Abstract: A compact device for coalescing finely dispersed droplets of a conductive fluid emulsified in a stream of nonconductive fluid by the use of a high intensity electric field acting on the emulsion as it flows through a narrow flow gap under non-laminar flow conditions. The emulsion is introduced into the top of a vertically mounted cylindrical vessel or shell, and flows through one or more narrow, annular flow gaps formed between one or more electrodes, or an internal wall of the device. The broken emulsion is discharged from the bottom of the vessel, after having a short residence time in the high-intensity electrostatic field. The flow of the emulsion in the one or all of the narrow, annular flow gaps is non-laminar to provide substantially smaller equipment size, even with emulsions having high water content therein.

Abstract: An aqueous developable, photocurable composition and a method of improving solvent resistance and flexibility are disclosed. The composition comprises (a) an acid-containing copolymer having an acid ephr of at least 0.20 and (b) an acid-containing polymer suitable for flexibilizing the composition, which has at least one free ethylenically unsaturated group. It is preferable that either (a) or (b) or both are further reacted with a compound having a free ethylenically unsaturated group and a free acid reactive group, e.g. glycidyl(meth)acrylate. When the composition is formulated with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer and photoinitiator, the photocurable composition is especially suitable for use in an aqueous developable, flexible printing plate.

Abstract: This invention presents terpene-based solvents suitable for use in the processing of a wide variety of photopolymer printing plates. The solvents, which may be terpenes alone, terpenes mixed with organic non-solvents, or terpenes emulsified with water are effective in developing a wide variety of photopolymer printing plates and can produce images superior to those obtained with commercially available solvents currently used in such applications.