Thermal process for applying hydrophilic layers to hydrophobic substrates for offset printing plates

US5967047A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Agfa-Gevaert NV · BE

Inventors

• Heinrich Kuhn · Brechen, DE
• Dieter Jaculi · Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, DE
• Engelbert Pliefke · Wiesbaden, DE
• Ulrich Bos · Hochheim, DE
• Werner Frass · Wiesbaden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 20, 1996
• Grant date: Oct 19, 1999
• Expiry date: Sep 20, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C23C4/11
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for preparing printing plates which are used in offset printing. The process produces a plate which comprises a substrate film in which a thin durable hydrophilic layer has been applied thereto. In the process, the substrate film is first microroughened by pressure blasting so that the surface roughness, R.sub.A, is in the range 0.3 to 1.5 .mu.m. Subsequently, a durable, firmly adhering hydrophilic layer is applied to substrate by plasma-spraying an oxide powder with a particle size of 1 to 40 .mu.m onto the substrate. This process produces a plate whose surface is not greasy or grainy.