Laser-imageable composition

1 . A laser-imageable composition consisting of:

(a) an oxyanion of a multivalent metal;

(b) an oligomer;

(c) a monomer;

(d) a stabiliser; and

(e) a photoinitiator,

wherein the oxyanion of a multivalent metal comprises particles having a D 50 particle size distribution of 10 μm or less,

wherein the particles of the oxyanion of a multivalent metal have a D 10 particle size distribution of 4 μm or less, and

wherein the oligomer is selected from: an epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, a modified epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, an amine (meth)acrylate oligomer, and combinations thereof.

2 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles of the oxyanion of a multivalent metal have a D 50 particle size distribution of 7 μm or less.

3 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles of the oxyanion of a multivalent metal have a surface area of 950 m 2 /kg or more.

4 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the oxyanion of a multivalent metal is an ammonium salt of an oxyanion of a multivalent metal.

5 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is a radiation curable oligomer.

6 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is selected from: an epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, modified epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, and combinations thereof.

7 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the monomer is selected from tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA), glycerylpropoxy triacrylate (GPTA), trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), lauryl acrylate (LA), trimethylolpropane (EO) 3 triacrylate (TMP(EO) 3 TA) and trimethylolpropane (EO) 9 triacrylate (TMP(EO) 9 TA).

8 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the oligomer has a viscosity of 50 Pa-s or more.

9 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the monomer has a viscosity of 1.8 Pa-s or less.

10 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the monomer has a viscosity of from 0.01 to 1.8 Pa-s.

11 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the monomer has a viscosity of from 0.015 to 1.8 Pa-s.

12 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is selected from a difunctional or trifunctional epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, modified epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, amine (meth)acrylate oligomer, and combinations thereof, and the monomer is selected from tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA), glycerylpropoxy triacrylate (GPTA), trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), trimethylolpropane (EO) 3 triacrylate (TMP(EO) 3 TA) and trimethylolpropane (EO) 9 triacrylate (TMP(EO) 9 TA).

13 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the print viscosity of the laser-imageable composition is from 10 to 600 Pa-s.

14 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the laser-imageable composition is configured to be used in offset lithographic printing or the formation of an image on a substrate.

15 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the oligomer is difunctional, trifunctional or tetrafunctional, or an oligomer of higher functionality.

16 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the monomer is difunctional or trifunctional.

17 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles of the oxyanion of a multivalent metal have a D 90 particle size distribution of 25 μm or less.

18 . A method of forming a substrate having a laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 applied thereto, the method comprising applying the laser-imageable composition to a substrate.

19 . A method of forming an image on a substrate comprising a laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 applied thereto, the method comprises exposing the laser-imageable composition to radiation to form an image on the substrate.

20 . A substrate comprising a laser-imageable composition according to claim 1 , optionally wherein the substrate is a non-metal substrate.

21 . The substrate according to claim 20 , wherein the laser-imageable composition is applied to the substrate to a coat weight of from 0.7 to 2 gsm.

22 . The substrate according to claim 20 , wherein the substrate comprises a single layer of the laser-imageable composition applied thereto.

23 . A laser-imageable composition comprising:

(a) an oxyanion of a multivalent metal; and

(b) an oligomer;

wherein the oxyanion of a multivalent metal comprises particles having a D 50 particle size distribution of 10 μm or less, the particles of the oxyanion of a multivalent metal have a D 10 particle size distribution of 4 μm or less,

wherein the oligomer is selected from: an epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, a modified epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, an amine (meth)acrylate oligomer, and combinations thereof, and

wherein the laser-imageable composition does not comprise an additional component acting as a binder for the laser-imageable composition.

24 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 23 , wherein the laser-imageable composition further comprises a monomer.

25 . The laser-imageable composition according to claim 24 , wherein the monomer is selected from tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA), glycerylpropoxy triacrylate (GPTA), trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), lauryl acrylate (LA), trimethylolpropane (EO) 3 triacrylate (TMP(EO) 3 TA) and trimethylolpropane (EO) 9 triacrylate (TMP(EO) 9 TA).

26 . A method of forming a laser-imageable composition according to claim 23 , wherein the method comprises:

(a) forming a composition comprising an oxyanion of a multivalent metal and the oligomer; and

(b) milling the composition to obtain the laser-imageable composition comprising the oxyanion of a multivalent metal and the oligomer, wherein the oxyanion of a multivalent metal comprises particles having a D 50 particle size distribution of 10 μm or less; and

wherein the particles of the oxyanion of a multivalent metal have a D 10 particle size distribution of 4 μm or less.