Electrolytically induced polymerization utilizing zinc and alkali metal sulfite

摘要

Material useful in electropolymerization processes comprises a conductive zinc-containing support and a layer thereon of a composition comprising a polymerizable monomer and an alkali metal sulfite. Electrolysis of the composition results in the formation of zinc sulfite with subsequent electrolytic generation of polymerization-inducing free radicals. The anodic reaction ensures polymerization at and bonding of the resulting polymer to the support sheet of the material even when used in conjunction with zinc oxide photoconductor cathode layers. The material is particularly useful in negative-working imagery and in the preparation of patterned resist layers.