Method of improving light stability of flexographic printing plates featuring flat top dots

1. A flexographic photocurable printing blank comprising:

a) a support layer;

b) one or more photocurable layers disposed on the support layer, wherein the one or more photocurable layers comprise:

i) a binder;

ii) one or more monomers;

iii) a photoinitiator;

iv) an additive selected from the group consisting of phosphites, phosphines, thioether amine compounds, and combinations of one or more of the foregoing; and

v) an additional component comprising amine moieties, wherein the additional component comprising amine moieties is one or more components selected from the group consisting of hindered amine light stabilizers selected from the group consisting of bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl)sebacate, derivatives of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, derivatives of 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethylpiperidine; dimethyl succinate polymer with 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine ethanol, poly[[6-[(1,1,3,3,-tetramethylbutyl)amino-s-triazine-2,4-diyl][2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]]hexamethyl-ylene[(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]], N,N′,N″,N′″-tetrakis(4,6-bis(butyl-(N-methyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl) amino)triazin-2-yl)-4,7-diazadecane-1,10-diamine, and combinations of one or more of the foregoing, amine acrylates, and thermal polymerization inhibitors selected from aluminum N-nitroso-N-phenylhydroxylamine, a liquid blend of aluminum N-nitrosophenylhydroxylamine and di-trimethylol-propane tetraacrylate, and combinations of the foregoing;

c) a laser ablatable masking layer disposed on the one or more photocurable layers, the laser ablatable masking layer comprising a radiation opaque material; and

d) optionally, a removable coversheet.

2. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite.

3. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the additive is a thioether amine compound selected from the group consisting of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(4,6-bis(octylthio)-1,3,5-triazin-2-ylamino)phenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(nonylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl] amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octadecylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-bis(2-methylnonan-2-yl)phenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(hexyl sulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(heptylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2-tert-butyl-6-m-ethylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(ethylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentan-2-ylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(2-octylsulfanylethylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-dibutylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-dimethylphenol, 2,6-ditert-butyl-4-[[4-(3,5-ditert-butyl-4-hydroxyanilino)-6-octylsulfany-1-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]phenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(pentylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino-2,6-dimethylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(hexyl sulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2-tert-butylphenol, 2,6-ditert-butyl-4-[(4-octylsulfanyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]phenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(ethylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2,6-dimethylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]-butylamino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]-cyclohexylamino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 2-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-6-tert-butylphenol, 2-tert-butyl-6-methyl-4-[[4-octylsulfanyl-6-[(2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl)amino]-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]phenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanylmethyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[[4,6-bis(octylsulfanyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)methylamino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 4-[(4-amino-6-chloro-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]-2,6-ditert-butylphenol, and 4-[(4-cyclohexyl-6-cyclohexylsulfanyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]-2,6-di(propan-2-yl)phenol.

4. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 3 , wherein the additive comprises 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(4,6-bis(octylthio)-1,3,5-triazin-2-ylamino)phenol.

5. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the additive is a phosphine selected from the group consisting of triphenyl phosphine, tri-p-tolylphosphine, diphenylmethylphosphine, diphenylethylphosphine, diphenylpropylphosphine, dimethylphenylphosphine, diethylphenylphosphine, dipropylphenylphosphine, divinylphenylphosphine, divinyl-p-methoxyphenylphosphine, divinyl-p-bromophenylphosphine, divinyl-p-tolylphosphine, diallylphenylphosphine, divinyl-p-bromophenylphosphine, and diallyl-p-tolylphosphine and combinations of one or more of the foregoing.

6. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the additional component containing amine moieties comprises the thermal polymerization inhibitor selected from the group consisting of aluminum N-nitroso-N-phenylhydroxylamine, a liquid blend of aluminum N-nitrosophenylhydroxylamine and di-trimethylol-propane tetraacrylate, and combinations of the foregoing.

7. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the additional component containing amine moieties comprises an amine acrylate selected from the group consisting of hexane-1,6-diyl bisprop-2-enoate-2-aminoethanol, 2-Propenoic acid, (1-methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)bisoxy(methyl-2,1-ethanediyl) ester reaction products with diethylamine, and combinations of the foregoing.

8. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the additional component containing amine moieties is present in the one or more photocurable layers in an amount of between 0.1 to 10 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the photocurable composition.

9. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more photocurable layers further comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, antiozonants, fillers, reinforcing agents, thermal polymerization inhibitors, UV absorbers and combinations of one or more of the foregoing.

10. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more photocurable layers does not contain butylated hydroxytoluene, 2,4-Bis(octylthio)-6-(4-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylanilino)-1,3,5-triazine, or 1,3,5-Trimethyl-2,4,6-tris(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)benzene.

11. The flexographic photocurable printing blank according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more materials comprise a plasticizer.

12. A method of producing a flexographic relief image printing element from a flexographic photocurable printing blank, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a photocurable printing blank, the photocurable printing blank comprising:

i) a backing or support layer;

ii) one or more photocurable layers disposed on the backing or support layer, wherein the one or more photocurable layers comprise:

1) a binder;

2) one or more monomers;

3) a photoinitiator;

4) an additive selected from the group consisting of phosphites, phosphines, thioether amine compounds, and combinations of one or more of the foregoing; and

5) an additional component comprising amine moieties, wherein the additional component comprising amine moieties is one or more components selected from the group consisting of hindered amine light stabilizers selected from the group consisting of bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl)sebacate, derivatives of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, derivatives of 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethylpiperidine; dimethyl succinate polymer with 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine ethanol, poly[[6-[1,1,3,3,-tetramethylbutyl)aminos-triazine-2,4-diyl][2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]]hexamethyl-ylene[(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]], N,N′,N″,N′″-tetrakis(4,6-bis(butyl-(N-methyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl) amino)triazin-2-yl)-4,7-diazadecane-1,10-diamine, and combinations of one or more of the foregoing, amine acrylates, and thermal polymerization inhibitors selected from aluminum N-nitroso-N-phenylhydroxylamine, a liquid blend of aluminum N-nitrosophenylhydroxylamine and di-trimethylol-propane tetraacrylate, and combinations of the foregoing;

iii) a laser ablatable masking layer disposed on the one or more photocurable layers, the laser ablatable masking layer comprising a radiation opaque material;

b) selectively ablating the laser ablatable mask laser to create an in situ negative of a desired image in the laser ablatable mask layer;

c) exposing the at least one photocurable layer to actinic radiation through the in situ negative to selectively crosslink and cure portions of the one or more photocurable layers; and

d) developing the exposed one ox more photocurable layers of the photocurable printing blank to reveal the relief image therein, said relief image comprising a plurality of relief printing dots.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the relief image printing element does not degrade if left under ambient UV lights for an extended period of time.