Patent ID: 6893783

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 substantially free of the 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 underlayer comprises a polymeric material that comprises, in polymerized form: about 5 mol % to about 40 mol % of methacrylic acid; about 20 mol % to about 75 mol % of N-phenylmaleimide, N-cyclohexylmaleimide, N-benzylmaleimide, or a mixture thereof; and about 3 mol % to about 50 mol % of one or more monomers of the structure: in which: R 1 is H or methyl; X is —(CH 2 ) n —, where n is an integer from 2 to 12; —(CH 2 —CH 2 —O) p —CH 2 —CH 2 —, where p is an integer from 1 to 3; or —Si(R′)(R″)— where R′ and R″ are each independently methyl or ethyl; and m is 1, 2, or 3.