Flexographic Printing Plate Precursor Suppressing Relief Image Chipping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexographic printing plates developed using water-dispersed latex and rubber matrices suffer from relief image chipping during ink wiping due to low interfacial strength between the latex and rubber components.
Innovation Solution
A flexographic printing plate precursor with a photosensitive layer comprising water-dispersed latex, millable rubber, surfactant, photopolymerizable compounds, and a photopolymerization initiator, where the photopolymerizable compounds include a combination of chain, monofunctional cyclic, and bifunctional cyclic structures to enhance surface hardness and mechanical strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a mixture of water-dispersed latex and rubber is used as matrix polymer, then water development can be performed, but the strength at the interface between water-dispersed latex and rubber is low causing relief image chipping
Solution Approach 1:
A silane coupling agent is introduced as an intermediary substance between the water-dispersed latex and rubber particles. The coupling agent has both hydrophilic groups that interact with the latex and hydrophobic groups that interact with the rubber, creating a strong interfacial bond. This mediator resolves the incompatibility between the polar latex and non-polar rubber phases, preventing relief image chipping during water development while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite matrix polymer system consisting of water-dispersed latex, rubber, and silane coupling agent. This composite structure combines the water-developability of latex with the mechanical strength of rubber, while the coupling agent ensures strong interfacial adhesion. The composite material approach allows simultaneous achievement of water development capability and high interface strength.
2Strength
If photopolymerizable compounds with cyclic structures are used to increase surface hardness, then mechanical strength improves, but the flexibility and printing properties may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by using photopolymerizable compounds with cyclic structures specifically at the surface region of the photosensitive layer, while the bulk composition maintains flexibility. The surface-curing photopolymerizable compounds concentrate in the surface region during drying, creating a hard surface layer that provides mechanical strength and scratch resistance, while the underlying layer retains the flexibility needed for printing properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the photosensitive layer by incorporating specific ratios of cyclic photopolymerizable compounds (monofunctional and bifunctional). By controlling the concentration and type of these compounds, the surface hardness and mechanical strength are enhanced while maintaining adequate flexibility. The parameter optimization allows simultaneous achievement of both strength and printing properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively suppresses relief image chipping while maintaining printing properties by optimizing surface curing and mechanical strength, ensuring high-quality image reproduction and durability.
Implementation Method 1
the photosensitive layer includes (A) a water-dispersed latex, (B) a millable rubber, (C) a surfactant, (D) photopolymerizable compounds, and (E) a photopolymerization initiator
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a flexographic printing plate precursor which can suppress chipping of relief images while maintaining printing properties. The flexographic printing plate precursor (10) includes a photosensitive layer (16) which includes (A) a water-dispersed latex, (B) a millable rubber, (C) a surfactant, (D) photopolymerizable compounds, and (E) a photopolymerization initiator, the (D) including the following (d1) to (d3). (d1) is a photopolymerizable compound of a chain structure having no cyclic structure, (d2) is a monofunctional photopolymerizable compound having a cyclic structure, and (d3) is a bifunctional photopolymerizable compound having a cyclic structure.