Abstract: A coating fluid for printing plates which can be suitably used to make printing plates that permit images to be written in response to input digital data and that can be easily regenerated and reused. This coating fluid for printing plates comprises at least a carrier liquid, thermoplastic resin particles and an IR absorber, and the IR absorber has a decomposition starting temperature higher than the melt starting temperature of the thermoplastic resin particles.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printing plate precursor, a fabrication process of the printing plate precursor, a fabrication process of a printing plate, a regeneration process of the printing plate, a printing press, and a coating formulation for the printing plate precursor. According to the present invention, a printing plate can be fabricated directly from digital data, and sufficient image quality can be obtained without a developing step, i.e., a developer. To permit repeated use of the precursor, the precursor has a surface, which contains a photocatalyst and is capable of showing hydrophilicity when exposed to activating light having energy higher than band gap energy of the photocatalyst.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printing plate precursor, a fabrication process of the printing plate precursor, a fabrication process of a printing plate, a regeneration process of the printing plate, a printing press, and a coating formulation for the printing plate precursor. According to the present invention, a printing plate can be fabricated directly from digital data, and sufficient image quality can be obtained without a developing step, i.e., a developer. To permit repeated use of the precursor, the precursor has a surface, which contains a photocatalyst and is capable of showing hydrophilicity when exposed to activating light having energy higher than band gap energy of the photocatalyst.

Abstract: A printing press, and an apparatus and a process for regenerating a printing plate can repetitiously reuse the same printing plate and shorten time for decomposition of image areas formed by a hydrophobic organic compound under irradiation with activating light to delete the image areas. A process for regenerating a printing plate including a photosensitive layer, formed on the surface of a substrate, having a photocatalyst exhibits hydrophilicity responsive to activating light having energy higher than the photocatalyst's band-gap energy, and one or more hydrophobic image areas, formed on the surface of the photosensitive layer and operable to hold ink, comprises the steps of: removing ink remaining on the printing plate; hydrophilizing the surface of the printing plate by irradiating with the activating light and by heating the printing plate to delete the hydrophobic image areas; and applying an organic compound onto the printing plate.

Abstract: A layered formation, possibly used as a printing plate that is to be mounted to a printing press when performing printing, has a photocatalystic layer including a photocatalyst so that the surface of the photocatalyst layer is rapidly hydrophilized by irradiating with light having a lower irradiating energy. The layered formation or a printing plate includes an intermediate layer having two or more kinds of oxide semiconductors or a solid acid between a substrate and the photocatalyst layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of regenerating a printing plate, a regenerating apparatus, and a printing press which make it possible to regenerate a printing plate for repetitive use and shorten the time of plate regeneration. In particular, the present invention intends to make it possible to shorten a time for decomposing and removing an image area formed with an organic compound under irradiation of an activating light. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a printing plate, a method of fabricating the printing plate, a layered formation, and a method of fabricating the layered formation. The present invention is arranged to include a photosensitive layer containing a photocatalyst and when the photosensitive layer is applied on the surface thereof with an activating light having an energy level higher than the band gap energy of the photocatalyst under a heating atmosphere, the surface of the photosensitive layer can be swiftly hydrophilized.

Abstract: A coating fluid for printing plates which can be suitably used to make printing plates that permit images to be written in response to input digital data and that can be easily regenerated and reused. This coating fluid for. printing plates comprises at least a carrier liquid, thermoplastic resin particles and an IR absorber, and the IR absorber has a decomposition starting temperature higher than the melt starting temperature of the thermoplastic resin particles.

Abstract: A coating fluid for printing plates which can be suitably used to make printing plates that permit images to be written in response to input digital data and that can be easily regenerated and reused. This coating fluid for printing plates comprises at least a carrier liquid, thermoplastic resin particles and an IR absorber, and the IR absorber has a decomposition starting temperature higher than the melt starting temperature of the thermoplastic resin particles.

Abstract: A printing plate has a surface layer (3) including a photocatalyst that responds to visible light as well as ultraviolet light so that it is possible to form an image on the surface of the printing plate by irradiating with visible light and to regenerate the printing plate by deleting the formed image whereupon the printing plate can be reused.

Abstract: A printing plate has a surface layer (3) which includes a photocatalyst that responds to visible light as well as ultraviolet light and on which a coating (4) made of an organic compound having a hydrophobic group is formed so that it is possible to form an image on the surface of the printing plate by irradiating with visible light and to regenerate the printing plate by deleting the formed image whereupon the printing plate can be reused.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printing plate, a fabricating method thereof, a regenerating method of a printing plate and a printing press. A printing plate, on which an image is formed by light having a wavelength equal to or shorter than that of visible light and which is able to be made ready for printing without a wet development process and to be regenerated for reuse, includes: a substrate (1); a photosensitive layer (3), formed on a surface of said substrate (1) and including a photocatalyst that responds to light having a wavelength equal to or shorter than that of visible light; and an intermediate layer (2), interposed between said substrate (1) and said photosensitive layer (3) and including a semiconductor or an electric conductor.

Abstract: A printing plate has a photosensitive layer (3) including a photocatalyst formed on a strip-shaped windable substrate (1) with or without another layer (2) interposed so that the printing plate is wound into a roll shape. An unused portion is extracted from the printing plate roll (8A) each time of replacement of a printing plate and an image can be formed on the unused portion whereupon printing plate replacement is realized without regenerating of the printing plate.

Abstract: A printing press, and an apparatus and a process for regenerating a printing plate can repetitiously reuse the same printing plate and shorten time for decomposition of image areas formed by a hydrophobic organic compound under irradiation with activating light to delete the image areas. A process for regenerating a printing plate including a photosensitive layer, formed on the surface of a substrate, having a photocatalyst exhibits hydrophilicity responsive to activating light having energy higher than photocatalyst's a band-gap energy, and one or more hydrophobic image areas, formed on the surface of the photosensitive layer and operable to hold ink, comprises the steps of: removing ink remaining on the printing plate; hydrophilizing the surface of the printing plate by irradiating with the activating light and by heating the printing plate to delete the hydrophobic image areas; and applying an organic compound onto the printing plate.

Abstract: A coating fluid for printing plates which can be suitably used to make printing plates that permit images to be written in response to input digital data and that can be easily regenerated and reused. This coating fluid for printing plates comprises at least a carrier liquid, thermoplastic resin particles and an IR absorber, and the IR absorber has a decomposition starting temperature higher than the melt starting temperature of the thermoplastic resin particles.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printing plate precursor, a fabrication process of the printing plate precursor, a fabrication process of a printing plate, a regeneration process of the printing plate, a printing press, and a coating formulation for the printing plate precursor. According to the present invention, a printing plate can be fabricated directly from digital data, and sufficient image quality can be obtained without a developing step, i.e., a developer. To permit repeated use of the precursor, the precursor has a surface, which contains a photocatalyst and is capable of showing hydrophilicity when exposed to activating light having energy higher than band gap energy of the photocatalyst.