Printing plate material and image formation method employing the same

(Preparation of Printing Plate Material)

[0159]The above-obtained coating solution was coated on the substrate obtained above employing a wire bar to obtain a combination as shown in Table 4, and dried to give an image formation layer having a dry thickness as shown in Table 4. Thus, inventive and comparative printing plate material samples were prepared.

[0160]The coated hydrophilic layer was dried at 80° C. for 3 minutes, and then further aged at 60° C. for 24 hours. The coated image formation layer was dried at 55° C. for 3 minutes, and then further aged at 55° C. for 24 hours.

(Image Formation)

[0161]Image formation was carried out by infrared laser exposure. Exposure was carried out employing an infrared laser (having a wavelength of 830 nm and a beam spot diameter of 18 μm) at an exposure energy of 300 mJ / cm2, at a resolution of 2400 dpi and at a screen line number of 175 to form an image, the beam being focused on the surface of the image formation layer. The term, “dpi” shows the

(Preparation of Printing Plate Material)

[0190]The above-obtained coating solution was coated on the substrate obtained above employing a wire bar to obtain a combination as shown in Table 5, and dried to give an image formation layer having a dry thickness as shown in Table 4. Thus, inventive and comparative printing plate material samples were prepared.

[0191]The coated hydrophilic layer was dried at 80° C. for 3 minutes, and then further aged at 60° C. for 24 hours. The coated image formation layer was dried at 55° C. for 3 minutes, and then further aged at 55° C. for 24 hours.

(Image Formation)

[0192]Image formation was carried out by infrared laser exposure. Exposure was carried out employing an infrared laser (having a wavelength of 830 nm and a beam spot diameter of 18 μm) at an exposure energy of 400 mJ / cm2, at a resolution of 2400 dpi and at a screen line number of 175 to form an image, the beam being focused on the surface of the image formation layer. A solid image and an imag