Abstract: A method for increasing the diameter of an ink jet ink dot resulting from the application of an ink jet ink drop applied to the surface of an ink jet recording medium having a support having thereon an image-receiving layer, the image-receiving layer containing: a) from about 20 to about 65% by volume of particles; b) from about 25 to about 70% by volume of a polymeric binder; and c) up to about 10% by volume of a cross-linking agent; the method comprising applying the ink jet ink drop on the surface of the image-receiving layer whereby the diameter of the ink jet ink dot is increased relative to that which would have been obtained if the image-receiving layer had greater than about 65% by volume of particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to an overcoat composition for an imaged image-recording element, the overcoat composition comprising an aqueous carrier, an optional humectant, an optional surfactant, and 0.05 to 20 weight percent, based on the total weight of the overcoat composition, of an addition polymer having an acid number greater than about 110. The invention also relates to a method of making an imaged image recording element having a transparent overcoat, which method comprises forming an image on the image recording element and applying over the image an overcoat composition of the present invention. The overcoat compositions of the invention provide advantageous stain resistance.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a positive image in a photothermographic assembly comprising a photothermographic material and an intensifying means for converting ionizing radiation, wherein the assembly has been imagewise exposed to ionizing radiation to form a latent image in the photothermographic material. The photothermographic material has at least one imaging layer comprising a potentially negative-working emulsion, wherein thermal development of unexposed silver salts in exposed areas relative to unexposed areas is inhibiting when thermally developing the imagewise exposed assembly, thereby producing a positive image. The present invention is also directed to a photothermographic assembly that can be used in the present process in which a positive image characterized by high speed and discrimination is formed when exposed and thermally heated above 150° C.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a material. The method comprises the step of coating a support with a solution comprising a hydrophilic polymer and a blowing agent. Either prior to or after the step of coating the support, the solution is interacted with in some way e.g. heated, to cause the blowing agent to generate gas bubbles within the solution, causing foaming of the hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a positive image in a photothermographic element comprising a potentially negative-working emulsion wherein fog density development is imagewise inhibited in exposed areas of the image upon thermal development, the element further comprising a developer or precursor thereof and an oxidized developer scavenging agent to accelerate development by removing oxidized developer as it is formed during the thermal development step. In one embodiment of the invention, in which a density-inhibiting agent is released during thermal development that inhibits the thermal development of unexposed silver salts in the exposed areas relative to the unexposed areas, the method comprises imagewise exposing the film with a non-solarizing amount of radiation/energy to form a latent image and thermally developing the latent image in a single development step to produce a positive image in the element.

Abstract: An inkjet recording element having a support having thereon in order: a) a fusible, porous ink-receptive layer of fusible polymeric particles and a binder; b) a fusible, porous ink-transporting layer of fusible, polymeric particles and a film-forming, hydrophobic binder. The invention is also directed to an inkjet printing process wherein the ink-receptive layer and/or the support, each either alone or in combination, is capable of receiving substantially all of the ink carrier liquid received after the ink carrier liquid has passed through the ink-receptive layer.

Abstract: A thin film transistor comprises a layer of organic semiconductor material comprising a tetracarboxylic diimide 3,4,9,10-perylene-based compound having, attached to each of the imide nitrogen atoms a substituted or unsubsitituted phenylalkyl group. Such transistors can further comprise spaced apart first and second contact means or electrodes in contact with said material. Further disclosed is a process for fabricating an organic thin-film transistor device, preferably by sublimation or solution-phase deposition onto a substrate, wherein the substrate temperature is no more than 100° C.

Abstract: Processes for making a pragmatic label, a receiver sheet for making such a pragmatic label, and intermediates thereof are described. The receiver sheet comprises a pragmatic pre-label sheet, a lower strippable carrier, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer between said lower strippable carrier and the pragmatic pre-label sheet. The pragmatic pre-label sheet is made by coextruding a first melt for a polymeric image-receiving layer with one or more other melts for forming a single-layer or multiple-layer pragmatic polymer sheet, wherein said other melts includes a second melt comprising an orientable thermoplastic polymeric material for forming a microvoided layer, said coextruded melts forming a multilayer composite film that is subsequently subjected to stretching. The pragmatic labels and receiver sheets of the present invention can advantageously be made without the use of solvent coating.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming a positive image in a photothermographic element comprising a potentially negative-working emulsion wherein fog density development is imagewise inhibited in exposed areas of the image upon thermal development. In one embodiment of the invention, a density-inhibiting agent is released during thermal development which agent inhibits the thermal development of unexposed silver salts in the exposed areas relative to the unexposed areas. The method preferably comprises imagewise exposing the film with a non-solarizing amount of radiation/energy to form a latent image and thermally developing the latent image in a single development step to produce a positive image in the element. The present invention is also directed to a photothermographic element that can be used in the present process in which a positive image characterized by high speed and discrimination is formed when exposed and thermally heated above 150° C.

Abstract: An inkjet recording element comprising a porous ink-receiving layer having interconnecting voids is disclosed in which an upper surface of the ink-receiving layer has been subjected to plasma treatment, and wherein the upper surface of the ink-receiving layer, prior to the plasma treatment, has a measured carbon elemental content of at least 40 percent. The invention can provide increased dot spread.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of compounds useful as chiral dopants, which compounds are available in both enantiomeric forms, in liquid-crystal formulations. Such formulations are advantageous in displays and various other products.

Abstract: A display comprising: a) a substrate; b) first transparent conductors; d) second conductors patterned to form segments; e) inter-segment material disposed between said second conductors, electrically conductive and having optical properties similar to said second conductors; f) an imaging layer comprising a light-modulating material disposed between said first and second conductors, electrically switched between two field-stable optical states and having a third as-coated optical state; and g) applying an electrical field to said inter-segment material and said first conductors to write said light-modulating material from the as-coated optical state to a different optical state more closely matching one of the two field-stable optical states.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composition comprising a polyester copolymer that comprises (a) recurring dibasic acid derived units and polyol derived units, at least 50 mole % of the dibasic acid derived units comprising dicarboxylic acid derived units each containing an alicyclic ring, (b) 25 to 75 mole % of the polyol derived units containing an aromatic ring not immediately adjacent to each hydroxyl group of the corresponding polyol, (c) 25 to 75 mole % of the polyol derived units of the polyester are non-aromatic, and (d) at least 0.1 mole percent, in sum total, of units derived from a multifunctional polyol having more than two hydroxy groups and/or units derived from a polyacid having more than two carboxylic acid groups and derivatives thereof. The invention is also directed to shaped articles, especially extruded films, made from such compositions. Examples of such extruded films are image-receiving layers for use in an image-recording element.

Abstract: A display sheet is disclosed comprising, a substrate, first transparent conductors, second conductors and, between first and second conductors, at least one imaging layer comprising a substantial monolayer of isolated domains of liquid-crystal material, dispersed in a continuous matrix, wherein said domains of liquid-crystal material comprises a mixture of at least two populations, a first population comprising a first liquid-crystal material having a first ?max within the infrared spectral region and a second population comprising a second liquid-crystal material having a second ?max within the visible spectral region. Alternately, the imaging layer can comprise a substantial monolayer of isolated domains of liquid-crystal material comprising a population of domains comprising a liquid-crystal material having a ?max between 700 and 800 and having a half-peak width that extends into both the visible spectrum region and the infrared spectral region.

Abstract: This invention relates to an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: wherein: the substituents are as defined in the application.

Abstract: A dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support having on one side thereof a dye layer and on the other side a slipping layer comprising at least two waxes, a branched alpha-olefin polymer and another wax.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon, in order, a hydrophilic absorbing layer and a polymeric overcoat layer comprising particles of a substantially amorphous synthetic aluminosilicate. Such recording elements exhibit improved humidity keeping and smudge resistance, while maintaining good differential gloss.

Abstract: Thermal-dye-transfer labels, and pre-label media from which they are made, comprising an extruded pragmatic polymer film comprising a microvoided layer, a continuous phase of which comprises a polylactic-acid-based material. A method of making sheets for such media is also disclosed involving an extrusion process. High-quality pressure-sensitive labels for application to packages are obtainable by the present invention.

Abstract: A dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support having on one side thereof a dye layer and on the other side a slipping layer comprising a material comprising a maleic anhydride polyethylene graft copolymer and at least one other d hydrocarbon wax.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal dye-transfer dye-image receiving element comprising a thermal dye-transfer receiver element comprising a dye-receiving layer 1; beneath layer 1, a substrate layer 2 containing a microvoided layer 2 comprising, in a continuous phase, a polylactic-acid-based material, wherein microvoids in said microvoided layer provide a void volume of at least 25% by volume, and wherein at least about half of the microvoids are formed from void initiating particles less than 1.5 micrometer in average diameter; and beneath layer 2, an optional support layer 3.