Patent ID: 8808968

Claim:
A method of producing a relief image printing element from a photocurable printing blank, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a photocurable printing blank, the photocurable printing blank comprising: i) a backing or support layer; ii) at least one photocurable layer disposed on the backing or support layer, wherein the at least one photocurable layer comprises: 1) a binder; 2) one or more monomers; 3) a photoinitiator; and 4) an additive selected from the group consisting of (i) a phosphite selected from the group consisting of tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite, diphenyl phosphite, tridecyl phosphite, triisodecyl phosphite, tris(tridecyl)phosphite, trilauryl phosphite, disteraryl pentaerythriol diphosphite, diisodecyl phenyl phosphite, diphenyl isodecyl phosphite, diphenyl octyl phosphite, diphenyl isooctyl phosphite, diphenyl tri isodecyl monophenyl dipropyleneglycol diphosphite, alkyl bisphenol A phosphite, tetraphenyl dipropyleneglycol diphosphite, poly(dipropyleneglycol) phenyl phosphite, tris(dipropylene glycol) phosphite, and dioleyl hydrogen phosphite and combinations of one or more of the foregoing, (ii) thioether amine compounds, and (iii) combinations of one or more of the foregoing; iii) a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on the at least one photocurable layer, the laser ablatable mask layer comprising a radiation opaque material; b) selectively laser ablating the laser ablatable mask laser to create an in situ negative of a desired image in the laser ablatable mask layer; c) exposing the at least one photocurable layer to actinic radiation through the in situ negative to selectively crosslink and cure portions of the at least one photocurable layer; and d) developing the exposed at least one photocurable layer of the photocurable printing blank to reveal the relief image therein, said relief image comprising a plurality of relief printing dots, wherein the presence of the additive in the at least one photocurable layer enhances surface cure of the at least one photocurable layer without requiring a high intensity UV light source, an inert gas chamber or a laminated membrane.