Abstract: A melting type thermal transfer recording system capable of providing multi-gradation images of high resolution and high image quality comparable to those of ink jet recording system or sublimation type thermal transfer recording system is disclosed which comprising: a donor film comprising a thin film and a thermal melting type ink layer provided on the thin film, the thermal melting type ink layer having a thickness in a range of 0.5 to 2.5 .mu.m, a surface porous type recording medium comprising a base material and a porous ink receiving layer having numerous minute pores provided on the base material, the ratio of the first total area of aperture portions that are occupied by all the pores to the whole surface area of the porous ink receiving layer being in a range of 10 to 60%, and the ratio of the second total area of aperture portions that are occupied by pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 to 20 .mu.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording material comprising a foundation, and (A) a coated area of at least one heat-meltable ink and (B) a coated area of a release agent or a release composition containing a release agent provided on the foundation, the coated area (A) and the coated area (B) being repeatedly arranged in a side-by-side relation on one side of the foundation, the release agent being at least one member selected from the group consisting of a silicone oil, an alkyl phosphate, a fluorine-containing surface active agent, a silicone resin, a silicone-modified urethane resin, a silicone-modified acrylic resin and a fluorine-containing resin. The thermal transfer recording material is favorably used in a reheating method wherein the heat-meltable ink is transferred onto a receptor, especially a receptor having a porous surface layer, and the ink image formed on the receptor is heated under the condition that the release agent-coated area (B) of the recording material is superimposed on the ink image.

Abstract: A thermal transfer ink comprising a coloring agent and a heat-meltable vehicle containing a wax component, the wax component containing not less than 15% by weight of a wax, the wax being a reaction product obtained by reacting an alcohol mixture of a straight-chain aliphatic primary monohydric alcohol having 10 to 22 carbon atoms and 1 to 50% by mole, on the basis of the amount of the alcohol mixture, of an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol with tolylene diisocyanate in a ratio of NCO/OH=0.8 to 1.0 by mole. A thermal transfer element is also disclosed wherein on a support is provided a thermal transfer ink layer formed from the thermal transfer ink by a solvent coating method.