Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

The invention pertains to a printing form and a process for preparing the printing form from a curable composition that includes an epoxy resin, less than a stoichiometric amount of at least one amine curing agent, and optionally a catalytic curing agent and/or a latent curing agent. The process includes applying the curable composition to a supporting substrate to form a layer, partially curing the layer at a first temperature, engraving the partially cured layer, and then completing the curing by heating at a second temperature greater than the first temperature. The less than stoichiometric amount of the amine curing agent guarantees that after the first curing step, epoxy functionalities in the curable composition will be available for second curing step. The optional catalytic curing agent or latent curing agent promotes completion of the cure at higher temperature. The process prepares printing forms, particularly gravure printing forms, having a cured resin composition layer that is engravable, resistant to solvent inks and to mechanical wear, and capable of printing gravure-quality images.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim