Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Transfer procedure between image and image layer – image... – Image layer portion transfer and element therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2002-02-05
Hamilton, Cynthia (Department: 1752)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Transfer procedure between image and image layer, image...
Image layer portion transfer and element therefor
C430S937000, C430S322000, C430S271100, C430S258000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06344303
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ablation type image forming materials with high resolution and superior image durability, and to a preparation method thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recording methods have been known, in which light energy such as laser light is condensed and irradiated onto a recording element which is deformed by fusing or removed by scattering, burning or evaporating a part of the element (hereinafter, ablation is the general term for these processes). Such methods have the advantage in that they can be performed by dry processing using no processing solution containing chemicals, and a high contrast image can be obtained since only the irradiated part of the element is deformed by fusing or removed by scattering, burning or evaporating. Accordingly, the methods are applied to an optical recording element such as a photoresist element or a photodisk, and a transparent original for preparation of a printing plate.
For example, image forming materials using ferromagnetic powder as a colorant are proposed in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter referred to as JP-A) Nos. 8-310124, 8-334894, 8-337053, 8-337054, 8-337055, 9-15849, etc. Employing these image forming materials, an image resulting in less stain and high resolution can be obtained.
However, in cases where the above-mentioned image forming materials are employed, there is occasionally a problem in image durability. In order to solve such problem, for example, image forming materials having a protective layer coated on an image forming layer are proposed in JP-A Nos. 60-255491, 61-061895, 61-199990, 61-206691, 62-234991, 10-151860, etc.
Employing these materials, the image durability is markedly increased, but in cases where these materials are used as a transparent original for preparation of a printing plate, etc., abrasion occasionally occurs and resistance to film cleaner used in a silver halide photographic film occasionally degrades.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object to provide an ablation type image forming material exhibiting high resolution and little staining in exposed areas, superior film cleaner resistance and abrasion resistance, and giving formed images with little pin hole and superior durability; and a preparation method thereof.
The above object of the invention can be accomplished by the following constitution:
1. a method for preparing an image forming material comprising a support and at least an image forming layer, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) subjecting at least one side of the support to a treatment to modify the surface of the support and
(ii) forming the image forming layer on the surface-modified support by coating,
wherein the image forming layer contains a resin containing a polar group and a compound containing an isocyanate group, and the modified surface of the support exhibits a surface energy of 45 to 60 dyne/cm;
and wherein the image forming material is imagewise exposed to light, thereby at least a part of an exposed area of the image forming layer being made removable and the removable image forming layer being removed to form an image;
2. the method described in 1 above, wherein the treatment to modify the surface of the support is selected from the group consisting of a sand impingement treatment, a chemical-etching treatment, a flame treatment, an ozone treatment, a glow discharge treatment, a corona discharge treatment, a vacuum ultraviolet irradiation treatment, an electron beam irradiation treatment, a radiation ray irradiation treatment, an ultraviolet ray hardening treatment, a radiation graft polymerization treatment, a plasma polymerization treatment, a plasma graft polymerization treatment, a plasma discharge treatment, a photopolymerization treatment and an anchor coating treatment;
3. the method described in 2 above, wherein the treatment to modify the surface of the support is a corona discharge treatment;
4. the method described in 3 above, wherein the corona discharge treatment is performed at an intensity of 2 to 40 W/m
2
/min;
5. the method described in 4 above, wherein the corona discharge treatment is performed at an intensity of 5 to 30 W/m
2
/min;
6. the method described in 1 above, wherein the method further comprises
forming a protective layer on the image forming layer by coating after or simultaneously with formation of the image forming layer;
the method described in 1 above, wherein the image forming layer is an outermost layer;
8. the method described in 1 above, wherein the resin containing a polar group is a resin containing at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a carboxylic acid group and a sulfonic acid group;
9. the method described in 1 above, wherein the image forming material is further subjected to a thermosetting treatment after forming the image forming layer or after forming the protective layer;
10. the method described in 1 above, wherein the image forming layer exhibits a scratch hardness of 40 to 100 g, when subjected to a scratch test by the use of a 0.05 mm diameter sapphire needle;
11. the method described in 6 above, wherein the protective layer exhibits a scratch hardness of 40 to 100 g, when subjected to a scratch test by the use of a 0.05 mm diameter sapphire needle;
12. the method described in 1 above, wherein the method further comprises:
subjecting the support to a dust removing treatment after step (i) and before step (ii);
13. the method described in 12 above, wherein said dust removing treatment is performed by applying at least one of suction, adhesive-roll and wiping;
14. the method described in 1 above, wherein a bond between the image forming layer and the support is weakened upon exposure, making at least a part of an exposed area of the image forming layer removable;
15. the method described in 14 above, wherein the image forming material further has a peeling layer, the peeling layer being peeled after exposure to remove at least a part of an exposed area of the image forming layer;
16. the method described in 1 above, wherein the support is a transparent support;
17. an image forming material comprising a support and an image forming layer, wherein at least a part of an exposed area of the image forming layer is removable, the image forming layer comprising a resin containing a polar group and a compound containing an isocyanate group; and the surface of at least one side of the support exhibiting a surface energy of 45 to 60 dyne/cm;
18. the image forming material described in 17 above, wherein the resin containing a polar group is a resin containing at least one of a hydroxy group, carboxylic acid group and sulfonic acid group;
19. the image forming material described in 17 above, wherein an outermost layer of the image forming material exhibits a scratch hardness of 70 to 100 g, when subjected to a scratch test by the use of a 0.05 mm diameter sapphire needle;
20. the image forming material described in 17 above, wherein the image forming material is exposed to light to weaken a bond between the image forming layer and the support, making at least a part of an exposed area of the image forming layer removable;
21. the image forming material described in 20 above, wherein the image forming material further has a peeling layer, the peeling layer being peeled after exposure to remove at least a part of an exposed area of the image forming layer;
22. an ablative image forming material comprising a transparent support having thereon an image forming layer and a protective layer, wherein one side of the support has been subjected to a corona discharge treatment to modify the surface of the support and the image forming layer is provided on the corona discharge-treated side of the support, the image forming layer containing a resin containing a polar group and an isocyanate group containing resin;
23. an ablative image forming material comprising a transparent support having thereon an image forming layer and a protective layer, wherein the image forming layer exhibits a surface hardnes
Finnegan, Henderson & Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P
Hamilton Cynthia
Konica Corporation
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