Abstract: A thermally-responsive dispersant for an aqueous dispersion of positively- or negatively-charged or chargeable solid or liquid particulates, comprises a compound having an anchoring moiety linked to a thermally-responsive polymeric stabilizing moiety, other than a polyalkylene oxide, the polymeric moiety having a lower affinity for the surface than the anchoring group below the thermal transition temperature, the particulates being positively-charged or chargeable when the anchoring moiety contains an acid and/or hydroxy group and has a net acidity or neutrality and the particulates being negatively-charged or chargeable when the anchoring moiety has a basic group and has a net basicity, wherein the dispersion exhibits a change in sign from negative to positive and an increase in magnitude of a rheological property (viscosity at low shear and/or complex modulus at low amplitude oscillatory shear), on increasing the temperature from below to above the thermal transition temperature.

Abstract: The invention provides a dispersant for an aqueous dispersion of negatively charged or chargeable solid particulates which comprises a compound having an anchoring moiety linked to a polymeric hydrophilic moiety, the anchoring moiety containing at least one basic group and having an overall basicity and the polymeric moiety having a lower affinity for the particulate surface than the anchoring moiety. The invention also provides a coating composition containing the dispersant, an inkjet recording element containing the dispersant and methods of coating or reducing viscosity using the dispersant.

Abstract: A thermally-responsive dispersant for an aqueous dispersion of positively- or negatively-charged or chargeable solid or liquid particulate, comprises a compound having an anchoring moiety linked to a thermally-responsive polymeric stabilizing moiety, other than a polyalkylene oxide, the polymeric moiety having a lower affinity for the surface than the anchoring group below the thermal transition temperature, the particulates being positively-charged or chargeable when the anchoring moiety contains an acid and/or hydroxy group and has a net acidity or neutrality and the particulates being negatively-charged or chargeable when the anchoring moiety has a basic group and has a net basicity, wherein the dispersion exhibits a change in sign from negative to positive and an increase in magnitude of a rheological property (viscosity at low shear and/or complex modulus at low amplitude oscillatory shear), on increasing the temperature from below to above the thermal transition temperature.

Abstract: A substantially transparent conductive layer is provided on a support, the layer comprising a conductive ionic liquid and a conductive metal network distributed therein.

Abstract: The invention provides a dispersant for an aqueous dispersion of negatively charged or chargeable solid particulates which comprises a compound having an anchoring moiety linked to a polymeric hydrophilic moiety, the anchoring moiety containing at least one basic group and having an overall basicity and the polymeric moiety having a lower affinity for the particulate surface than the anchoring moiety. The invention also provides a coating composition containing the dispersant, an inkjet recording element containing the dispersant and methods of coating or reducing viscosity using the dispersant.

Abstract: A substantially transparent conductive layer is provided on a support, the layer comprising a conductive ionic liquid and a conductive metal network distributed therein.

Abstract: A porous polymeric ink-jet receiver prepared by generating an emulsion comprising a first phase having a first carrier fluid and a second phase having a second carrier fluid, said first and second carrier fluids being immiscible; coating the emulsion onto a support; carrying out a first treatment to at least one component of the first phase to form and/or maintain a skeletal structure of the treated at least one component of the first phase; and carrying out a second treatment to the second phase to substantially remove the carrier fluid thereby generating a large capacity porous structure defined by the skeletal structure is capable of rapid uptake of large quantities of ink, especially when using a high internal phase water-in-oil emulsion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a planographic printing element suitable to receive and bond with a subsequently applied hydrophilic layer comprises a substrate layer, such as polyester film or paper, having coated thereon an adhesion layer, said adhesion layer comprising a polymer having a glass transition temperature of less than 15C and containing functional groups such as hydroxyl, epoxy or glycidyl groups capable of reacting with the hydrophilic layer. The polymer may be a terpolymer of a hydroxyalkyl methacrylate, an alkyl acrylate and an aminoalkyl methacrylate. The polymer may be mixed with gelatin and the mixture applied to the substrate as a coating. The hydrophilic layer, which may comprise metal oxide particles, such as aluminium oxide and/or titanium dioxide particles in a sodium silicate binder, is subsequently applied as a coating to the adhesion layer.

Abstract: A coating fluid for forming a coating on a support for use in inkjet printing comprises a liquid medium having dispersed therein (a) an inorganic oxide selected from aluminium oxide and silica, (b) a binder polymer, and (c) a polymeric crosslinking agent containing functional groups for reaction with the inorganic oxide. The components (a), (b) and (c) are preferably dispersed in an aqueous liquid and the relative amounts of inorganic oxide to polymeric crosslinking agent are from 500:1 to 15:1 preferably 250:1 to 20:1, the relative amounts of inorganic oxide to binder polymer are from 50:1 to 2:1 preferably 20:1 to 4:1 and the relative amounts of binder polymer to polymeric crosslinking agent are from 40:1 to 2:1 preferably from 20:1 to 3:1 the amounts being by weight on a dry basis.

Abstract: A donor element for use in laser thermal imaging has a layer which comprises an infrared-absorbing material, an image dye and a polymer matrix comprising a thermally degradable polymer and a non thermally degradable polymer there being an interaction between the infrared-absorbing material and the non degradable polymer to facilitate retention of the infrared-absorbing material in the donor element. The degradable and non degradable polymers are preferably copolymers both of which contain methacrylic acid as a monomer. The degradable polymer is preferably a copolymer of methoxyethyl cyanoacrylate and methacrylic acid preferably in molar proportions of from 1:1 to 12:1. The non degradable polymer is preferably a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid, preferably in molar proportions of from 1:1 to 15:1. The element may be prepared from an aqueous solid particle dispersion which has been prepared by milling the components together in a ball mill.

Abstract: A planographic printing element suitable to receive and bond with a subsequently applied hydrophilic layer comprises a substrate layer such as polyester film or paper having coated thereon an adhesion layer, said adhesion layer comprising a polymer having a glass transition temperature of less than 15° C. and containing functional groups such as hydroxyl, epoxy or glycidyl capable of reacting with the hydrophilic layer. The polymer may be a terpolymer of a hydroxyalkylacrylate, an alkyl acrylate and an aminoalkylmethacrylate. The polymer may be mixed with gelatin and the mixture applied to the substrate as a coating.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a lithographic printing plate comprises forming an oleophilic image on the surface of a hydrophilic support by depositing, preferably by ink-jetting, the desired image on the surface using an aqueous emulsion of an organic film-forming polymer which has been prepared by emulsion polymerization, whereby the polymer adheres to the surface of the printing plate forming an oleophilic film. The polymer preferably has functional groups such as sulphonate that bind the polymer to the hydrophilic surface. Preferably the polymer has a glass transition temperature of not greater than about 105° C. and where the glass transition temperature is above 50° C. the polymer, after deposition on the plate, is preferably subjected to a heat treatment to assist in film formation.

Abstract: A donor element for use in laser thermal imaging has a layer which comprises an infrared-absorbing material, an image dye and a polymer matrix comprising a thermally degradable polymer and a non thermally degradable polymer there being an interaction between the infrared-absorbing material and the non degradable polymer to facilitate retention of the infrared-absorbing material in the donor element. The degradable and non degradable polymers are preferably copolymers both of which contain methacrylic acid as a monomer. The degradable polymer is preferably a copolymer of methoxyethyl cyanoacrylate and methacrylic acid preferably in molar proportions of from 1:1 to 12:1. The non degradable polymer is preferably a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid, preferably in molar proportions of from 1:1 to 15:1.

Abstract: An ink jet ink composition comprising from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of a pigment, a carrier and a dispersant, the dispersant comprising an anionic derivative of an ethoxylated alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin, the ratio of dispersant:pigment being from about 0.1:1 to about 5:1.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method, comprising the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with ink jet recording elements; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition comprising from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of a pigment, a carrier and a dispersant, the dispersant comprising an anionic derivative of an ethoxylated alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin, the ratio of dispersant:pigment being from about 0.1:1 to about 5:1; and D) printing on the ink jet recording element using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a lithographic printing plate comprises forming an oleophilic image on the surface of a hydrophilic support by depositing, preferably by ink-jetting, the image on the surface using an aqueous dispersion of an oligomer having in the molecule both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. The number of repeating units in the oligomer may be from 2 to 10 and the number of hydrophilic groups in the oligomer may also be from 2 to 10. Preferably the molecular weight of the oligomer is from about 500 to about 5000.

Abstract: A hydrophobically capped oligomeric acrylamide or pyrrolidone is employed as a dispersant for hydrophobic materials in an aqueous medium containing a hydrophilic colloid, e.g. gelatin. The hydrophobic materials include photographic addenda such as color couplers or solid particle dyes. Preferred dispersants have the general formula R—L—T   (1) or in which R, R1 and R2 are each independently selected from aliphatic hydrocarbyl, aryl-(aliphatic hydrocarbyl) and (aliphatic hydrocarbyl)-aryl groups, L is a sulphur atom or a linking group that contains a sulphur atom attached to the T group, and T is a hydrophilic oligomeric group obtained by the oligomerisation of one or more vinyl monomers having an amido function.

Abstract: A coating fluid for forming a coating on a support for use in inkjet printing comprises a liquid medium having dispersed therein (a) an inorganic oxide selected from aluminium oxide and silica, (b) a binder polymer, and (c) a polymeric crosslinking agent containing functional groups for reaction with the inorganic oxide. The components (a), (b) and (c) are preferably dispersed in an aqueous liquid and the relative amounts of inorganic oxide to polymeric crosslinking agent are from 500:1 to 15:1 preferably 250:1 to 20:1, the relative amounts of inorganic oxide to binder polymer are from 50:1 to 2:1 preferably 20:1 to 4:1 and the relative amounts of binder polymer to polymeric crosslinking agent are from 40:1 to 2:1 preferably from 20:1 to 3:1 the amounts being by weight on a dry basis.

Abstract: A hydrophobically capped oligomeric acrylamide or pyrrolidone is employed as a dispersant for hydrophobic materials in an aqueous medium containing a hydrophilic colloid, e.g. gelatin. The hydrophobic materials include photographic addenda such as color couplers or solid particle dyes.

Abstract: This invention provides a composition comprised of nanoparticles containing a therapeutic or diagnostic agent having a block copolymer linked to at least one anionic group as a surface modifier adsorbed on the surface thereof and a method of making such nanoparticles. The compositions exhibit unexpectedly improved autoclave stability, reduced macrophage uptake, improved toxicological profiles and facilitate particle size reduction such that milling time can be reduced and/or sterile filtration of the nanoparticles can be accomplished.