REDUCING PRINT LINE WIDTH ON FLEXO PLATES
A method for forming a pattern of continuous lines with a line width of 20 microns or less (FIG. 4 B) of a printable material composition ( 20 ) on a receiver element ( 70 ) includes providing an elastomeric relief element ( 60 ) and forming a relief pattern of a series of non-overlapping or discontinuous raised pixel features (FIGS. 10 A- 10 D) on the elastomeric relief element ( 60 ). The printable material composition ( 20 ) is applied to the uppermost relief surface of the elastomeric relief element ( 60 ) and the pattern of printable material composition ( 20 ) is transferred from the uppermost relief surface to a surface of the receiver element ( 70 ).
1 . A method for forming a pattern of continuous lines with a line width of 20 microns or less of a printable material composition on a receiver element, comprising:
providing an elastomeric relief element;
forming a relief pattern of a series of non-overlapping or discontinuous raised pixel features on the elastomeric relief element;
applying the printable material composition to an uppermost relief surface of the elastomeric relief element; and
transferring the pattern of printable material composition from the uppermost relief surface to a surface of the receiver element.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein a sum of an area of the pixel features in a line on a plate is less than an area circumscribed or encompassing the pixel features.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver element is a film.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein an average relief image depth of each pixel and each pixel features is at least 50 μm relative to an uppermost relief surface of the elastomeric element.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the printable material composition has a viscosity of at least 10 cps to and including 2000 cps.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the receiver element is non-porous.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the pixel features comprises a series of adjacent clusters.
8 . The method of claim 7 comprises:
wherein printable material composition from each adjacent clusters runs into the adjacent clusters to form the continuous lines.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein a vertex of each cluster is adjacent to the vertex of an adjacent cluster.
10 . The method of claim 7 wherein vertices of the clusters fall on a line.
11 . The method of claim 7 wherein an area of the lines printed with the discontinuous clusters is less than the area of lines printed with sides of the overlapping clusters.
12 . The method of claim 7 wherein the vertices of clusters touch.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the printable material composition is a catalyst ink or a conductive ink.
14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the lines are straight lines or curved lines.
15 . An elastomeric relief element comprising:
a relief pattern of a series of non-overlapping or discontinuous raised pixel features;
wherein the raised pixel features comprise individual pixels having an edge length no greater than 11 microns; and
wherein lines printed with the elastomeric relief element form lines with a line width of 20 microns or less.
16 . A method for forming a pattern of continuous lines with a line width of 20 microns or less of a printable material composition on a receiver element, comprising:
providing an elastomeric relief element wherein the elastomeric relief element comprises a relief pattern of non-overlapping or discontinuous raised pixel features;
applying a printable material composition to the pattern; and
transferring the pattern of printable material composition from the elastomeric relief element to a receiver element.