Lithographic developer composition and method of use

1. A method for forming a lithographic printing plate, the method comprising:

imagewise exposing a positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor with infrared radiation to form an exposed precursor comprising exposed regions and non-exposed regions, and

processing the exposed precursor to remove the exposed regions using a silicate-free developer composition to provide a lithographic printing plate,

wherein the positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor comprises:

a grained and anodized aluminum-containing substrate,

an outermost ink receptive layer disposed over the grained and anodized aluminum-containing substrate, the outermost ink receptive layer comprising at least one water-insoluble, alkali solution-soluble or -dispersible outermost resin that is a phenolic resin, wherein the outermost ink receptive layer further comprises thermally inert inorganic particles in an amount of at least 2 weight % and up to and including 20 weight %, based on the total dry weight of the outermost ink receptive layer, which thermally inert inorganic particles have an average particle size of at least 0.5 nm and up to and including 500 nm, and

optionally, an innermost ink receptive layer that is disposed between the grained and anodized aluminum-containing substrate and the outermost ink receptive layer, the innermost ink receptive layer comprising at least one water-insoluble, alkali solution-soluble or -dispersible innermost resin that is different from the water-insoluble, alkali solution-soluble or -dispersible outermost resin,

the positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor further comprising an infrared radiation absorber,

wherein the silicate-free developer composition has a pH of at least 12.5, and comprises:

an alkali metal hydroxide present in an amount sufficient to provide the pH of at least 12.5;

a coating protecting agent present in an amount of at least 0.03 weight % and up to and including 0.5 weight %, based on the total weight of the silicate-free developer composition, and

a moderator for the coating protecting agent in an amount of at least 0.5 weight % and up to and including 3 weight %, based on the total weight of the silicate-free developer composition, which moderator is represented by the following general formula (I):

wherein m is at an integer of at least 1 and up to and including 10, and M represents one or more counterions sufficient to balance the negatively-charged sulfonate groups,

wherein the coating protecting agent is a quaternary ammonium salt or a phosphonium salt represented by the following formulae (Q) and (P), respectively, or a mixture thereof:

N(R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 ) + X −    (Q)

wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently hydrocarbon groups connected directly to the nitrogen atom, each hydrocarbon group comprising sufficient carbon atoms so that the total number of carbon atoms for the four R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 hydrocarbon groups is at least 15 and up to and including 30, the maximum number of carbon atoms in each one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 is at least 5 and up to and including 22, and optionally, two or more of the R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 hydrocarbon groups can be connected to each other to form one or more heterocyclic ring structures with the illustrated nitrogen atom;

P(R 5 R 6 R 7 R 8 ) + X −    (P)

wherein R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are independently hydrocarbon groups connected directly to the phosphorus atom, each hydrocarbon group comprising sufficient carbon atoms so that the total number of carbon atoms for the four R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 hydrocarbon groups is at least 15 and up to and including 30, the maximum number of carbon atoms in each one of R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 is at least 5 and up to and including 22, and optionally, two or more of the R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 hydrocarbon groups can be connected to each other to form one or more heterocyclic ring structures with the illustrated phosphorus atom; and

X − is an anion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble, alkali solution-soluble or -dispersible outermost resin comprises recurring units having an acetal structure.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor further comprises the innermost ink receptive layer that comprises a water-insoluble, alkali solution-soluble or -dispersible innermost resin that is a polymer comprising recurring units derived from one or more of a styrene, an alkyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid, (meth)acrylamide, (meth)acrylonitrile, N-phenyl maleimide, N-alkoxymethyl (meth)acrylamide, and 5-methacrylamido tetrazole.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infrared radiation absorber is present in at least the outermost ink receptive layer in an amount of at least 0.5 weight %, based on the total dry weight of the precursor minus the weight of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor further comprises:

a poly(vinyl phosphonic acid) interlayer that optionally comprises phosphoric acid or a salt thereof comprising aluminum cations, which poly(vinyl phosphonic acid) interlayer is disposed directly on the grained and anodized aluminum-containing substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising baking the lithographic printing plate after processing the exposed precursor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicate-free developer composition further comprises M +2 metal cations that are barium, calcium, strontium, or zinc cations, or a combination thereof, in an amount of at least 0.001 gram-atom/kg, and a chelating agent that has a complex formation constant (log K) for the M +2 metal cation of at least 3.5 and less than or equal to 4.5, and a complex formation constant (log K) for aluminum ion of 7 or less, which chelating agent is present in an amount of at least 0.03 mol/liter.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 hydrocarbon groups, or at least one of the R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 hydrocarbon groups is an alkyl group.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein none of the R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 hydrocarbon groups is an aryl group with its aromatic ring connected directly to the phosphorus atom shown in formula (P).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicate-free developer composition further comprises a M +2 metal cation is a barium, calcium, strontium, or zinc cation, or combination thereof, in an amount of at least 0.0001 gram-atom/kg.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the silicate-free developer composition further comprises a chelating agent that has a complex formation constant (log K) for the M +2 metal cation of at least 3.5 and less than or equal to 4.5, and a complex formation constant (log K) for aluminum ion of 7 or less.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the chelating agent is a phosphono-polycarboxylic acid that is present in the silicate-free developer composition in an amount of at least 0.001 mol/liter.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicate-free developer composition further comprises an alkali metal salt in an amount of at least 0.001 mol/liter.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein m is an integer of at least 1 and up to and including 3.