Optimization of Photochemical Crosslinking and Material Properties of SBS‐Based Flexographic Printing Plates Using Acrylate Monomers

ABSTRACT The rapid development of flexible printing technology highlights the critical importance of optimizing materials for flexible printing plates. This study investigates the photochemical crosslinking process of styrene‐butadiene‐styrene (SBS) block copolymers with various acrylate monomers, aiming to enhance the performance of SBS‐based flexographic printing plates. A series of SBS formulations was prepared with monomers differing in structure and functionality, and their crosslinking behavior, mechanical properties, and plate‐making performance were systematically analyzed. The results show that monomers with higher functionality significantly increased the density of the crosslinked network, improving tensile strength (up to 13.8 ± 0.5 MPa) and Shore hardness (up to 74 A), while reducing elongation at break. The introduction of rigid structures in monomers further enhanced the mechanical stiffness of the material. Under optimized processing parameters, the material successfully replicated patterns with a resolution of 175 Lines Per Inch (LPI) and achieved a double‐bond conversion rate of 93.2% ± 0.9% after UV exposure. This research demonstrates the tunability of SBS‐acrylate crosslinked networks and provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between monomer structure, crosslinking behavior, and material performance.