Silver-based electrostatic printing master

Claim 2

A photosensitive element suited for aqueous processing consisting essentially of a silver halide photographic salt dispersed in a synthetic insulating polymeric binder that is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH higher than approximately 81/2, said binder being prepared by crosslinking: (a) a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and an unsaturated carboxylic acid, said copolymer having ionizing carboxylic acid groups, with, (b) approximately 1 to 30% by weight, based on said copolymer weight, of a polyfunctional epoxide or aziridine crosslinking agent, said element having an insulation value such that it will support an apparent macroscopic electric field of at least approximately five (5) volts/micron as measured 2 seconds following full charging of its surface that has been allowed to equilibrate at 50% relative humidity at 20° C. for 1 hour.

Claim 3

The element of claim 1 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 4

The element of claim 1 wherein the copolymer has an acid number of approximately 70 to 160.

Claim 5

The element of claim 1 wherein the binder is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 6

The element of claim 1 wherein the crosslinking agent is a polyfunctional epoxide.

Claim 7

The element of claim 5 wherein the polyfunctional epoxide is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether; ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether; (3,4-epoxycyclohexyl) methyl 3,4-epoxy-cyclohexane carboxylate; diglycidyl ethers of bis-phenol F and bis-phenol A; methylene dianiline derived epoxy resins; p-aminophenol derived epoxy resins; and triazine based epoxy resins.

Claim 8

The element of claim 6 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 9

The element of claim 7 wherein the copolymer has an acid number of approximately 70 to 160.

Claim 10

The element of claim 8 wherein the copolymer is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 11

The element of claim 1 wherein the crosslinking agent is a polyfunctional aziridine.

Claim 12

The element of claim 10 wherein the aziridine is selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritol tri-beta-aziridinylpropionate; N,N'-hexamethylene-1,6-bis(1-aziridinecarboxyamide); and N,N'-diphenylmethane-4,4'-bis(1-aziridinecarboxyamide).

Claim 13

The element of claim 11 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 14

The element of claim 12 wherein the copolymer has an acid number of approximately 70 to 160.

Claim 15

In an electrostatic printer master suited for aqueous processing comprising a conductive substrate that bears a silver halide photographic salt dispersed in an insulating binder, the improvement wherein the binder is prepard by crosslinking: (a) a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and an unsaturated carboxylic acid, said copolymer having ionizing carboxylic acid groups, with, (b) approximately 1 to 30% by weight, based on said copolymer weight, of a polyfunctional epoxide or aziridine crosslinking agent; said binder being swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH higher than approximately 81/2 and having an insulation value such that it will support an apparent macroscopic electric field of at least approximately five (5) volts/micron as measured 2 seconds following full charging of its surface that has been allowed to equilibrate at 50% relative humidity at 20° C. for 1 hour.

Claim 16

In an electrostatic printer master suited for aqueous processing comprising a conductive substrate that bears a silver halide photographic salt dispersed in an insulating binder, the improvement wherein the binder is prepard by crosslinking: (a) a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and an unsaturated carboxylic acid, said copolymer having ionizing carboxylic acid groups, with, (b) approximately 1 to 30% by weight, based on said copolymer weight, of a polyfunctional epoxide or aziridine crosslinking agent; said binder being swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH higher than approximately 81/2 and having an insulation value such that it will support an apparent macroscopic electric field of at least approximately five (5) volts/micron as measured 2 seconds following full charging of its surface that has been allowed to equilibrate at 50% relative humidity at 20° C. for 1 hour.

Claim 17

The master of claim 14 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 18

The master of claim 14 wherein the binder has an acid number of approximately 70 to 160.

Claim 19

The master of claim 14 wherein the binder is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 20

The master of claim 14 wherein the crosslinking agent is a polyfunctional epoxide.

Claim 21

The master of claim 18 wherein the polyfunctional epoxide is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-butanediol, digylcidyl ether; ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether; 3,4-epoxy-6-methylcyclohexylmethyl; 3,4-epoxy-6-methylcyclohexane carboxylate; the diglycidyl ethers of bis-phenol F and bis-phenol A; methylene dianiline derived epoxy resins; p-aminophenol derived epoxy resins; and triazine based epoxy resins.

Claim 22

The master of claim 19 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 23

The master of claim 20 wherein the binder has an acid number of approximately 70 to 160.

Claim 24

The master of claim 21 wherein the copolymer is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 25

The master of claim 14 wherein the crosslinking agent is a polyfunctional aziridine.

Claim 26

The master of claim 23 wherein the aziridine is selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritol tribeta-aziridinylpropionate; N,N'-hexamethylene-1,6-bis(1-aziridinecarboxyamide); and N,N'-diphenylmethane-4,4'-bis(1-aziridinecarboxyamide).

Claim 27

The master of claim 24 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 28

The master of claim 25 wherein the binder has an acid number of approximately 70 to 160.

Claim 29

The master of claim 26 wherein the copolymer is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 30

In an electrostatic printer master suited for aqueous processing comprising a conductive substrate that bears a silver halide photographic salt dispersed in an insulating binder, the improvement wherein the binder is prepared by crosslinking: (a) a copolymer of an unsaturated carboxylic acid having an acid number of approximately 70 to 160 with, (b) approximately 1 to 30% by weight, based on said copolymer weight, of a polyfunctional epoxide or aziroidine crosslinking agent; said binder being swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH higher than approximately 81/2 and having an insulation value such that it will support an apparent macroscopic electric field of at least approximately five (5) volts/micron as measured 2 seconds following full charging of its surface that has been allowed to equilibrate at 50% relative humidity at 20° C. for 1 hour.

Claim 31

In an electrostatic printer master suited for aqueous processing comprising a conductive substrate that bears a silver halide photographic salt dispersed in an insulating binder, the improvement wherein the binder is prepared by crosslinking: (a) a copolymer of an unsaturated carboxylic acid having an acid number of approximately 70 to 160 with, (b) approximately 1 to 30% by weight, based on said copolymer weight, of a polyfunctional epoxide or aziroidine crosslinking agent; said binder being swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH higher than approximately 81/2 and having an insulation value such that it will support an apparent macroscopic electric field of at least approximately five (5) volts/micron as measured 2 seconds following full charging of its surface that has been allowed to equilibrate at 50% relative humidity at 20° C. for 1 hour.

Claim 32

The master of claim 28 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 33

The master of claim 28 wherein the binder is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 34

The master of claim 28 wherein the crosslinking agent is a polyfunctional epoxide.

Claim 35

The master of claim 31 wherein the polyfunctional epoxide is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether; ethoxylated trimethylolpropane trigylcidyl ether; 3,4-epoxy-6-methylcyclohexylmethyl; 3,4-epoxy-6-methylcyclohexane carboxylate; the diglycidyl ethers of bis-phenol F and bis-phenol A; methylene dianiline derived epoxy resins; p-aminophenol derived epoxy resins; and triazine based epoxy resins.

Claim 36

The master of claim 32 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 37

The master of claim 33 wherein the copolymer is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 38

The master of claim 28 wherein the crosslinking agent is a polyfunctional aziridine.

Claim 39

The master of claim 35 wherein the aziridine is selected from the group consisting of pentaerythritol tribeta-aziridinylpropionate; N,N'-hexamethylene-1,6-bis(1-aziridinecarboxyamide); and N,N'-diphenylmethane-4,4'-bis(1-aziridinecarboxyamide).

Claim 40

The master of claim 36 wherein the binder is swellable in aqueous solutions having a pH in the range of approximately 9 to 14 and has an insulation value of at least approximately 30 volts/micron.

Claim 41

The master of claim 37 wherein the copolymer is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Claim 42

The element of claim 13 wherein the copolymer is a copolymer of an aromatic monomer and acrylic or methacrylic acid.