Patent ID: 6969570

Claim:
An imageable element comprising: a substrate, an underlayer over the substrate, and a top layer over the underlayer; in which: the element comprises a photothermal conversion material; the top layer is ink receptive; before thermal imaging, the top layer is not removable by an alkaline developer; after thermal imaging to form imaged regions in the top layer, the imaged regions are removable by the alkaline developer; the underlayer is removable by the alkaline developer, and the top layer comprises a co-polymer selected from the group consisting of co-polymers that comprise, in polymerized form, a monomer of group (a) and a monomer of group (b), in which: the monomer of group (a) is selected from the group consisting of: and mixtures thereof; the monomer of group (b) is selected from the group consisting of: acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, styrene, hydroxystyrene, CH(R 11 )CH(CO 2 R 12 ), CH(R 11 )CH(CON(R 12 ) 2 ), CH 2 CH(OR 12 ), and mixtures thereof; R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , and R 5 are each independently hydrogen, phenyl, substituted phenyl, halogen, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, acyl of 1 to 7 carbon atoms, acyloxy of 1 to 7 carbon atoms, carboalkoxy of 1 to 7 carbon atoms, or a mixture thereof; R 3 , R 6 , and R 7 are each â€”CH 2 â€”; each R 8 and R 9 is each independently hydrogen or methyl, or a mixture thereof; each R 10 is hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, phenyl, substituted phenyl, benzyl, or a mixture thereof; and each R 11 is hydrogen, methyl, or a mixture thereof; each R 12 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, phenyl, substituted phenyl, or a mixture thereof; and the co-polymer comprises at least about 15 mol % of the monomer of group (a), and at least about 10 mol % of the monomer of group (b).