Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed which comprises on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer a heat and/or light-sensitive coating including an infrared absorbing agent and a compound including a benzoxazine group.

Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed which comprises on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer a heat and/or light-sensitive coating including an infrared absorbing agent, a compound including a blocked isocyanate group and an alkali soluble resin comprising a monomeric unit including a Lewis base moiety.

Abstract: A security document precursor including, in order, at least: a) a transparent biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate foil; b) a colourless colour forming layer containing at least an infrared absorber, a colour forming component and a polymeric binder; and c) a polymeric support; wherein the colourless colour forming layer contains at least one component forming a compound having a melting temperature of less than 20° C. upon laser marking the colourless colour forming layer with an infrared laser. Methods for securing a security document using the security document precursor are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of colour laser marking a security document precursor including, in order, at least: a) a polymeric foil; b) at least one colourless colour forming layer for generating a colour different from black containing at least an infrared absorber, a colour forming compound and a polymeric binder; and c) either a lasermarkable polymeric support or a lasermarkable layer for generating a black colour; comprising the steps of: (1) laser marking a colour different from black in the colourless colour forming layer with an infrared laser used in continuous wave mode; and (2) laser marking a black colour by carbonization in the lasermarkable polymeric support or the lasermarkable layer with the same infrared laser used in a pulsed mode; and wherein at least one of the polymeric foil and the lasermarkable polymeric support is transparent for the infrared light of the infrared laser.

Abstract: A method of colour laser marking an article having a polymeric foil with at least one colourless layer containing an infrared absorber, a polymeric binder and a colour forming compound; including the steps of:—laser marking the colourless layer with an infrared laser using a first laser operation mode to generate a blue or cyan colour; and—laser marking the same colourless layer with an infrared laser using a second laser operation mode to generate a black colour, wherein the first laser operation mode applies less energy to the colourless layer than the second laser operation mode.

Abstract: A security document precursor including, in order: a) at least one transparent biaxially stretched polyester foil; b) one colourless colour forming layer containing at least an infrared absorber, a colourless dye-precursor and a polymeric binder; and c) a polymeric support; wherein the polymeric binder is copolymer including at least 90 wt % of a chlorinated ethylene and 1 wt % to 10 wt % of vinyl acetate both based on the total weight of the binder. Methods for making the security document precursor are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for treating a lithographic printing plate including the step of applying a liquid containing a surfactant to the plate, characterized in that the surfactant includes at least one hydrophilic segment including polyglycerol, and at least one hydrophobic segment selected from an optionally substituted alkylene group, an alkyl or aryl substituted poly(meth)acrylate, an optionally substituted polyester, polyether, polyurethane, polycarbosilane, polysiloxane, polystyrene and/or a polymer including a perfluoroalkyl group with the proviso that the liquid is not applied as a fountain solution.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a lithographic printing plate which includes providing a lithographic printing plate precursor having a coating therein, image-wise exposing the coating, and developing the precursor. The coating includes (i) a contiguous photopolymerizable layer of a photopolymerizable composition or (ii) a contiguous intermediate layer with a photopolymerizable layer of a photopolymerizable composition thereon. The photopolymerizable composition includes a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator and a first polymer. The contiguous photopolymerizable layer or the contiguous intermediate layer also includes an adhesion promoting compound and a second polymer.

Abstract: A method for developing a printing plate precursor comprising the step of immersing the precursor in an aqueous alkaline developing solution comprising a (co)polymer comprising a monomeric unit which is represented by the following formula (I): wherein L is a linking group; R1, R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen or an alkyl group; R4 represents an optionally substituted hydroxyaryl group; x=0 or 1; y=0 or 1 and when y=0 then x=1 and L is further bound to C* to form a cyclic structure.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, and a coating thereon, said coating comprising an IR absorbing agent and a polyvinylacetal binder, said polyvinylacetal comprising an acetal group having an acetal carbon atom substituted by a phenolic group, a naphtol group or an antracenol group, a second recurring unit comprising an acetal group having an acetal carbon atom substituted by an alkyl group having a hydrocarbon chain containing 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms, and a third recurring unit comprising an acetal group having an acetal carbon atom substituted by an alkyl group having a hydrocarbon chain containing 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms wherein the alkyl group of the acetal group of the third recurring unit is different from the alkyl group of the acetal group of the second recurring unit. The precursor exhibits an improved sensitivity on exposure and the stability against daylight exposure is further improved.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor includes a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and a coating provided thereon, the coating including an image-recording layer which includes hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles, a binder, and an infrared absorbing dye; wherein the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles have an average particle diameter, measured by Photon Correlation Spectroscopy, of more than 10 nm and less than 40 nm; the amount of the IR-dye, without taking into account an optional counter ion, is more than 0.80 mg per m2 of the total surface of the thermoplastic polymer particles, measured by Hydrodynamic Fractionation; and the amount of hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles relative to the total weight of the ingredients of the imaging layer is at least 60%.

Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed which comprises on a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer a heat and/or light-sensitive coating including an infrared absorbing agent and a compound including a benzoxazine group.

Abstract: A method for making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of (i) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including a coating, the coating including an image-recording layer which includes hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles, a binder, and an infrared absorbing dye, wherein the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles have an average particle diameter, measured by Photon Correlation Spectroscopy, of more than 10 nm and less than 40 nm, and the amount of the IR-dye, without taking into account an optional counter ion, is more than 0.70 mg per m2 of the total surface of the thermoplastic polymer particles, measured by Hydrodynamic Fractionation, and the amount of hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles relative to the total weight of the ingredients of the imaging layer is at least 60%; (ii) exposing the precursor to infrared light; and (iii) developing the exposed precursor in an alkaline aqueous solution.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor includes a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, a heat-sensitive coating including an IR absorbing agent, a phenolic resin, and a first polymer, wherein the first polymer is an alkaline soluble polymer including a monomeric unit having a structure according to Formula I or Formula II, wherein at least one of the aromatic groups Ar1 and Ar2 is an optionally substituted heteroaromatic group:

Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a coating on the support including an imaging layer, and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the imaging layer and the support, wherein the imaging layer includes a switchable polymer, b) image-wise exposing the coating, whereby the polymer undergoes a chemical reaction induced by the exposing step thereby creating a lithographic image consisting of printing areas and non-printing areas wherein the non-printing areas are removable from the support by a gum solution, and c) developing the precursor by treating the coating of the precursor with the gum solution thereby removing the non-printing areas.

Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate includes the steps of a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor including (i) a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, (ii) a coating on the support including a photopolymerizable layer, and, optionally, an intermediate layer between the photopolymerizable layer and the support, wherein the photopolymerizable layer includes a polymerizable compound, a polymerization initiator, and a reactive binder; b) image-wise exposing the coating in a plate setter; c) optionally, heating the precursor in a pre-heating unit; d) developing the precursor off-press in a gumming unit by treating the coating of the precursor with a gum solution, thereby removing the non-exposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer from the support, wherein the reactive binder is a polymer containing a monomeric unit which includes a group having an ethylenically unsaturated bond.

Abstract: A method of making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of: a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer, and a coating provided thereon, said coating comprising (i) a contiguous photopolymerisable layer having a photopolymerisable composition, or (ii) a contiguous intermediate layer and thereon a photopolymerisable layer having a photopolymerisable composition, wherein said photopolymerisable composition comprises a polymerisable compound, a polymerization initiator and a first polymer, b) image-wise exposing said coating, c) optionally, heating the precursor, d) developing the precursor by treating the coating of the precursor with a gum solution or by mounting the exposed precursor on a plate cylinder of a lithographic printing press and rotating the plate cylinder while feeding dampening liquid and/or ink to the coating, wherein said contiguous photopolymerisable or intermediate layer furt

Abstract: A method for developing a printing plate precursor comprising the step of immersing the precursor in an aqueous alkaline developing solution comprising a (co) polymer comprising a monomeric unit which is represented by the following formula (I): wherein L is a linking group; R1, R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen or an alkyl group; R4 represents an optionally substituted hydroxyaryl group; x=0 or 1; y=0 or 1 and when y=0 then x=1 and L is further bound to C* to form a cyclic structure.

Abstract: A method for treating a lithographic printing plate including the step of applying a liquid containing a surfactant to the plate, characterized in that the surfactant includes at least one hydrophilic segment including polyglycerol, and at least one hydrophobic segment selected from an optionally substituted alkylene group, an alkyl or aryl substituted poly(meth)acrylate, an optionally substituted polyester, polyether, polyurethane, polycarbosilane, polysiloxane, polystyrene and/or a polymer including a perfluoroalkyl group with the proviso that the liquid is not applied as a fountain solution.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed which comprises a support having a hydrophilic surface and a coating which does not dissolve in an aqueous alkaline developer in the unexposed areas and which becomes soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer in the exposed areas, and an intermediate layer between said hydrophilic surface or said hydrophilic layer and said coating, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a first polymer having a first monomeric unit of formula I wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group, R4 and R5 are independently an optionally substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or arylalkyl group. The precursor exhibits an excellent differentiation in dissolution kinetics between the exposed and non-exposed areas of the coating and a high chemical resistance against printing liquids and press chemicals.