Radiation-curable polymers

Claim 2

A densely crosslinked polymer comprising the free radical initiated reaction product of a composition comprising a radiation-curable polymer, said polymer being crosslinkable and having pendant ethylenically unsaturated peptide groups and the following structural formula ##STR12## wherein M is a unit from one or more free radically polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers; R 1 is hydrogen or methyl; R 2 is selected from a single bond, --R 3 -- and ##STR13## in which R 3 is alkylene having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and W is --O--, --S-- or --NH--; R 4 and R 7 are independently selected from a single bond and methylene, or substituted methylene having 1 to 12 carbon atoms; R 5 and R 6 are independently alkyl or cycloalkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, aryl or aralkyl having 6 to 12 carbon atoms or R 5 and R 6 taken together with the carbon to which they are joined form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic ring, or may be H when at least one of R 4 and R 7 is methylene; n is 1, 2 or 3; X is --O--, --NH-- or --S--; A is a polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated group selected from (a) ##STR14## in which R 8 is an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an arylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an arylene group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or an oxyalkylene group --OR-- p in which R is a lower alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms and p is 1 to 4; R 9 and R 10 are independently hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms or (b) --R 8 WY in which R 8 is as defined under the definition for A, W as defined under the definition for R 2 , and Y is an ethylenically unsaturated acyl group selected from the group including acryloyl, methacryloyl, cinnamoyl, maleoyl, fumaroyl, itaconoyl and crotonoyl; a and b are independent whole integer numbers, and b is at least 1, sufficient to provide a polymer wherein the distribution of M units and ##STR15## units is random throughout the polymer.

Claim 3

The method of preparing the crosslinked polymer of claim 1 comprising irradiating said polymer with activating radiation.

Claim 4

A substrate having on at least one surface a crosslinked polymer of claim 1.

Claim 5

The substrate of claim 3 wherein said substrate is a rigid, resilient or flexible material selected from the group consisting of metals, plastics, rubber, glass, paper, fabrics, wood and ceramics.

Claim 6

An energy-sensitive element comprising a substrate having a layer, said layer having a composition comprising a radiation-curable polymer, said polymer being crosslinkable and having pendant ethylenically unsaturated peptide groups and units of the following structural formula ##STR16## wherein M is a unit from one or more free radically polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers; R 1 is hydrogen or methyl; R 2 is selected from a single bond, --R 3 -- and ##STR17## in which R 3 is alkylene having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and W is --O--, --S-- or --NH--; R 4 and R 7 are independently selected from a single bond and methylene, or substituted methylene having 1 to 12 carbon atoms; R 5 and R 6 are independently alkyl or cycloalkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, aryl or aralkyl having 6 to 12 carbon atoms or R 5 and R 6 taken together with the carbon to which they are joined form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic ring, or may be H when at least one of R 4 and R 7 is methylene; n is 1, 2 or 3; X is --O--, --NH-- or --S--; A is a polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated group selected from (a) ##STR18## in which R 8 is an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an arylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an arylene group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or an oxyalkylene group, --OR-- p in which R is a lower alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms and p is 1 to 4; R 9 and R 10 are independently hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms or (b) --R 8 WY in which R 8 is as defined under the definition for A, W as defined under the definition for R 2 , and Y is an ethylenically unsaturated acyl group selected from the group including acryloyl, methacryloyl, cinnamoyl, maleoyl, fumaroyl, itaconoyl and crotonoyl; a and b are independent whole integer numbers, and b is at least 1, sufficient to provide a polymer wherein the distribution of M units and ##STR19## units is random throughout the polymer.

Claim 7

An energy-sensitive element comprising a substrate having a layer, said layer having a composition comprising a radiation-curable polymer, said polymer being crosslinkable and having pendant ethylenically unsaturated peptide groups and units of the following structural formula ##STR16## wherein M is a unit from one or more free radically polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers; R 1 is hydrogen or methyl; R 2 is selected from a single bond, --R 3 -- and ##STR17## in which R 3 is alkylene having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and W is --O--, --S-- or --NH--; R 4 and R 7 are independently selected from a single bond and methylene, or substituted methylene having 1 to 12 carbon atoms; R 5 and R 6 are independently alkyl or cycloalkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, aryl or aralkyl having 6 to 12 carbon atoms or R 5 and R 6 taken together with the carbon to which they are joined form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic ring, or may be H when at least one of R 4 and R 7 is methylene; n is 1, 2 or 3; X is --O--, --NH-- or --S--; A is a polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated group selected from (a) ##STR18## in which R 8 is an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an arylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an arylene group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or an oxyalkylene group, --OR-- p in which R is a lower alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms and p is 1 to 4; R 9 and R 10 are independently hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms or (b) --R 8 WY in which R 8 is as defined under the definition for A, W as defined under the definition for R 2 , and Y is an ethylenically unsaturated acyl group selected from the group including acryloyl, methacryloyl, cinnamoyl, maleoyl, fumaroyl, itaconoyl and crotonoyl; a and b are independent whole integer numbers, and b is at least 1, sufficient to provide a polymer wherein the distribution of M units and ##STR19## units is random throughout the polymer.

Claim 8

The element of claim 5 wherein said layer further comprises 0.01 to 5.0 percent by weight of the total polymerizable composition of a photoinitiator.

Claim 9

The element of claim 5 wherein said layer further comprises 0.5 to 2.0 percent by weight of the total polymerizable composition of a photoinitiator.