Methods for imaging and processing positive-working imageable elements

摘要

An imaged and developed element, such as a lithographic printing plate, is provided by infrared radiation imaging of a positive-working imagable element having inner and outer imagable layers. One or both layers contain a polymeric binder having pendant 1H-tetrazole groups. The imaged element is developed with a single processing solution having a pH of from about 5 to about 11 to remove predominantly only the exposed regions and to provide a protective layer over the imaged surface.