High resolution, solvent resistant, thin elastomeric printing plates
The present invention relates to a printing element having at least one polymer layer which has photoimageable constituents and a chemically functionalized polymer to make the polymer layer either more hydrophobic or hydrophilic. In one embodiment, the printing element comprises two adjacent polymer layers on a substrate in which the photoimaged layer comprises a polymer chemically modified with hydrophobic fluoroalkyl side groups to provide differential wetting with hydrophilic inks.
1. A printing form precursor comprising:
a) a substrate;
b) a bi-layer having a first crosslinkable polymer layer and a second crosslinkable polymer layer disposed on the substrate, wherein
the first crosslinkable polymer layer comprises an elastomeric polymer containing hydrophobic fluoroalkyl side groups; an initiator; and a fluorinated crosslinkable monomer, and
the second crosslinkable polymer layer comprises an elastomeric polymer; an initiator; and a non-fluorinated crosslinkable (meth)acrylate monomer.
2. The precursor of claim 1 wherein the first polymer layer is adjacent to the substrate.
3. The precursor of claim 1 wherein the second polymer layer is adjacent to the substrate.
4. The precursor of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric polymer of the second polymer layer contains hydrophilic hydroxyl side groups.
5. The precursor of claim 1 wherein the fluorinated crosslinkable monomer is selected from the group consisting of:
and mixtures thereof.