Patent ID: 7049045

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: (i) a polymeric material that comprises, in polymerized form: about 5 mol % to about 30 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 a compound (a), represented by the formula: CH 2 C(R 2 )C(O)NHCH 2 OR 1 , in which R 1 is C 1 to C 12 alkyl, phenyl, C 1 to C 12 substituted phenyl, C 1 to C 12 aralkyl, or Si(CH 3 ) 3 ; and R 2 is H or methyl, and (ii) a resin having activated methylol or activated alkylated methylol groups.