent a binder polymer soluble in the solvent, an infrared absorbing substance and, if desired, a non-infrared opaque substance, and a process for obtaining a seamless photosensitive resin sleeve printing plate, which comprises using the same.

Abstract: A negative image-recording material for heat-mode exposure, which is able to form images by heat-mode exposure, comprises (A) a polyurethane resin having at least one or more side-chain branches of the following general formulae (1) to (3) which polyurethane resin is soluble in an alkaline aqueous solution, (B) a photo-thermal converting agent, and (C) a compound capable of generating a radical through heat-mode exposure to light of a wavelength which can be absorbed by the photo-thermal converting agent. In formulae (1) to (3), R1 to R11 each independently represents a monovalent organic group; X and Y each independently represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or —N(R12)—; Z represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, —N(R13)—, or an optionally-substituted phenylene group; R12 represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group; and R13 represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group.

Abstract: A photopolymerizable composition which is highly sensitive to light in the visible region and long-wavelength regions including the near infrared region, is not sensitive to light in the ultraviolet region, and has excellent handling efficiency under day light fluorescent lamps. The composition contains an ethylenically unsaturated compound, a dye which has a basic structure, a photopolymerization initiator, and a photopolymerizable lithographic printing plate which has a support and a layer of the photopolymerizable composition on its surface.

Abstract: Thermally developable materials include a reducing agent composition that can reduce silver ions and provide high contrast images. The reducing agent composition includes a) a hindered phenol reducing agent, an aromatic di- or tri-hydroxy compound, or mixtures thereof, and b) a thermally-releasable p-phenylenediamine co-developer that is represented by the following Structure I: R—NH-BLOCK  (I) wherein R—NH— is a p-phenylenediamine group and BLOCK is a blocking group that is cleaved upon exposure to at least 120° C. for at least 5 seconds and comprises one or more of the following thermally cleavable groups: —CONH—, —COO—, —CONHSO2—, —PO3—, —SO2—, —COCH2NHCO—, or —COS—, and BLOCK is directly linked to R—NH— through one of the thermally cleavable groups.

Abstract: A multicolor image-forming material comprising: an image-receiving sheet comprising a support and an image-receiving layer; and at least four (yellow, magenta, cyan, black and the like) thermal transfer sheets each comprising a support, a light-to-heat converting layer and an image-forming layer, wherein image-recording is performed by the method comprising superposing each one of the at least four thermal transfer sheets on the image-receiving sheet to be in a state of the image-forming layer being in contact with the image-receiving layer; and irradiating the thermal transfer sheet with laser beams in two-dimensional array to transfer an image in an area of the image-forming layer subjected to irradiation onto the image-receiving layer, and a recording area of a multicolor image in each of the thermal transfer sheets is a size of 515 mm×728 mm or more, a resolution of the transferred image is 2,400 dpi or more, and each of the light-to-heat converting layers comprises from 1 to 20% by weight of a subs

Abstract: The invention provides a method for making a lithographic printing surface using media with coalescence inhibitor. The lithographic printing surface is made on a hydrophilic surface using a radiation sensitive medium that comprises hydrophobic polymer particles in an aqueous medium, a substance for converting light into heat, and a coalescence inhibitor. The lithographic printing surface made by the method of this invention may be used for printing long run lengths on lower quality paper and in the presence of press-room chemicals. The method allows for on-press imaging and development of the lithographic printing surface. The radiation sensitive medium can also be sprayed onto a hydrophilic surface to create a lithographic printing surface that may be processed wholly on-press. It can also be processed in the more conventional fully off-press fashion.

Abstract: An infrared-sensitive photosensitive composition comprising:

Abstract: There is provided a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet which has dyeability high enough to realize high-speed printing and low-energy printing, permits a protective layer to be thermally transferred onto an image formed on the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet, is free from heat fusing to a thermal transfer sheet at the time of image formation on the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet, and has satisfactory separability from the thermal transfer sheet.

Abstract: A thermal transfer film or a thermal transfer ribbon includes a substrate layer and a donor layer applied thereto. The substrate layer consists of at least one polymer composition which has mechanical stability at a temperature >150° C. and transmission >70% for light having a wavelength of from 700 to 1600 nm. The donor layer comprises at least the following components: a substance which is able to convert the radiation energy of the incident laser light into heat energy, a polymer which contains acidic groups and/or unsubstituted or substituted amide groups thereof, and optionally a wetting aid. The polymer composition also includes a reactive polymer.

Abstract: A planographic printing plate precursor comprising: an aluminum substrate which has been subjected to a roughening treatment and an anodizing treatment; and a photosensitive layer which provided on a surface of said substrate, and which contains an infrared absorbing agent and a water-insoluble and alkali aqueous solution-soluble polymer compound, and whose solubility in an alkali developing solution varies by infrared laser exposure, wherein said substrate is obtained by electrochemically roughening an aluminum alloy plate which contains a trace amount of certain elements to an aluminum alloy of high purity.

Abstract: An infrared-sensitive photosensitive composition comprising (A) an alkali-soluble resin containing a repeating unit having an alkylene oxide group, and (B) a light-to-heat converting agent; and

Abstract: A method for treating a photosensitive lithographic printing plate, which comprises exposing the photosensitive lithographic printing plate to laser light, developing with a developer containing an alkali metal silicate and then carrying out post-exposure treatment, said photosensitive lithographic printing plate being prepared by forming a photopolymerizable photosensitive layer having a film thickness of from 1.2 to 4 g/m2 and further forming a protective layer having a film thickness of from 2 to 8 g/m2 on a support having a centerline average height (Ra) of at least 0.35 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method for preparing a lithographic printing plate is disclosed, and said method comprises the steps of imagewise light-exposing to infrared radiation, a presensitized plate for use in making a lithographic printing plate, said presensitized plate having an image-forming layer which comprises an IR-absorbing agent, and developing the light-exposed plate with an alkaline liquid developer comprising a polyhydric alcohol-type alkylene oxide adduct.

Abstract: A process is described for the direct production of an imaged pattern of resist on a substrate surface (such as a pattern of etch-resistant organic resin material on the surface of a copper-clad dielectric in connection with a printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication process or in the process of producing printed plates), which process utilizes thermo-resists rather than photoresists, i.e., compositions which undergo thermally-induced, rather than photo-induced, chemical transformations. A film of thermo-resist composition applied to the substrate surface is scanned by a focused heat source (e.g., a thermal laser emitting in the IR region) in a predetermined pattern, without a phototool, to bring about localized thermally-induced chemical transformations of the composition which either directly produce the resist pattern or produce in the film a developable latent image of the pattern.

Abstract: An image forming method using a negative type image forming material is disclosed, and said method comprises the steps of exposing a negative type image forming material to infrared laser imagewise, which image forming material comprises a substrate and an image recording layer formed thereon, comprising (A) a radical generator, (B) a radical-polymerizable compound, (C) an infrared absorbing agent, and (D) a binder polymer; and developing the image forming material with an alkaline developing solution comprising a weak acid or a salt thereof having a dissociation constant pka of from 10 to 13.

Abstract: A lithographic printing precursor for lithographic offset printing comprises, a layer of imageable medium on a hydrophilic base. The imageable medium comprises hydrophobic polymer particles in an aqueous medium, a substance for converting light into heat, and a non-crosslinkable aqueous-soluble composition. The lithographic printing precursor may be used to make lithographic printing surfaces that obtain long run lengths on lower quality paper and in the presence of press-room chemicals. The lithographic printing precursor can be imaged and developed on-press and the imageable medium can also be sprayed onto a hydrophilic surface to create a printing surface that may be processed wholly on-press. It can also be processed in the more conventional fully off-press fashion. The hydrophilic surface can be a printing plate substrate or the printing cylinder of a printing press or a sleeve around the printing cylinder of a printing press. The cylinder can be conventional or seamless.

Abstract: A precursor for preparing a resist pattern comprises an imageable layer which includes a relatively volatile compound that can be volatilized by application of heat, wherein imaging radiation can be applied to the precursor to heat areas thereof and volatilizes said compound so that properties, for example, the ink accepting abilities of heated and non heated areas, are different.

Abstract: A negative planographic printing plate precursor for heat-mode exposure systems, which has, on a support, a photosensitive layer containing: (A) a light-to-heat conversion agent; (B) a polymerizable unsaturated group-having compound; and (C) an onium salt having a counter anion with a valency of at least 2. The precursor is capable of being exposed with an IR laser for image formation thereon. The onium salt may be, for example, a diazonium salt, iodonium salt or sulfonium salt. The counter anion has at least two anionic sites which may be the same or different, and the anionic structure is preferably divalent to hexavalent.

Abstract: An imaging member, such as a negative-working printing plate or on-press cylinder, has an imaging layer comprised of a thermally sensitive ionomer (charged polymer) and a photothermal conversion material that is a bis(aminoaryl)polymethine dye that is soluble in water or a water-miscible organic solvent, and that has a &lgr;max greater than 700 nm as measured in water or the water-miscible organic solvent.

Abstract: Photothermographic imaging materials having increased photospeed are provided by certain selenium chemical sensitizers that are added during the formulation of a photothermographic emulsion. These selenium chemical sensitizers can be used alone or in combination with other sulfur, tellurium, or gold chemical sensitizers as well as with oxidatively decomposed sulfur-containing compounds.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive composition of the positive type comprising a polymeric binder and a solubility inhibitor, wherein the said solubility inhibitor consists of an organometallic compound, with the exclusion of the metallocenes, an organic salt or an organic complex of an inorganic salt of a metal belonging to the group IIIA or transition group of the periodic system of the elements.

Abstract: The invention provides a planographic printing plate precursor, utilizing a support member having a hydrophilic surface excellent in hydrophilicity and durability, providing effects of improving scumming in the printing operation and capable of forming large numbers of prints of high image quality even under severe printing conditions.

Abstract: A presensitized plate having: on an aluminum support, a thermosensitive layer containing a photothermal conversion agent which absorbs infrared rays and generates heat and a water-insoluble and alkali-soluble resin, of which solubility to an alkali aqueous solution increases by heating, wherein the aluminum support has a grained structure with large undulation and a grained structure with small undulation on a surface thereof. This presensitized plate is excellent in damage resistance and sensitivity, and after the plate is processed into a lithographic plate, it is also excellent in scum resistance and press life.

Abstract: This invention comprises an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a phenolic activating agent in combination with a blocked color-forming agent of Structure I: wherein PUG is a photographically useful color-forming agent, LINK 1 and LINK 2 are linking groups; TIME is a timing group; HET is a heterocyclic group, and the other groups are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: A direct-to-press imaging method comprises: (a) applying an imageable coating to a printing cylinder, wherein the imageable coating comprises a composition such as a thermally switchable polymer which changes affinity for a printing fluid upon exposure to imaging radiation such as infrared radiation delivered imagewise via a laser, and the imageable coating is substantially insoluble in the printing fluid; (b) imagewise exposing the imageable coating to actinic radiation to obtain an imaged coating; (c) printing a plurality of copies of an image from the imaged coating; and (d) reapplying the imageable coating as desired by repeating steps (a) through (c) at least once without substantially removing the prior imaged coating before reapplying the imageable coating.

Abstract: The present invention relates to IR-sensitive compositions suitable for the manufacture of printing plates developable on-press. The IR-sensitive compositions comprise a first polymeric binder which does not comprise acidic groups having a pKa value≦8; a second polymeric binder comprising polyether groups; an initiator system; and a free radical polymerizable system comprising at least one member selected from unsaturated free radical polymerizable monomers, free radical polymerizable oligomers and polymers containing C═C bonds in the back bone and/or in the side chain groups. The initiator system includes (i) at least one compound capable of absorbing IR radiation; (ii) at least one compound capable of producing radicals selected from polyhaloalkyl-substituted compounds; and (iii) at least one polycarboxylic acid of formula R4—(CR5R6)r—Y—CH2COOH, wherein oxi<redii+1.

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: Lithographic printing form precursors comprising positive working polymeric coatings on substrates may during storage or transportation undergo undesirable changes in their imaging properties. It has been found that acceptable properties can be restored by carrying out a heat treatment which involves a relatively short heating stage followed by accelerated cooling.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing plate precursor comprising a substrate and provided thereon, a layer containing a light heat conversion material, wherein the light heat conversion material does not substantially change in nature when allowed to stand in a temperature atmosphere of 400 to 500° C. for 10 minutes or a printing plate precursor comprising a substrate and provided thereon, a hydrophilic layer which is porous, wherein the hydrophilic layer contains a carbon atom-free material in an amount of not less than 91% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photosensitive composition for an infrared laser used for direct plate making, which has high sensitivity and good developing latitude and storage stability, and provides a planographic printing plate in which this composition is used. The positive-type photosensitive composition of the present invention has (a) a macromolecular compound having alkali-soluble groups and (b) a compound that has a phthalocyanine skeleton and has in its molecule at least one group which can form a bond by interaction with an alkali-soluble group in the macromolecular compound (a).

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: A process for making thermally imageable negative working compositions comprising the steps of: (1) providing a patterning composition layer on a substrate, said patterning composition comprising: (a) at least one thermal-generator acid generator, (b) at least one cross-linking resin or compound; (c) at least one binder resin comprising a polymer containing at least one reactive pendent group selected from the group, consisting of hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, sulfonamide, alkoxymethylamide and mixtures thereof; and (d) at least one infrared absorber; (2) subjecting the patterning composition layer to a two-stage radiation exposure; (a) one stage being a flood UV-exposure; and (b) the other stage being a imagewise infrared exposure stage; (3) treating the exposed patterning composition with heat energy; and (4) developing the heat treated, exposed patterning composition with an aqueous alkaline developer to remove the non-imaged areas of the patterning composition and leaving the imaged areas substanti

Abstract: A donor element for use in laser thermal imaging has a layer which comprises an infrared-absorbing material, an image dye and a polymer matrix comprising a thermally degradable polymer and a non thermally degradable polymer there being an interaction between the infrared-absorbing material and the non degradable polymer to facilitate retention of the infrared-absorbing material in the donor element. The degradable and non degradable polymers are preferably copolymers both of which contain methacrylic acid as a monomer. The degradable polymer is preferably a copolymer of methoxyethyl cyanoacrylate and methacrylic acid preferably in molar proportions of from 1:1 to 12:1. The non degradable polymer is preferably a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid, preferably in molar proportions of from 1:1 to 15:1.

Abstract: There are provided a thermal transfer film which can yield an image formed object possessing excellent fastness or resistance properties such as excellent abrasion resistance and lightfastness, has good sensitivity in transfer, and is free from blocking during storage in a roll form, a thermal transfer recording medium, and a method for image formation using them. The thermal transfer film comprises: a substrate; and one or a plurality of layers provided on one side of the substrate, the one or plurality of layers including at least a thermal transfer layer, the thermal transfer layer being located on the uppermost surface of the thermal transfer film, the thermal transfer layer comprising at least two polyester resins different from each other in number average molecular weigh.

Abstract: A positive photosensitive printing plate is prepared wherein the photosensitivity is to near-infrared rays which do not induce a chemical change in a photosensitive component. The photosensitive material has an inclined structure from the viewpoint of dissolution of the irradiated portion in an alkali developer. The dissolution rate is such that it continuously increases from the upper, surface part of the photosensitive material to the lower part of the photosensitive material. This effect may be enhanced by diffusion of a material, preferably a polar compound, such as H2O, from the surface toward the inner lower part of the photosensitive material. Techniques for accomplishing the diffusion include contacting the surface of the photosensitive material with an atmosphere of high humidity or overlaying the photosensitive material with a layer of protective material (paper) containing moisture and heating the resultant composite.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a heat-sensitive imaging material for making lithographic printing plates which require no processing. The heat-sensitive imaging element comprises on a lithographic base having a hydrophilic surface a metallic or metal oxide layer and on top thereof an oleophobic oleophilic polymeric layer having a thickness of less than 5 &mgr;m and comprising a polymer containing phenolic groups.