The Influence of Alcohol Treatment on Etching Characteristics of Gelatin Resists.

Tanned gelatin gravure etching resists are dried after laydown and hot water development by treating the resist with alcohol. Little information has been available as to the possible effects of this alcohol treatment on etching characteristics of the gelatin resist. This investigation showed that the alcohol treatment of developed gelatin resists has a significant effect on etchant penetration times, depth of etch and print density. The magnitude of these effects was dependent on alcohol concentration and duration of treatment, and differed with single and multi-bath etchings and with bichromated gelatin resists and photographic film resists.