Abstract: An ink recording element having a support having thereon a hydrophilic absorbing layer, an inner layer of a poly(vinyl alcohol-ethylene oxide) copolymer, and a polymeric overcoat layer of a cellulose ether.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method having the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element having a support having thereon, in order, a hydrophilic absorbing layer and a polymeric overcoat layer of a derivitized poly(vinyl alcohol) having at least one hydroxyl group replaced by ether or ester groups, the polymeric overcoat layer also containing a sulfurous acid salt and an ammonium salt; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an ink recording element comprising at least one solvent absorbing layer comprising an amine inactivated absorbing gelatin. In a preferred embodiment, the element includes a hydrophilic overcoat layer comprising cellulose ether. The recording element may further comprise at least one hydrophilic inner layer comprising poly(vinyl alcohol) and located between the hydrophilic absorbing layer and the hydrophilic overcoat layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ink recording element comprising a hydrophilic absorbing layer and a hydrophilic overcoat polymer layer comprising cellulose ether and a vinyl latex polymer. An optional inner layer may be placed between the hydrophilic absorbing layer and the laminate adhesion promoting hydrophilic overcoat polymer. Another embodiment of the invention relates to an ink printing method comprising providing an ink recording element as described above, and applying liquid ink droplets thereon in an image-wise manner.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an ink recording element comprising a support having thereon a hydrophilic absorbing layer, a laminate adhesion promoting polymer inner layer, and a hydrophilic overcoat polymer layer and a method therefor.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer containing an ink jet image and an overcoat layer of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic polyester resin having the following general formula: In—P—Am wherein I is an ionic group; n is an integer from 1-3; P is a polyester backbone; A is an aliphatic group comprising a straight or branched chain fatty acid or triglyceride thereof having from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms; and m is an integer from 3-8.

Abstract: An improved continuous ink jet printing system which continually recirculates its ink through an ion-exchange treatment is disclosed. The system includes collecting guttered ink for reconstitution and recirculation and propelling said collected and recircultating ink through an ion-exchange column and then to an ink supply reservoir and on through the nozzle bores of continuous ink jet print heads.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process for improving the durability of an ink jet image comprising: a) providing an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer containing an ink jet image; and b) applying over the surface of the image-receiving layer an overcoat layer of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic polyester resin having the following general formula: In-P-Am wherein I is an ionic group; n is an integer from 1-3; P is a polyester backbone; A is an aliphatic group comprising a straight or branched chain fatty acid or triglyceride thereof having from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms; and m is an integer from 3-8.

Abstract: An image-recording element for inkjet ink images comprises a support, an ink-receptive layer and a top layer, wherein the top layer comprises a polymer that contains both a hydrophilic component and a hydrophobic component, or a mixture of two or more such polymers, the said polymer or polymer mixture being present in the top layer in an amount of from 0.003 to 0.5 g/m2, and wherein the top layer has been hardened with an oxazoline functional polymer. The top layer preferably comprises a polymer that contains both hydrophilic substituents and hydrophobic substituents, for example a polymer selected from the polymers and copolymers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid esters or methacrylic acid esters, or a salt of such a polymer or copolymer. The base layer, which may comprise gelatin, preferably has a thickness of from 3 to 20 &mgr;m. The support may be a conventional support, for example a paper sheet.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method, including the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element; C) loading the printer with a color ink jet ink set having: (i) a magenta ink having a carrier and a water-soluble, transition metal complex of an 8-heterocyclylazo-5-hydroxyquinoline dye; (ii) a yellow ink having a carrier and a water-soluble yellow dye; (iii) a cyan ink having a carrier and a water-soluble cyan dye; and (iv) an orange and/or green and/or violet ink having a carrier and a water-soluble orange and/or green and/or violet dye; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the inkjet ink set in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: A color ink jet ink set for color printing including: (a) a magenta ink having a carrier and a water-soluble, transition metal complex of an 8-heterocyclylazo-5-hydroxyquinoline dye; (b) a yellow ink having a carrier and a water-soluble yellow dye, (c) a cyan ink having a carrier and a water-soluble cyan dye, and (d) an orange and/or green ink having a carrier and a water-soluble orange and/or green dye.

Abstract: The present invention relates to imaged photographic elements comprising an overcoat layer of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic polyester resin having the following general formula: In—P—Am wherein I is an ionic group; n is an integer from 1-3; P is a polyester backbone; A is an Asiatic group comprising a straight or branched chain fatty acid or triglyceride thereof having from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms; and m is an integer from 3-8. Such a protective overcoat provides excellent stain resistance for an imaged photographic element.

Abstract: A process for laminating an ink jet print having the steps of: a) providing an ink jet print having a support having thereon an ink jet image; b) contacting the imaged surface of the ink jet print with a transfer laminating element to form a composite, the transfer laminating element having a flexible, polymeric support having thereon a protection layer of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic polyester resin having the following general formula: In-P-Am wherein I is an ionic group; n is an integer from 1-3; P is a polyester backbone; A is an aliphatic group having a straight or branched chain fatty acid or triglyceride thereof halving from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms; and m is an integer from 3-8; c) applying heat and pressure to the composite to transfer the layer on top of the ink jet image; d) allowing the composite to cool; and e) peeling the flexible, polymeric support of the transfer laminating element from the composite to form the laminated ink jet print.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process for improving the water-fastness of an ink jet image comprising: providing an ink jet recording element having a support having thereon an image-recording layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) and a mordant; applying liquid ink droplets of an anionic, water-soluble dye on the image-recording layer in an image-wise manner; and applying an aqueous solution of a hardener to the image to cross-link the binder.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process comprising the steps of; a) providing an ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink jet ink is emitted from a nozzle that is responsive to digital data signals; b) loading the printer with an ink jet recording element; c) loading the printer with an aqueous inkjet ink comprising water, a dye, a humectant, an organic solvent and a deflection-enhancing additive comprising a diethanolamine or 1-amino-2-propanol; and d) ejecting ink from a thermally-steered continuous ink jet print head onto one of the ink jet recording elements in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process for improving the wet abrasion resistance of an ink jet image comprising: providing an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-recording layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) and a mordant; applying liquid ink droplets of a cationic, water-soluble dye on the image-recording layer in an image-wise manner; and applying an aqueous solution of an organic hardener or a sulfate of a trivalent metal to the image to cross-link the polymer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an imaging member comprising at least one image layer and a base, said base comprising a cellulose paper that has its surfaces impregnated with water dispersible ester-based condensation polymer wherein the surface of said base has a roughness of less than 2.03 &mgr;m Ra and a hydrophobicity as measured by 40/20 Acid Valley test in excess of 500 seconds.

Abstract: A process for making an ink jet ink comprising: a) providing a dispersion containing a pigment, an alcohol carrier and an amine-terminated polyether dispersant; b) mixing the pigment dispersion with rigid milling media less than 100 &mgr;m; c) introducing the mixture of step (b) into a mill; d) milling the mixture from step (c) until the pigment particle size is below about 100 nanometers; e) separating the milling media from the mixture milled in step (d); and f) diluting the mixture from step (e) to obtain an ink jet ink having a pigment concentration suitable for ink jet printers.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process for improving the light stability and wet abrasion resistance of an ink jet image comprising: a) providing an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-recording layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) and a mordant; b) applying liquid ink droplets of a dye on the image-recording layer in an image-wise manner, the dye being a water-soluble deprotonated cationic dye which is capable of being reprotonated to a cationic dye having a N—H group which is part of a conjugated system; and c) applying an aqueous solution of an organic hardener to the image to cross-link the polymer.

Abstract: An ink jet ink composition comprising from about 30 to about 90% by weight of an alcohol carrier, from about 0.5 to about 30% by weight of a pigment, from about 0.125 to about 7.5% by weight of an amine-terminated polyether dispersant, and from about 10 to about 50% by weight of a humectant.