Abstract: A method of making a flexographic printing form precursor for laser engraving including the steps of (i) providing at least one layer of a curable composition on a substrate; (ii) curing the at least one layer; wherein the curable composition defining an outermost layer includes at least 0.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition of an organo-silicon compound including at least one polymerizable group; and a urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer having three or less polymerizable groups.

Abstract: A method for inkjet printing includes, in order, the steps of a) providing an ink-receiver; b) jetting an image on the ink-receiver with a curable inkjet ink; and c) jetting and curing on the image an outermost layer of a curable liquid; wherein the curable liquid contains a silicon modified or fluorinated polymerizable compound in an amount between 20 wt % and 99.6 wt % based on the total weight of the curable liquid and the silicon modified or fluorinated polymerizable compounds are either absent or present in the curable inkjet ink in a concentration of less than 20 wt % based on the total weight of the curable inkjet ink. A curable inkjet ink set includes curable inkjet inks and one curable liquid wherein the curable liquid contains a silicon modified or fluorinated polymerizable compound in an amount between 20 wt % and 99.

Abstract: A method of making a flexographic printing sleeve form includes the steps of forming a sleeve body by providing one or more at least partially cured uniform layers on a sleeve carrier; forming a relief image on the sleeve body by imagewise jetting a curable jetting fluid; and optionally overall post-curing; characterized in that between formation of the sleeve body and formation of the relief image no polishing or grinding is performed.

Abstract: A coating device for coating a peripheral surface of a sleeve body with a coating formulation includes a vertical support column for supporting a sleeve body in a vertical position coaxial with a coating axis, a carriage slideable along the vertical support column, and an annular coating stage attached to the carriage and moveable therewith for containing the coating formulation and for coating a layer of the coating formulation onto the peripheral surface of the sleeve body during a sliding movement of the carriage along the vertical support column. The coating device includes an irradiation stage that is arranged to be moveable with the annular coating stage and to provide radiation to at least partially cure the layer of coating formulation onto the peripheral surface so as to prevent flow off of the coating formulation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing a non-transparent microvoided axially stretched film including i) mixing a linear polyester having monomer components consisting essentially of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, an aliphatic diol and optionally an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, a non-crosslinked random SAN-polymer and one or more additional ingredients to produce a mixture, ii) forming the mixture produced in step i) in a thick film followed by quenching; iii) stretching the thick film at a temperature between the glass transition temperature of the SAN-polymer and the glass transition temperature of said linear polyester to at least twice the initial length, and (iv) further stretching the film at an angle substantially 90° to the previous stretching process to at least twice the initial length and at 90° C. or below.

Abstract: A coating device for coating a peripheral surface of a sleeve body with a coating formulation includes a vertical support column for supporting a sleeve body in a vertical position coaxial with a coating axis, a carriage slideable along the vertical support column, and an annular coating stage attached to the carriage and moveable therewith for containing the coating formulation and for coating a layer of the coating formulation onto the peripheral surface of the sleeve body during a sliding movement of the carriage along the vertical support column. The coating device includes an irradiation stage that is arranged to be moveable with the annular coating stage and to provide radiation to at least partially cure the layer of coating formulation onto the peripheral surface so as to prevent flow off of the coating formulation.

Abstract: A method of making a flexographic printing form precursor for laser engraving including the steps of (i) providing at least one layer of a curable composition on a substrate; (ii) curing the at least one layer; wherein the curable composition defining an outermost layer includes at least 0.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition of an organo-silicon compound including at least one polymerizable group; and a urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer having three or less polymerizable groups.

Abstract: A method of making a flexographic printing forme precursor for laser engraving including the steps of (i) providing at least one layer of a curable composition on a substrate; (ii) curing the at least one layer; wherein the curable composition defining an outermost layer includes at least 0.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition of an organo-silicon compound including at least one polymerizable group; and a urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer having three or less polymerizable groups.

Abstract: A method for inkjet printing includes, in order, the steps of a) providing an ink-receiver having an image thereon; b) forming on the ink-receiver a layer of a first curable liquid and curing the layer; and c) forming an outermost layer of a second curable liquid only on the cured first curable liquid and at least partially covering the image; wherein the second curable liquid contains an abherent agent which is absent in the first curable liquid and wherein at least one of the first and second curable liquids is inkjet printed. Also, a polymerizable abherent agent may be used in a curable liquid to prevent falsification of an ID document. Also, a set of curable liquids for inkjet printing includes a first curable liquid and a second curable liquid wherein the second curable liquid contains an abherent agent which is absent in the first curable liquid.

Abstract: A method of ink-jet printing an authentication mark on an article including, in order, the steps of: a) providing an article including an ink-receiving layer; b) applying a curable fluid on an ink-receiving layer according to a first image; c) at least partially curing the curable fluid; and d) jetting at least one ink-jet ink on the ink-receiving layer according to a second image partially overlapping with the first image. The method can be advantageously used to generate a security document.

Abstract: A method of ink-jet printing including, in order, the steps of: a) providing a coated ink-receiving layer containing a polymeric binder and a curable compound; b) at least partially curing the coated ink-receiving layer according to a first image; and c) jetting at least one ink-jet ink on the ink-receiving layer according to a second image partially overlapping with the first image. The method can be advantageously used to apply authentication marks to a product, e.g., a security document or a product packaging.

Abstract: Information carrier precursor comprising a rigid sheet or support; a receiving layer configuration comprising at least one layer; and at least one substance, optionally provided pattern-wise, capable of and available for interacting in situ with at least one species diffusing through the receiving layer configuration to produce a functional species, wherein at least one layer of the receiving layer configuration comprises at least one pigment, at least one binder, opaque porous parts capable of being rendered substantially transparent by penetration by a lacquer provided at the outermost surface of the receiving layer configuration and non-porous transparent parts; a method for producing the above-mentioned information carrier precursor; a method for producing an information carrier; and information carriers produced therewith.

Abstract: A method for preparing a tamperproof ID document comprising in order the steps of a) providing an ID document having at least one image on at least one outermost surface of said ID document; b) printing or coating a curable liquid on at least one of said outermost surfaces of said ID document thereby forming an outermost layer on said printed or coated outermost surface at least partially covering said at least one image; and c) curing said outermost layer; wherein said curable liquid comprises a polymerizable and/or a polymeric abherent agent and said printed or coated outermost surface is the surface of a layer or foil exclusive of porous pigment. Also disclosed is an ID document wherein the surface of an outermost layer at least partially covering an image on the ID document has a surface energy of less than 28 mN/m; and the use of an abherent agent-comprising curable composition to provide ID-documents with a substantially non-printable and substantially non-laminatable abhesive surface.

Abstract: A first passive ferroelectric memory element comprising a first electrode system and a second electrode system, wherein said first electrode system is at least partly insulated from said second electrode system by an element system comprising at least one ferroelectric element, wherein said first electrode system is a conductive surface, or a conductive layer; wherein said second electrode system is an electrode pattern or a plurality of isolated conductive areas in contact with, for read-out or data-input purposes only, a plurality of conducting pins isolated from one another.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing a non-transparent microvoided axially stretched film including i) mixing a linear polyester having monomer components consisting essentially of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, an aliphatic diol and optionally an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, a non-crosslinked random SAN-polymer and one or more additional ingredients to produce a mixture, ii) forming the mixture produced in step i) in a thick film followed by quenching; iii) stretching the thick film at a temperature between the glass transition temperature of the SAN-polymer and the glass transition temperature of said linear polyester to at least twice the initial length, and (iv) further stretching the film at an angle substantially 90° to the previous stretching process to at least twice the initial length and at 90° C. or below.

Abstract: Methods for producing an information carrier produced by: (1) providing an information carrier precursor comprising a 5 rigid sheet or support; a receiving layer configuration having an image-receiving side and a non-image-receiving side, the receiving layer configuration comprising at least one pigment and at least one binder, (2) pattern-wise or integrally at least partially transparentizing the receiving layer configuration with a vaporizable liquid thereby providing a transparent pattern on the at least partially transparentized receiving layer; (3) using a light source to write a pattern or modify the pattern in the layer or element capable of a machine-readable change upon absorption of UV, visible or IR 25 radiation after transmission through at least part of the transparentized areas of the receiving layer configuration; evaporating the vaporizable liquid, thereby producing an information carrier.

Abstract: Information carrier precursor comprising a rigid sheet or support; a receiving layer configuration comprising at least one layer; and at least one substance, optionally provided pattern-wise, capable of and available for interacting in situ with at least one species diffusing through the receiving layer configuration to produce a functional species, wherein at least one layer of the receiving layer configuration is opaque, porous, has the capability of being rendered substantially transparent by penetration by a lacquer provided at the outermost surface of the receiving layer configuration and comprises at least one pigment and at least one binder; a method for producing the above-mentioned information carrier precursor; a method for producing an information carrier; and information carriers produced therewith.

Abstract: A first passive ferroelectric memory element comprising a first electrode system and a second electrode system, wherein said first electrode system is at least partly insulated from said second electrode system by an element system comprising at least one ferroelectric element, wherein said first electrode system is a conductive surface, or a conductive layer; wherein said second electrode system is an electrode pattern or a plurality of isolated conductive areas in contact with, for read-out or data-input purposes only, a plurality of conducting pins isolated from one another.

Abstract: Upon a substrate subsequent layers of elastic ink are jetted using an ink jet printing system. Each layer is immobilised by a immobilisation step before jetting the following layer. A printing relief is gradually formed to obtain a flexographic printing plate allowing accurate control over the relief and slopes of the printing plates. Use can be made of different inks or immobilisation step to obtain different layer characteristics. Inks can be immobilised using UV curing. The recorded relief of the layers can be measured and corrections can be applied using a feed-back loop. A rejuvenation process for printing plates can be constructed using the described method. An elastic base layer can be provided on the substrate to provide better plate characteristics.

Abstract: A method of making a flexographic printing forme includes the steps of: (1) providing a flexographic support; (2) applying a powder layer on said the support; (3) imagewise jetting a curable composition on the powder layer; (4) at least partially curing the jetted curable composition; (5) repeating steps (2) to (4) until the total thickness of the powder layers is greater than 100 ?m; (6) removal of the powder not embedded in the imagewise jetted and at least partially cured composition; and (7) optionally overall post curing.