LITHO STRIP FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL ROUGHENING AND METHOD FOR ITS MANUFACTURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a litho sheet for electrochemical roughening, consisting of a rolled aluminium alloy, wherein the sheet surface has a topography with a maximum peak height Rp or Sp of not more than 1.4 m, preferably not more than 1.2 m, in particular not more than 1.0 m. The invention also relates to a method which is intended for producing a litho sheet and in the case of which a litho sheet consisting of an aluminium alloy is cold-rolled and in the case of which the litho sheet, following the final cold-rolling pass, is subjected to a degreasing treatment with a pickling step using an aqueous pickling medium.

Claims

1. Ctp-printing plate manufactured from a litho strip for electrochemical roughening, comprising a rolled aluminium alloy, wherein a strip surface of the litho strip has a topography with a maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p of a maximum of 1.4 m, wherein the topography of the litho strip surface is essentially an imprint of a rolling topography of a final cold rolling step conducted after a controlled degreasing treatment with simultaneous pickling until a surface erosion of at least 0.25 g/m.sup.2 is achieved.

2. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein the strip surface has a topography with a reduced peak height of R.sub.pk and/or S.sub.pk of a maximum of 0.4 m, preferably a maximum of 0.37 m.

3. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the litho strip is between 0.5 mm and 0.1 mm.

4. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein the litho strip consists of an AA1050, AA1100, AA3103 or AlMg0.5 alloy.

5. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein the litho strip has the following alloy composition in percent by weight: $\begin{array}{ccccc}0.3.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Fe}& & 1.0.Math.\%\\ 0.05.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Mg}& & 0.6.Math.\%\\ 0.05.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Si}& & 0.25.Math.\%\\ & & \mathrm{Mn}& & 0.05.Math.\%\\ & & \mathrm{Cu}& & 0.04.Math.\%\end{array}$ plus residual Al and unavoidable impurities, to an individual maximum of 0.05% and totalling a maximum of 0.15%.

6. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein the litho strip has the following alloy content in percent by weight: $\begin{array}{ccccc}0.3.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Fe}& & 0.4.Math.\%\\ 0.1.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Mg}& & 0.3.Math.\%\\ 0.05.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Si}& & 0.25.Math.\%\\ & & \mathrm{Mn}& & 0.05.Math.\%\\ & & \mathrm{Cu}& & 0.04.Math.\%\end{array}$

7. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein the impurities in the alloy of the litho strip have the following threshold values in percent by weight: $\begin{array}{ccc}\mathrm{Cr}& & 0.01.Math.\%\\ \mathrm{Zn}& & 0.02.Math.\%\\ \mathrm{Ti}& & 0.04.Math.\%\\ B& & 50.Math..Math.\mathrm{ppm}.\end{array}$

8. Method for the manufacture of a Ctp-printing plate, comprising a process in which a litho strip consisting of an aluminium alloy is cold rolled in a final cold rolling step and in which after the final cold rolling step the litho strip is subject to a controlled degreasing process with a simultaneous pickling process in an aqueous pickling medium, wherein the aqueous pickling medium contains at least 1.5% to 3% by weight of a mixture of 5% to 40% sodium tripolyphosphate, 3% to 10% sodium gluconate, 3% to 8% non-ionic and anionic surfactants and optionally 0.5% to 70% soda and the sodium hydroxide concentration in the aqueous pickling medium is between 0.1% and 5% by weight, wherein the controlled degreasing treatment with simultaneous pickling is conducted until a surface erosion caused thereby is at least 0.25 g/m.sup.2.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the sodium hydroxide concentration in the aqueous pickling medium is between 2% and 3.5% by weight and optionally the degreasing treatment with pickling takes place at temperatures between 70 C. and 85 C. for a duration of between 1 and 3.5 seconds.

10. Method according to claim 8, wherein the pickling temperature is between 76 C. and 84 C. and/or the sodium hydroxide concentration in the aqueous pickling medium is between 2.6% and 3.5% by weight.

11. Method according to claim 8, wherein the pickling duration is between 1 and 2 seconds, preferably between 1.1 and 1.9 seconds.

12. Method according to claim 8, wherein the litho strip is rolled to a final thickness of 0.5 mm to 0.1 mm in the final cold rolling step.

13. Method according to claim 8, wherein AA1050, AA1100, AA3103 or AlMg0.5 are used as an aluminium alloy.

14. Method for the manufacture of a printing plate carrier, wherein the printing plate carrier has a topography with a maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p of a maximum of 1.4 m, at which the printing plate carrier is manufactured from a litho strip according to claim 1.

15. Use of a printing plate carrier manufactured according to claim 14 for a CtP printing plate.

16. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein a strip surface of the litho strip has a topography with a maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p of a maximum of 1.2 m.

17. Ctp-printing plate according to claim 1, wherein a strip surface of the litho strip has a topography with a maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p of a maximum of 1.0 m.

18. Method according to claim 8, wherein the printing plate carrier has a photosensitive coating with a thickness of less than 2 m.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Further features and advantages of the present invention can be derived from the following description of embodiments of the litho strip in accordance with the invention and the method in accordance with the invention, in which the attached diagrams are taken into account, in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the determination of the maximum peak height R.sub.p and the reduced peak height R.sub.pk in accordance with DIN EN ISO 13 565,

[0051] FIG. 2 is an embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention,

[0052] FIG. 3 shows the results of a topographic measurement of a litho strip surface after the final cold rolling,

[0053] FIG. 4 is a profile from the topographic measurement shown in FIG. 3,

[0054] FIG. 5 shows the results of a topographic measurement of the litho strip surface shown in FIG. 3 after an embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention is carried out,

[0055] FIG. 6 is a profile from the topographic measurement shown in FIG. 5,

[0056] FIG. 7 shows the results of a topographic measurement of a litho strip surface after the final cold rolling and

[0057] FIG. 8 shows the results of a topographic measurement of the litho strip surface shown in FIG. 7 after an embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention is carried out.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0058] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the determination of the maximum peak height R.sub.p and the reduced peak height R.sub.pk in accordance with DIN EN ISO 13 565.

[0059] The left-hand region 2 of FIG. 1 shows a one-dimensional profile function Z(x) in an interval with the limits 0 and L. The function Z(x) provides a value Z(x) for each point x which corresponds to the local position of the actual surface, in other words the deviation in height of the surface from the average surface at <Z(x)>=0 m.

[0060] The right-hand region 4 of FIG. 1 shows the so-called Abbott-Firestone curve Z.sub.AF(Q) 6. This curve is the cumulative probability density function of the surface profile Z(x). It provides the height value Z.sub.AF for a percentage value Q between 0 and 100% (shown on the abscissas), above which the relevant percentage share of the surface is found. The Abbott-Firestone curve Z.sub.AF (Q) can implicitly be defined using the following equation:

[00011]$\begin{array}{cc}Q=\frac{1}{L}.Math.\underset{Z\left(x\right)Z_{\mathrm{AF}}\left(Q\right)}{}.Math.\mathrm{dx}& \left(6\right)\end{array}$

[0061] L is the length of the profile Z(x) measured, in other words the size of the definition region of Z(x). The integration region is the part of the total length to which the inequality Z(x)Z.sub.AF(Q) applies.

[0062] By placing a tangent 8 through the inflection point of the Abbott-Firestone curve 6, the points of intersection of this tangent 8 with the 0%-line 10 and the 100%-line 12 define a core region of the surface, the expansion of which is designated as the core roughness depth R.sub.k. The averaged height determined of the peaks which extend out of the core region is designated as the reduced peak height R.sub.pk and the averaged depth determined of the grooves which extend out of the core region is designated as the reduced groove depth R.sub.vk. Furthermore, the maximum peak height R.sub.p is also plotted in FIG. 1, corresponding to the distance between the highest peaks and the average value at 0 m.

[0063] The maximum peak height R.sub.p and the reduced peak height R.sub.pk can be determined in practice, for example, from profiles Z(x) measured at various positions of the litho strip transverse to the direction of rolling.

[0064] The reduced peak height S.sub.pk can in practice be determined accordingly from a known surface measurement. The calculation is made analogue to the reduced peak height R.sub.pk, wherein the Abbott-Firestone curve ZAF (Q) for S.sub.pk can be defined implicitly using the following equation:

[00012]$\begin{array}{cc}Q=\frac{1}{A}.Math.\underset{Z\left(x,y\right)Z_{\mathrm{AF}}\left(Q\right)}{}.Math.\mathrm{dxdy}& \left(7\right)\end{array}$

[0065] A is the size of the surface measured, in other words the size of the definition region of Z(x, y). The integration region is the part of the total length to which the inequality Z(x, y)Z.sub.AF(Q) applies.

[0066] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention for the manufacture of a litho strip. In the method 20, in a first step 22 an aluminium alloy is casted, for example an AA1050, AA1100, AA3103 or AlMg0.5 alloy, preferably an alloy with the following composition in percent by weight:

[00013]$\begin{array}{ccccccc}0.3& \%& & \mathrm{Fe}& & 1.0& \%\\ 0.05& \%& & \mathrm{Mg}& & 0.6& \%\\ 0.05& \%& & \mathrm{Si}& & 0.25& \%\\ & & & \mathrm{Mn}& & 0.05& \%\\ & & & \mathrm{Cu}& & 0.04& \%\end{array}$

plus an inflow of residual Al and unavoidable impurities, to an individual maximum of 0.05% and totalling a maximum of 0.15%.

[0067] The casting can generally be continuous or discontinuous, in particular it can be part of a continuous, semi-continuous or discontinuous casting process. In an optional step 24, the casting product, in other words in particular the cast ingots or the cast strip is subject to a further processing through a homogenisation treatment, for example in the temperature range between 480 C. and 620 C. for at least two hours. In the subsequent step 26 the casting product is optionally warm rolled, preferably to a thickness between 7 mm and 2 mm. Warm rolling can for example be foregone in a litho strip manufactured in a double strip casting process. The warm strip is then cold rolled in the step 28, in particular to a thickness between 0.5 mm and 0.1 mm. An intermediate annealing can take place optionally during the cold rolling. After the final cold rolling step, the litho strip is subject to a degreasing treatment with pickling with an aqueous pickling medium in a step 30, wherein the aqueous pickling medium contains at least 1.5% to 3% by weight a mixture of 5% to 40% sodium tripolyphosphate, 3% to 10% sodium gluconate, 3% to 8% non-ionic and anionic surfactants and optionally 0.5% to 70% soda, wherein the sodium hydroxide concentration in the aqueous pickling medium is between 0.1% and 5% by weight, in particular between 2% and 3.5% by weight, the degreasing treatment with pickling takes place at temperatures between 70 and 85 C. for a duration of between 1 and 3.5 seconds and a surface erosion of at least 0.25 g/m.sup.2 is set by the degreasing treatment with pickling.

[0068] The selected surface erosion can reduce high roller webs in the surface of the strip such that after the degreasing treatment with pickling the litho strip has a topography with a maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p of a maximum of 1.4 m, preferably a maximum of 1.2 m, more preferably a maximum of 1.0 m and is particularly suitable for CtP printing plate carriers.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows the results of a 3D topographic measurement of a litho strip surface after the final cold rolling step. The figure shows a three-dimensional topographic view of the surface function Z(x, y) over a quadratic region with the side length 800 m. The height information can additionally be taken from the scale on the right-hand side in FIG. 3. The y-axis lies parallel to the direction of rolling of the litho strip. It is shown that the litho strip has high roller webs longitudinal to the direction of rolling, in other words along the y-axis, which can be clearly seen as light elevations. These roller webs can disrupt the application of a photosensitive layer or even prevent it locally, such that printing errors occur when using printing plate carriers manufactured from these litho strips.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a profile Z(x) from the topographic measurement shown in FIG. 3, in other words a section from the topographic measurement parallel to the x-axis. It is clearly visible that the roller webs in the litho band can have a height of more than 1.6 m following the cold rolling. However, these high roller webs only have a slight influence on the value of the average roughness R.sub.a of the litho strip.

[0071] FIG. 5 shows the results of a topographic measurement on the surface of the litho strip from FIG. 1 after an embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention is carried out, in other words after the degreasing treatment with pickling as per the method in accordance with the invention. FIG. 5 essentially shows the same region of the litho strip as FIG. 3. As with FIG. 4, FIG. 6 shows an associated profile Z(x) from the topographic measurement shown in FIG. 5. FIGS. 5 and 6 show that in particular the high roller webs can be reduced considerably through the degreasing treatment with pickling. In FIG. 6, the maximum peak height R.sub.p is only 1.3 m and therefore considerably less than the maximum peak height R.sub.p of the untreated litho strip from FIG. 4.

[0072] It is therefore possible to use the method in accordance with the invention to manufacture a strip surface with a maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p of a maximum of 1.4 m, preferably a maximum of 1.2 m, more preferably a maximum of 1.0 m.

[0073] In order to ensure in practice that the maximum peak heights R.sub.p are maintained in the production of the litho strips, three profile measurements can for example be taken transverse to the direction of rolling, on the outside and in the centre of the strip, wherein the length of the profile can for example be 4.8 mm. The value for S.sub.p can be determined on the basis of a quadratic surface measurement with a side length of 800 m.

[0074] As a comparison of FIGS. 4 and 6 shows, the average roughness R.sub.a is barely influenced by the degreasing treatment with pickling. This parameter, which is used in the conventional manufacture and characterisation of litho strips, is therefore not suitable to show the existence of roller webs in the litho strips which may cause disturbances. In contrast to this, the quality of the litho strip surfaces can be better set using the roughness parameter of the maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p.

[0075] FIGS. 7 and 8 also show 3D topographic measurements of a litho strip surface with the length 2146.9 m and the width 2071.7 m immediately following the final cold rolling step (FIG. 7) and after a degreasing treatment with pickling is carried out as per the method in accordance with the invention (FIG. 8). In turn, the y-axis lies parallel to the direction of rolling of the litho strip. From a comparison of FIG. 8 with FIG. 7, it becomes apparent that the high roller webs longitudinal to the direction of rolling present in FIG. 7 can be reduced considerably through the degreasing treatment with pickling such that an improved litho strip surface is achieved.

[0076] A litho strip with a surface topography as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 can in particular be used advantageously as a printing plate carrier with a very flat roughening structure and/or in very thin photosensitive coatings, such as for example in CtP technology.

[0077] Additional features and characteristics of the invention can be derived from the roughness measurements taken from embodiments of the litho strip in accordance with the invention shown below.

[0078] Litho strips with an aluminium content which in addition to impurities caused by manufacture have the following alloy contents in percent by weight:

[00014]$\begin{array}{ccccc}0.30.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Fe}& & 0.40.Math..Math.g.\\ 0.10.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Mg}& & 0.30.Math.\%\\ 0.05.Math.\%& & \mathrm{Si}& & 0.25.Math.\%\\ & & \mathrm{Mn}& & 0.05.Math.\%\\ & & \mathrm{Cu}& & 0.04.Math.\%\end{array}$

plus residual Al, are cold rolled to a final thickness of 0.14 mm, 0.28 mm or 0.38 mm. In the degreasing treatment with simultaneous pickling, identical parameters are set as for the embodiment in FIG. 2.

[0079] Before and after the degreasing treatment, roughness measurements are taken on the upper sides of the litho strips, both in the edge regions and in the centre of the litho strips. The roughness measurements determine the average roughness S.sub.a, the reduced groove depth S.sub.vk, the reduced peak height S.sub.pk and the maximum peak height S.sub.p. The results for the litho strip with a thickness of 0.14 mm are shown in table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Measurement Point of time of position measurement S.sub.a S.sub.vk S.sub.pk S.sub.p Edge region Before degreasing 0.22 0.23 0.35 1.9 After degreasing 0.21 0.27 0.33 1.0 Centre Before degreasing 0.21 0.26 0.35 1.6 After degreasing 0.21 0.26 0.32 1.0

[0080] In the prior art, the average surface roughness S.sub.a has been used to characterise the litho strips to date. Table 1 shows that this roughness parameter is not suitable to demonstrate the effect of the degreasing treatment with pickling in accordance with the invention or the surface quality of the litho strips in terms of individual high roller webs. Its value remains essentially unchanged after the degreasing treatment with pickling. The reduced groove depth S.sub.vk is also evidently not suitable as an indicator of high roller webs. In contrast to this, the values for the maximum peak height S.sub.p are considerably reduced and therefore show the improvement of the litho strip surfaces in terms of the damaging high roller webs. An optimisation of the litho strips and the method for their manufacture using the roughness parameter S.sub.p therefore leads to a particularly infrequent occurrence of the above mentioned printing errors. The reduced peak height S.sub.pk is also decreased through the degreasing treatment with pickling and can be used as an additional roughness parameter.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 S.sub.p (edge) S.sub.p (centre) Strip Before Before thickness degreasing After degreasing degreasing After degreasing 0.14 mm 1.9 1.0 1.67 1.1 0.28 mm 1.61 1.2 1.38 1.1 0.38 mm 1.3 1.0 1.3 1.1

[0081] Table 2 shows the results for the maximum peak height S.sub.p from the roughness measurements on litho strips of different thicknesses. In particular, litho strips with a thickness of 0.3 mm to 0.1 mm benefit greatly from the method in accordance with the invention, as these have a relatively high S.sub.p value of more than 1.5 m immediately after the final cold rolling step and are therefore susceptible to the above mentioned printing errors. The maximum peak height S.sub.p for all strip thicknesses measured can essentially be reduced to the same value through the degreasing treatment with pickling. As a consequence, the surface quality of thin litho strips can be improved particularly with the method in accordance with the present invention.

[0082] The results in tables 1 and 2 further show that high roller webs occur in particular on the edges of the strips. The degreasing treatment with pickling can therefore take place for example selectively in the edge region of the litho strips.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Point of time of measurement S.sub.a S.sub.vk S.sub.pk S.sub.p Before degreasing 0.22 0.23 0.43 1.51 After degreasing 0.21 0.24 0.37 1.13

[0083] Table 3 shows the roughness parameters S.sub.a, S.sub.vk, S.sub.pk and S.sub.p determined in average on litho strips of different thicknesses. The results clearly show that the average roughness S.sub.a which has been used to date to characterise litho strips is not suitable to improve the quality of a litho strip surface in terms of the damaging high roller webs. In contrast to this, the values of the maximum peak height R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p and the reduced peak height R.sub.pk and/or S.sub.pk after the degreasing treatment with pickling show a considerable reduction, such that the litho strip and the method for its manufacture can be improved considerably by an optimisation of the parameters R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p, where necessary in combination with R.sub.pk and/or S.sub.pk.

[0084] In order to manufacture the litho strip in accordance with the invention, the method in accordance with the invention can for example be used. However, the litho strip in accordance with the invention is not limited to this method of manufacture. On the basis of the present invention, the person skilled in the art can develop further methods to achieve a litho strip in accordance with the invention by optimising the roughness parameter R.sub.p and/or S.sub.p.