Nanopastes as ink-jet compositions for printing plates
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method of forming an image on a printing plate, in which a nanopaste is imagewise ink-jet applied onto a surface of a substrate. The layer is then treated to form an image area. The method is useful in the formation of printing plates and radiation opaque masks.
1. A method for forming an image on a substrate comprising:
providing a hydrophilic substrate;
imagewise ink-jet applying onto a surface of the hydrophilic substrate a nanopaste comprising metal nanoparticles and a carrier; and
treating the nanopaste to form an ink-receptive image area.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a metal, polymeric material, ceramic, stiff paper, or a laminate.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises aluminum.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a transparent material.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises polyester.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a flexographic printing element.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a photopolymerisable layer.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal nanoparticles comprise silver, palladium or a mixture of silver and palladium.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal nanoparticles comprise copper, gold, platinum, nickel or combinations thereof.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than about 50 nm.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than about 25 nm.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than about 15 nm.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal nanoparticles have an average diameter of less than about 10 nm.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier is a substantially organic carrier.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier is a substantially aqueous carrier.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the carrier consists essentially of water.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the substantially aqueous carrier consists essentially of a mixture of water and a water-miscible organic liquid.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the water-miscible liquid consists essentially of an alcohol.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste comprises metal nanoparticles and a substantially aqueous solution.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste comprises between about 0.5 and about 75 w/w % metal nanoparticles.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste comprises between about 0.5 and about 25 w/w % metal nanoparticles.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste comprises between about 0.5 and about 10 w/w % metal nanoparticles.
23. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste further comprises a dispersing agent.
24. The method of claim 1 wherein the dispersing agent comprises a surfactant.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the surfactant is a cationic, anionic or amphoteric surfactant.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant.
27. The method of claim 24 wherein the surfactant comprises a perfluoroalkyl, alkylphenyl, or polysiloxane surfactant.
28. The method of claim 24 wherein the surfactant comprises a polysiloxane polyether, polysiloxane copolymer, alkyl-aryl modified methyl-polysiloxane or acylated polysiloxane.
29. The method of claim 24 wherein the surfactant comprises sorbitan tristearate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan triolate, monoglyceride stearate or polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether.
30. The method of claim 24 wherein the surfactant comprises alkyl di(aminoethyl)glycine, alkyl polyaminoethylglycine hydrochloride, 2-alkyl-n-carboxyethyl-N-hydroxyethyl imidazolinium betaine, or N-tetradecyl-N, N-substituted betaine.
31. The method of claim 23 wherein the nanopaste comprises between about 0.05 to about 15.0 w/w % dispersing agent.
32. The method of claim 23 wherein the nanopaste comprises between about 0.1 to about 5.0 w/w % dispersing agent.
33. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste further comprises a binder.
34. The method of claim 33 wherein the binder is soluble or dispersible in substantially organic carriers.
35. The method of claim 33 wherein the binder is soluble or dispersible in substantially aqueous carriers.
36. The method of claim 33 wherein the binder comprises epoxy resin, modified epoxy resin, polyester resin, novolak resin, cellulose resin, copolymers of vinylidene chloride and acrylonitrile, acrylic resin, polyvinyl resin, silicone resin, polyamide resin, vinyl alcohol resin, resol resin, acetal resin, polyacrylonitrile resin, formaldehyde resin, polycarbonate resin, polyimide resin, or copolymers or derivatives thereof.
37. The method of claim 33 wherein the binder comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylimidazole, acrylic acid polymers, polyethyleneimine, poly(ethyloxazoline), gelatin, starches, dextrin, amylogen, gum arabic, agar, algin, carrageenan, fucoidan, laminaran, corn hull gum, gum ghatti, karaya gum, locust bean gum, pectin, guar gum, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyimethylcellulose or carboxymethylcellulose.
38. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste is free of binders.
39. The method of claim 1 wherein the nanopaste further comprises a surfactant, humectant, biocide, viscosity builder, colorant, pH adjuster, drying agent, defoamer or a combination thereof.
40. The method of claim 39 wherein the surfactant comprises an alkylated surfactant, fluorosurfactant or siliconated surfactants.
41. The method of claim 39 wherein the surfactant comprises sodium dodecylsulfate, isopropylamine salts of an alkylarylsulfonate, sodium dioctyl succinate, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, dodecylbenzene sulfonate, alkyl ether phosphoric acid, N-dodecylamine, dicocoamine, 1-aminoethyl-2-alkylimidazoline, 1-hydroxyethyl-2-alkylimidazoline, cocoalkyl trimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride, or polyethylene tricecyl ether phosphate.
42. The method of claim 1 wherein treating the layer comprises drying the layer.
43. The method of claim 42 wherein drying the layer comprises air drying the layer.
44. The method of claim 42 wherein drying the layer comprises oven drying the layer.
45. The method of claim 42 wherein drying the layer comprises heating the layer.
46. The method of claim 45 wherein heating the layer comprises heating the layer at between about 50 and 300° C.
47. The method of claim 45 wherein heating the layer comprises heating the layer at between about 100 and 200° C.
48. The method of claim 45 wherein heating the layer comprises heating the layer at less than 100° C.
49. The method of claim 1 comprising enhancing the ink-receptiveness of the image area.
50. The method of claim 1 comprising applying a conditioner to the image area to enhance the ink-receptiveness of the image area.
51. A method of forming an image on a hydrophilic substrate comprising:
providing a hydrophilic substrate;
imagewise ink-jet applying onto a surface of the hydrophilic substrate an inorganic nanopaste consisting essentially of metal nanoparticles and a substantially aqueous carrier; and
drying the nanopaste to form an ink-receptive image area.
52. A method of making a printing plate comprising:
providing a hydrophilic substrate;
imagewise ink-jet applying onto a surface of the hydrophilic substrate a nanopaste comprising inorganic nanoparticles and a carrier; and
treating the nanopaste to form an ink-receptive image area.
53. The method of claim 52 wherein treating the layer comprises drying the layer.
54. The method of claim 53 wherein drying the layer comprises air drying the layer.
55. The method of claim 53 wherein drying the layer comprises oven drying the layer.
56. The method of claim 52 comprising applying a conditioner to the image area to increase the ink-receptiveness of the image area.
57. A method of making a mask comprising:
providing a hydrophilic substrate;
imagewise ink-jet applying onto a surface of the hydrophilic substrate a nanopaste comprising metal nanoparticles and a carrier; and
treating the layer to form a radiation opaque, ink-receptive image area.
58. The method of claim 57 wherein the carrier comprises a substantially aqueous carrier.
59. The method of the 57 wherein the inorganic nanoparticles comprise metal nanoparticles.
60. The method of claim 57 wherein the nanopaste is free of binders.
61. The method of claim 57 wherein the treating step comprises drying the layer.
62. The method of claim 57 wherein the treating step comprises heating the layer.
63. The method of claim 57 wherein the treating step comprises drying and heating the layer.
64. The method of claim 57 wherein the image area has an optical density of greater than about 2.0.
65. The method of claim 57 wherein the image area has an optical density of greater than about 2.5.
66. The method of claim 57 wherein the image area has an optical density between about 2.5 and 3.0.
67. A printing plate or mask having a hydrophilic substrate and an ink-receptive image area including inorganic nanoparticles adhered to a surface of the hydrophilic substrate, the printing plate or mask formed by a method comprising the steps of:
providing a hydrophilic substrate;
imagewise ink-jet applying onto a surface of the hydrophilic substrate a nanopaste comprising metal nanoparticles and a carrier; and
treating the nanopaste to form an, ink-receptive image area.