Process for dry-coating flexographic surfaces
Provided is a process for dry, solvent free, transfer of solid material onto a flexographic plate.
1. A process for printing an ink formulation, said process comprising:
(a) providing an ink receptive solid material film on a sacrificial surface (sheet), the film having a first face and a second face, said second face being covered by said sacrificial surface;
(b) bringing into contact at least a region of a flexographic material surface with the first face of said ink receptive solid material film;
(c) permitting adhesion of said ink receptive solid material film to said at least a region of the flexographic surface, such that the sacrificial surface (sheet) is in direct adhering contact to the second face of the ink receptive solid material film and the flexographic material surface being in direct adhering contact to the first face of the solid film;
(d) peeling off the sacrificial surface to expose said second face of said ink receptive solid material film; and
(e) printing said ink formulation onto a region of said second face of said ink receptive solid film to thereby form a pattern on the second face of said ink receptive solid film surface.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein
adhesion
of
the
solid
film
to
the
flexographic
surface
adhesion
of
the
solid
film
to
the
sacrificial
surface
>
3.
3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the adhesion of the ink receptive solid material film to the sacrificial surface is smaller than delamination forces required for delaminating the flexographic surface.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the ink receptive solid material film of step (a) coating a sacrificial surface (sheet) is provided with a protective layer which may remain on the first face of the solid film until the bringing into contact of the at least a region of a flexographic material surface and the first face of said solid material film.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial surface is a polymeric substrate selected from polyester (polyethylene terephtalate, PET), polypropylene (PP), bi-oriented polypropylene (BOPP), polyethylene (PE), ethylenevinyl acetate (EVA), Nylon, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, a bio-degradable polymeric material, polyimide (Kapton), polyether etherketone (PEEK), polycarbonate, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon), and combinations thereof.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein printing comprises ink-jet printing of a plurality of ink droplets onto said ink receptive solid material film formed on at least a region of said flexographic surface, thereby forming an imaged pattern on said solid material film.
7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the ink is selected such that when droplets thereof contact said solid material film, a reaction occurs, which results in the immobilization of the ink material droplets on said solid material film.
8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein said ink comprises at least one UV absorbing material.
9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the immobilization of the ink containing the at least one UV absorbing material permits formation of an image having UV absorbing regions and regions transparent to UV.
10. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the ink comprises at least one first material which upon contact with at least one second material, not contained in said ink, produces a UV absorbing material.
11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one first and said at least one second materials are not UV absorbing.
12. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one second material is at least one of the materials comprised in the ink receptive solid film.
13. The process according to claim 1 , the process comprising:
a) providing a flexographic plate;
b) forming an ink receptive solid film on said flexographic plate surface, said ink receptive solid film having been prepared by a process comprising forming an ink receptive solid material film on a sacrificial surface (sheet) and transferring said film to at least a region of a flexographic material surface, wherein said transferring is a solvent-free process, to thereby form a pattern on the ink receptive film surface; and
c) direct printing on the ink receptive film at least one ink being UV-absorbing or comprising at least one UV absorbing material,
to thereby form a UV-absorbing pattern on the surface.
14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said process is for producing an image on a surface, said process comprising providing a surface coated with an ink receptive solid film, and direct printing on said solid film a pattern of at least one ink, said ink comprising at least one first material which upon contact with at least one second material comprised in said solid film, produces a UV absorbing material, thereby forming a UV absorbing pattern on top of said surface, wherein the surface coated with an ink receptive solid film is prepared by
a) providing an ink receptive solid material film on a sacrificial surface (sheet), the film having a first face and a second face, said second face being covered by said sacrificial surface;
b) bringing into contact at least a region of a surface and the first face of said solid material film;
c) permitting adhesion of said ink receptive solid material film to said at least a region of the surface, such that the sacrificial surface (sheet) is in direct adhering contact to the second face of the solid material film and the surface being in direct adhering contact to the first face of the solid film; and
d) peeling off the sacrificial surface to expose the second face of said ink receptive solid material film to enable direct printing thereon.
15. A formulation, comprising:
a) at least one agent selected from a multi-valent salt, an acid, an acidic buffer solution, and a poly-cationic polymer;
b) at least one wetting agent;
c) optionally at least one anti-crystallization agent;
d) optionally at least one plasticizer;
e) optionally at least one additive selected from a penetrating agent, a humectant, and a bactericide; and
f) at least one material selected to enable transfer of the solid film onto the flexographic plate surface,
said formulation being suitable for use in coating the sacrificial surface in the process according to claim 1 .