In one embodiment, a photocurable composition can comprise a polymerizable material and a photoinitiator, wherein the polymerizable material includes an isocyanate group containing compound of formula (1): R1-R2-N═C═O (1), with R1 including a carbon-carbon double bond, and R2 being substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, or alkylaryl. An amount of 1 wt % to 10 wt % of the isocyanate group containing compound can cause a strong adhesion strength of the photocurable composition to a silicon substrate after curing, and may allow the omission of an adhesion layer between substrate and the photo-cured layer.

Provided is a curable water-based composition including water, a polymerizable compound (A), and a polymerization initiator (C). The polymerizable compound (A) contains an acrylamide compound (A1) represented by General formula (A1) below.

##STR00001##

In the General formula (A1), X represents an alkylene group containing from 1 through 6 carbon atoms, and Y represents a group represented by General formula (A1a) below or General formula (A1b) below,

##STR00002##

In the General formula (A1a), R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group containing from 1 through 10 carbon atoms, and * represents a bonding site with X,

##STR00003##

In the General formula (A1b), R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group containing from 1 through 10 carbon atoms, and * represents a bonding site with X.

The present invention provides a flexographic printing plate precursor which makes it possible to precisely reproduce the pattern of a microcell on the surface of a printing plate without requiring the use of any specialized device or any additional step, and thus to improve the ink laydown on a solid-printed part. A flexographic printing plate precursor comprising at least a support (A), a photosensitive resin layer (B), an oxygen barrier layer (C) and a heat-sensitive mask layer (D) which are laminated in this order, wherein a photosensitive resin composition constituting the photosensitive resin layer (B) comprises (a) a polymer prepared by polymerizing a conjugated diene, (b) an ethylenically unsaturated compound and (c) a photopolymerization initiator, and wherein the content of the photopolymerization initiator (c) in the photosensitive resin composition is 2 to 9% by mass.

A device for recycling a used water-based developer after development of a flexographic original printing plate having a photosensitive resin layer containing a water-dispersible synthetic rubber-based polymer. the device including a centrifugal separator having a rotating body for separating a resin flocculate from the used water-based developer, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the rotating body in a vertical direction including a rotation shaft of the rotating body substantially has a cylindrical or truncated-conical outline, and wherein the rotating body has a slit to allow the used water-based developer after the centrifugation to flow out. Preferably, when a total area of an opening of the slit open to the inside of the rotating body is defined as A cm.sup.2, and an internal volume of the rotating body is defined as B cm.sup.3, a value of a slit opening area ratio (B/A) is in a range of 30000 to 140000.

Provided are a treatment device and a treatment method capable of easily reusing a used rinsing liquid, and reducing the amount of waste liquid. A treatment device has: a developing portion which is provided with a developing unit which performs development by removing a non-exposed portion of a flexographic printing plate precursor after imagewise exposure using a developer containing a washing solution; a rinsing portion which is provided with a rinsing liquid supply portion which supplies a rinsing liquid containing substantially only water as a component to at least a surface of the flexographic printing plate precursor after development, from which the non-exposed portion of the flexographic printing plate precursor has been removed; a developer storage portion which has a developer storage tank which stores the developer which is used for the development in the developing portion; a first liquid feeding path through which the developer after development is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion; and a second liquid feeding path different from the first liquid feeding path, through which the rinsing liquid supplied by the rinsing portion is fed to the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion, and the developing portion repeatedly uses the developer stored in the developer storage tank of the developer storage portion to perform the development.

Methods for making a microstructured tool having interspersed topographies are disclosed, and the production of articles therefrom. The article has a major surface including first microstructural features and second microstructural features arranged in a pattern visible at least when viewed normal to the first major surface. The first and second microstructural features are different relative to each other, and are selected from the group consisting of cones, diffraction gratings, lenticulars, segments of a sphere, pyramids, cylinders, fresnels, and prisms.

An imprint method of molding an imprint material on a shot region of a substrate using a mold, includes aligning the shot region and the mold in a state where the imprint material and a pattern region of the mold are in contact with each other; and curing the imprint material by irradiating the imprint material with curing light after the aligning. The aligning is controlled so as to include an overlap period during which a period during which deformation light used to deform the shot region is applied to the substrate through the imprint material and a period during which polymerization light used to increase a viscosity of the imprint material is applied to the imprint material overlap each other. The polymerization light to be applied to the imprint material is controlled in accordance with the deformation light to be applied to the imprint material during the overlap period.

An apparatus for generating a relief carrier using a solidifiable material includes a support structure configured for providing a substantially cylindrical support surface. The support surface may be formed by a substrate intended to be part of the relief carrier to be generated or by a cylindrical support not intended to be part of the relief carrier to be generated. A container is provided for the solidifiable material, the container having a wall arranged substantially parallel to an axis of the support structure; a moving means to move the support structure relative to the wall such that subsequent areas of the support surface face the wall during the moving. Moving includes at least a rotation around the axis. An irradiating means sends irradiation, through the wall in a predetermined area between the support surface and the wall.

A method for patterning a lithium metal surface, including the steps of (S1) forming an intaglio or relief pattern having a predetermined size on a patterning substrate; (S2) either (a) compressing lithium metal physically to a surface of the patterning substrate having the pattern formed thereon to form the predetermined pattern on the surface of the lithium metal, or (b) applying liquid lithium to the surface of the patterning substrate having the pattern formed thereon and solidifying the liquid lithium to form the predetermined pattern on the surface of the lithium metal; and (S3) separating the lithium metal having the predetermined pattern formed thereon from the patterning substrate, wherein the patterning substrate is at least one selected from a silicon wafer or polycarbonate substrate.

A polymer comprising a first repeating unit including an amino group protected by an alkoxycarbonyl group; a second repeating unit including a nucleophilic group; and a third repeating unit including a crosslinkable group, wherein the first repeating unit, the second repeating unit, and the third repeating unit are different from each other.