Image forming method and material using photopolymerizable composition

摘要

A light-sensitive image forming method using a recording element which comprises a recording layer on a support is disclosed. The recording layer contains at least two active components of a photopolymerizable composition such as a polymerizable compound and a polymerization initiator, both of which are essential for a photopolymerization reaction. The components are separated from each other by the shell of microcapsules in such manner that at least one component is contained in the microcapsules which are dispersed in the recording layer and the other component is arranged outside of the microcapsule. The image forming method comprises the steps of: heating the recording element to form the photopolymerizable composition in the recording layer; and imagewise exposing to light the recording element to imagewise polymerize the photopolymerizable composition. When the recording element is heated, the component outside of the microcapsules are brought into contact with the component in the microcapsules by permeation of at least one of the components through the shell of the microcapsules. Heat-sensitive image forming methods are also disclosed.