Inkjet-imageable lithographic printing members and methods of preparing and imaging them

This invention describes a method for creating printing plates for lithography using an inkjet printer. Instead of traditional plate-making, an inkjet sprays a special fluid onto a plate with a hydrophilic surface. This fluid chemically reacts with the plate surface, changing the sprayed areas from water-attracting to oil-attracting, which is essential for lithographic printing. The claims specifically describe this process using a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer layer that undergoes a phase change from hydrophilic to oleophilic.