Abstract: Electronic-photography light-sensitive material provided with a light-sensitive material layer suitable for rendering of continuous gradation of tones.

Abstract: A process for preparing a waterless lithographic printing master is provided. A suitable substrate, which is preferably ink accepting is first coated with a curable silicone which is curable at low or elevated temperature and a second different curable silicone deposited on said first silicone which can be preferentially cured at a lower temperature without curing the first silicone and which second silicone contains, in addition to its own catalyst, an amount of high temperature curing catalyst sufficient to cure the underlying silicone. The surface silicone is then preferentially cured at least on its surface to render it nontacky, but not the underlying silicone.

Abstract: Stabilized alcohol or water in oil ink emulsions are provided comprising: a pigment, from 20 to 40% by weight resin of a block or graft copolymer having one type of polar segment miscible with water and alkyl alcohols of from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and another type of non-polar segment which can be absorbed on the pigment and is miscible with the non-polar components of the ink, said copolymer having a number average molecular weight of from 20,000 to 40,000; and a vehicle for said resin and pigment comprising polar and non-polar solvents.

Abstract: Microfilm structures of improved contrast are provided by coating a suitable transparent film substrate with an intermediate layer of a silicone elastomer which is abhesive to ink, coating said silicone with a surface layer of a photosensitive polymer which when exposed to activating electromagnetic radiation cross-links and chemically attaches to said silicone elastomer to form oleophilic ink accepting image areas, imagewise exposing said photosensitive polymer, removing the non-exposed, light sensitive polymer to form non-imaged areas of the abhesive silicone elastomer, and selectively inking the oleophilic image areas to form an imaged microfilm structure of improved image density and contrast.

Abstract: Improved waterless lithographic plates are provided. The master which comprises a copolymer of siloxane blocks crosslinked to an elastomeric ink releasing condition and organic thermoplastic blocks which are ink accepting is imaged with a particulate material, preferably an ink accepting thermoplastic polymer, and the thermoplastic blocks heated and cooled to bond the particulate imaging material thereto.

Abstract: A novel printing master and method for producing the same as disclosed, which comprises coating a suitable substrate with an uncured silicone gum, followed by the adherence thereto of a particulate image pattern. Resultant curing of the gum converts the gum to a tough elastomeric ink releasable film, thereby fixing the integral particles to the film while in intimate contact therewith. After curing, substantially all of the deposited particles are removed from the elastomer film, thereby revealing a "porous" image in the ink releasable film, of surprising ink receptive characteristics. The porous image thus is formed by contact of the integral particles of varying geometric shapes and sizes with the uncured silicone gum, thereby creating "impressions" of the particles in the gum which are then permanently stabilized in the gum by curing of the gum to an elastomeric film.

Abstract: A novel printing master and method for producing the same is disclosed which comprises the coating of a suitable substrate with an uncured silicone gum composition containing an activating proportion of a "blowing" or "foaming" agent. A particulate image pattern such as a toner image pattern, is transferred to the uncured silicone layer, followed by curing of the gum to an elastomeric ink releasable film. Activation of the "blowing" agent occurs during curing of the silicone to cause imagewise "foaming" of the silicone layer. After removal of the deposited image pattern, a "foamed" image is formed which is ink receptive and provides an imaged printing master suitable for use without a need for aqueous dampening solutions to provide ink release in non-imaged areas of the master.

Abstract: A process for preparing a mold for relief printing masters, said mold having an adhesive silicone surface, is provided comprising depositing a particulate material in image configuration on a suitable substrate, contacting said substrate with a second member comprising a substrate with an adhesive coating of a silicone gum curable to an adhesive elastomeric condition such that the adhesive gum is in contact with the image material, separating the members whereby the silicone layer splits in the nonimaged areas and is prevented from splitting by the transfer of the particulate image material to the second member in the image areas, and curing the silicone gum on the first member to an adhesive elastomeric condition to provide a mold for printing masters.

Abstract: Photoconductive waterless lithographic printing masters are provided having particle-to-particle contact of photoconductive material by placing a heterogeneous copolymer having an abhesive species and an imaging material adhesive species, in a solvent in which at least one of said species can be preferentially dissolved, preferentially dissolving one of said species and forming a suspension of photoconductive material in said soluble species, and coating the suspension on a suitable master substrate, allowing the solvent to evaporate, imaging the material with an ink accepting particulate imaging material in image configuration, and fusing the particulate imaging material to the coated master substrate while preferably effecting a phase inversion between the two species of the heterogeneous copolymer.

Abstract: A novel printing master and method for producing the same is disclosed which comprises; coating a suitable substrate with a layer of an ink releasable material selected from the group consisting of silicone elastomers and heterophase polymeric compositions having a silicone phase. A particulate image pattern is thereafter deposited on the layer and fused thereon to provide ink receptive image areas on said layer. The material used to provide the particulate image pattern comprises a heterophase polymeric composition also having a silicone phase, thereby providing a physically compatible image pattern for adherence to the silicone containing ink release layer.

Abstract: A method of selectively reinking an imaged master having residual ink on its image areas after transfer of an image to a receiving member, comprising interposing a screen between and in contact with said master and an inking member containing a viscous lithographic ink, the web of said screen coated with an ink releasing adhesive material having an adhesive release value when dry of less than about 100 grams per inch, and passing ink through the pores of said screen to only the imaged portions of said master.

Abstract: Improved waterless lithographic plates are provided. The master which comprises a copolymer of siloxane blocks crosslinked to an elastomeric ink releasing condition and organic thermoplastic blocks which are ink accepting is imaged with a particulate material, preferably an ink accepting thermoplastic polymer, and the thermoplastic blocks heated and cooled to bond the particulate imaging material thereto.

Abstract: An improved offset printing method is provided in which the blanket roller is coated with an ink releasable material to provide substantially complete transfer of an inked image from the master to the receiver sheet so as to obviate the requirement of cleaning the blanket after each print is made from a new image. The image is preferably formed by electrophotograhic means.

Abstract: A printing process is provided whereby a resilient image having a relief of from about 4 to 50 microns is formed on the surface of a hard, non-resilient substrate to form a printing member. The printing member is then contacted with a gravure donor member having disposed therein a liquid developer wherein said developer resides within cells from about 4 to 50 microns below the surface of the contact plane at a depth such that the developer contacts the image but not the non-imaged areas of the master so that said contacting selectively transfers said developer to said resilient image but not to the non-imaged areas, and the printing member is then contacted with a receiver sheet to transfer the developed image.

Abstract: Novel means for preparing waterless lithographic printing masters by ink jet imaging means are provided. A master is provided by depositing a silicone or other material which can be rendered ink releasing on a suitable master substrate by means of an ink jet printing apparatus, and curing the silicone to an elastomeric ink releasing condition. Alternatively, an ink jet printing apparatus can be employed to deposit in image configuration, a catalyst to an uncured silicone on a master substrate, a photopolymer to a cured silicone on a master substrate which photopolymer can be cured to combine with the silicone, or an imaging light insensitive shadow fluid to a light sensitive curable silicone coated on a master substrate whereby the background nonimaged areas can be cured and the shadow fluid and underlying silicone removed to reveal the ink accepting substrate.

Abstract: A master is formed on a photoconductive surface by first forming an electrostatic charge pattern on the imaging member and developing the charge pattern to form an image of electroscopic marking particles. The developed image is uniformly coated with a thin layer of an adhesive coating and the coated image is then contacted with an adhesive surface transfer element. Upon separation the thin layer of adhesive overcoating fractures. The thin overcoating over the electroscopic particles and these particles transfer to the transfer element so as to leave on the photoconductive member the remaining thin overcoating layer in an image configuration which constitutes the master.The master can be used to make copies by electrostatic, lithographic or gravure printing.

Abstract: A process for preparing a resilient foamed imaged printing master is provided. The process comprises depositing a conversion imaging fluid in image configuration on a printing master, said conversion fluid comprising an expandable polymer containing an encapsulated blowing agent and activating said blowing agent to expand said polymer and form a resilient foamed developed image.

Abstract: A method of removing irregularities on the surface of a waterless lithographic master comprising selectively heating an imaged adhesive silicone master, which is deformable at elevated temperature, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to smooth out irregularities in the surface of the master.

Abstract: A novel method of preparing a waterless lithographic master and a method of printing therefrom are provided. To prepare the printing master, a suitable ink accepting substrate such as aluminum, paper or plastic, is coated with a silicone gum curing catalyst, preferably suspended in a hydrophilic binder. A barrier fusable particulate hydrophobic image pattern is then deposited on said coated substrate and fused to mask said curing catalyst in the image areas. The substrate is then coated with an uncured silicone gum, preferably as an aqueous emulsion so that the gum does not adhere to the hydrophobic image pattern. The silicone gum is then cured in the nonimage areas to selectively provide ink receptive image areas and ink releasing nonimage areas. The method of printing comprises the additional steps of applying ink to the imaged master and contacting the inked master with an image receiving surface to thereby transfer the inked image.

Abstract: A method of forming a xerographic belt substrate is provided in which the conductive metal backing is an endless flexible seamless band of nickel. The substrate band is made by electroforming, using a cylindrical mandrel of aluminum with a thin coating of stainless steel, passivated nickel or chromium and an electroplating nickel solution. During the electroforming operation the mandrel is rotated about an anode disposed in the electroplating solution.