Star Polymer Lithographic Plate Precursor Neutral Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lithographic printing plate precursors require complex and resource-intensive development processes involving alkaline solutions, leading to environmental concerns and high operational costs, and existing solutions do not adequately address the need for simplified, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly methods for producing high-quality printing plates.
Innovation Solution
A lithographic printing plate precursor is developed using a star polymer with a multifunctional thiol central skeleton and polymer chains branched via sulfide bonds, containing acid groups and crosslinkable groups, which allows for efficient development with a neutral aqueous solution, reducing the need for alkaline treatments and simplifying the processing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional alkaline development process is used, then development property is achieved, but processing complexity and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the development process by using a neutral aqueous solution (pH 6-8) instead of conventional alkaline solutions (pH 10-12.5). This parameter change allows the star polymer to be removed without requiring strong alkali, thereby simplifying the processing steps while maintaining development property. The neutral pH eliminates the need for multiple washing steps and reduces environmental impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the need for alkaline solutions from the development process. By designing the star polymer with specific chemical properties (sulfide bonds, acid groups), the unexposed polymer can be selectively removed by neutral aqueous solutions, taking out the harmful alkaline step from the process while maintaining effective development.
2Reliability
If alkaline development process is used, then image-recording layer removal is effective, but operational costs and environmental harm increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter from alkaline (10-12.5) to neutral (6-8), eliminating the harmful effects of strong alkali on the environment while maintaining effective removal of the unexposed image-recording layer. The star polymer's chemical structure is designed to be susceptible to neutral aqueous solution degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of requiring strong alkali into a benefit by designing the star polymer with sulfide bonds and acid groups that are selectively removable by neutral solutions. This design choice transforms what would have been a harmful process into an environmentally friendly one while maintaining development effectiveness.
3Reliability
If conventional multi-step development process is used, then thorough development is achieved, but processing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple processing steps into a single simplified step. The neutral aqueous solution simultaneously performs the functions of removing unexposed image-recording layer and washing, eliminating the need for separate alkaline development, washing, and gumming steps. This consolidation reduces processing time while maintaining thorough development.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts unnecessary processing steps from the conventional multi-step process. By using the star polymer's selective removability with neutral solutions, the patent removes the need for separate washing and gumming steps, achieving thorough development in a single operation.
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 star polymer-based precursor enables high development property and printing durability while allowing for development with a pH range of 2 to 14, reducing environmental impact and operational costs by simplifying the processing steps and eliminating the need for alkaline solutions.
Implementation Method 1
an image-recording layer containing a star polymer, a radical polymerizable compound and a radical polymerization initiator
Implementation Method 2
a star polymer in which a polymer chain is branched from a central skeleton via a sulfide bond
Data Source
AI summary
A lithographic printing plate precursor includes a support and an image-recording layer containing a star polymer, a radical polymerizable compound and a radical polymerization initiator, the star polymer is a star polymer in which a polymer chain is branched from a central skeleton via a sulfide bond and the polymer chain contains an acid group and a crosslinkable group in a side chain of the polymer chain.