Abstract: A non-crosslinked, crosslinkable polyurethane has an acid number of 20-40 and a glass transition temperature of up to and including 40° C. It can be derived from an aromatic diisocyanate; and a diol mixture of at least D1, D2, D3, and D4 diols. D1 has a C3 to C7 aliphatic group and at least one pendant carboxy group or pendant neutralized carboxy group. D2 has a chain of repeating C2 to C6 alkylene oxide groups and a molecular weight of 250-3000. D3 is an alkoxylated bisphenol A or aliphatic cyclic diol present in an amount of at least 5 mol %. D4 is a hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene having a molecular weight of at least 1000, and is present in an amount of at least 0.1-5 mol %.

Abstract: A fuser apparatus includes first and second rollers in nip relation to transport a receiver member therebetween. A stripping mechanism a skive assembly having an elongated, thin, flexible skive finger, wherein a tip of the skive finger is beveled with first and second bevel surfaces with respective sweep angles forming a sharp edge along an upper surface of the skive finger. A mounting mechanism positions the skive finger in operative relation to the first roller with a bottom surface of the skive finger contacting the surface of the first roller at a contact point spaced apart from the tip of the skive finger such that the sharp edge along the first surface of the skive finger is spaced apart from the surface of the first roller by a distance of between 50 and 120 microns.

Abstract: A printed electrical device is formed using a flexographic printing system. A flexographic printing plate having a pattern of raised features includes an active region having a plurality of parallel traces separated by a trace spacing of between 5-40 microns that are used to form active micro-traces that provide an electrical function, and an inactive region adjacent to the active region having one or more protective features that are used to form electrically-inactive features. The protective features are separated from an outermost trace of the plurality of traces by a gap distance of between 60% and 250% of the trace spacing. The flexographic printing plate is used to transfer ink from an anilox roller to a substrate to provide a printed pattern corresponding to the pattern of raised features on the flexographic printing plate.

Abstract: A method for printing a print job including a plurality of document using a printing system includes receiving demographic information for document recipients associated with each of the documents. Printing parameters for each document are automatically determined such that an estimated total cost for printing the print job is not more than a predefined target cost. The printing parameters used for each document are determined responsive to analyzing the demographic information for the associated document recipient and estimated costs for printing the document using different printing parameters. Each document is printed using the respective determined printing parameters.

Abstract: A production system such as an inkjet printer system includes a plurality of communication distribution devices connected in a daisy chain arrangement. A plurality of secondary devices, such as printhead electronics boards for inkjet printheads, is connected to each of the communication distribution devices. A first communication distribution device which is connected to a system controller assigns a communication address to itself from a first set of communication address and assigns communication addresses to its connected secondary devices from a second set of communication addresses. It then communicates information to the next communication distribution device specifying the next available communication addresses. This process continues down the chain of communication distribution devices. The assigned communication addresses are then transmitted to the system controller.

Abstract: A precursor article has a substrate and a photosensitive thin film or photosensitive thin film pattern on one or both supporting sides. A non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex is present that is represented by the following formula (I): (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c?? (I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer can also be present to enhance photosensitivity for conversion of reducible silver ions to electrically-conductive silver metal in a resulting product article or device. The electrically-conductive silver metal can be provided as a uniform electrically-conductive silver metal-containing thin film or layer, or as one or more electrically-conductive silver metal-containing thin film patterns.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes two groups of interleaved nozzles. First and second sets of drop-formation waveforms are associated with the groups of nozzles to selectively cause portions of a liquid jet to break off into drops. A timing delay device time-shifts the second-group waveforms relative to those associated with the first-group waveforms. A charging-electrode waveform having portions with first and second potentials is provided to a charging electrode. The waveform energies of the second-group waveforms is larger than the waveform energies of the corresponding first-group waveforms so that printing drops break off from the liquid jets while the charging-electrode is at the first potential, and non-printing drops break off from the liquid jets while the charging-electrode is at the second potential.

Abstract: A photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition can be used to provide electrically-conductive silver metal in thin film or patterns on a substrate after irradiation with UV-visible light. The composition comprises: a) a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex represented by the following formula (I): wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is b, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2; b) optionally, a photosensitizer that can either reduce the reducible silver ion or oxidize the ?-oxy carboxylate; and c) a solvent medium comprising at least one non-hydroxylic solvent.

Abstract: A foamable aqueous composition can be used to form foamed, opacifying elements. These compositions have: (a) 0.5 to 20 weight % of porous particles having a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed therein. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2 to 50 ?m; (b) at least 20 weight % of a binder material; (c) 0.1 to 30 weight % of additives including dispersants, plasticizers, inorganic or organic pigments and dyes, thickeners, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides, optical brighteners, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inorganic or organic fillers; (d) water; and (e) at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from (c). The foamable aqueous composition is suitably aerated, disposed on a porous substrate, dried, and crushed on the porous substrate. The method can be used to provide such elements with one or more dry foamed layers.

Abstract: An electrically-conductive composition essentially has (a) an electrically-conductive material consisting essentially of silver nanoparticles that have a d50 of less than or equal to 60 ?m and a d90 of less than or equal to 500 ?m; (b) particles having a Young's modulus that is different from the Young's modulus of the (a) electrically-conductive material by at least 10%, which (b) particles have a d50 of 500 nm to 300 ?m and a polydispersity coefficient of less than or equal to 3; (c) a binder material that is non-electrically-conductive; and (d) a solvent medium in an amount of less than or equal to 90 weight %, based on the total composition weight, which solvent medium is at least 50 weight % water. The weight ratio of the (b) particles to the (a) electrically-conductive material is at least 0.01:1 and up to and including 7:1.

Abstract: An electrically-conductive composition can be used with piezoelectric materials to enhance the piezoelectric effects. This composition essentially has (a) an electrically-conductive material; (b) particles having a Young's modulus that is different from the Young's modulus of the (a) electrically-conductive material by at least 10%, and which (b) particles have a d50 of at least 500 nm and up to and including 500 ?m and a polydispersity coefficient that is less than or equal to 3; and (c) a non-electrically-conductive binder material. The weight ratio of the (b) particles to the (a) electrically-conductive material is at least 0.01:1 and up to and including 10:1. When the composition is coated and dried on an insulating substrate, a resulting dried composition exhibits a resistivity of less than 10,000 ohm-cm.

Abstract: Cross-track spacing variations for a plurality of printer subsystems of an electrophotographic printing system are characterized by printing first and second test pattern and capturing image of the printed test patterns. The first and second test patterns are chosen so that the printed test patterns respond differently to cross-track spacing variations in different printer subsystems. The first and second digitized test patterns are analyzed to determine parameters that characterize an attribute of the printed test pattern as a function of cross-track position. A first defect model is used to determine estimated cross-track spacing variations for one or more printer subsystem as a function of the determined parameters.

Abstract: Flexographic printing members are prepared by developing an exposed flexographic printing member precursor with an aqueous flexographic developer. The aqueous flexographic developer comprises: a) a fatty acid composition consisting of one or more saturated or unsaturated fatty acids or alkali metal salts thereof, each saturated or unsaturated fatty acid or alkali metal salt thereof independently having 12 to 20 carbon atoms, the fatty acid composition being present in an amount of 0.25-2.0 weight %, and at least 85 weight % of the fatty acid composition is composed of one or more C18 mono- or poly-unsaturated fatty acids or alkali metal salts thereof; b) an aminopolycarboxylic acid or alkali metal salt thereof in an amount of 0.05-0.30 weight %; c) a buffer compound in an amount of 05-0.60 weight %; and d) water. Such aqueous flexographic developers can also be provided in concentrated form and appropriately diluted before or during use.

Abstract: A method is used to prepare silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymer composites. A cellulosic polymer, reducible silver ions in an amount of a weight ratio to the cellulosic polymer of 5:1 to 50:1, and an organic solvent are mixed. Each organic solvent has a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100° C. to 500° C. The Hansen parameter (?TPolymer) of the cellulosic polymer is less than or equal to the Hansen parameter (?TSolvent) of the organic solvent. The resulting premix solution is heated to at least 75° C., and a (d) nitrogenous base is added to provide a concentration of the nitrogenous base in an equimolar amount or in molar excess in relation to the amount of reducible silver ions, thereby forming a silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymer composite. After cooling, the silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymer composite is isolated and re-dispersed in an organic solvent to provide a non-aqueous silver-containing dispersion.

Abstract: A toner coverage sensing system is provided for sensing toner particles printed onto a surface of a process element using an electrophotographic printing system. The printed toner particles include porous color toner particles. An infrared radiation source directs infrared radiation onto the printed toner particles on the surface of the process element A diffused radiation detector senses infrared radiation scattered from the printed toner particles, wherein the diffused radiation detector is oriented such that that the sensed infrared radiation does not include specular reflections from the surface of the process element. A data processing system determines a sensed toner coverage for the porous color toner particles on the surface of the process element responsive to the sensed scattered infrared radiation.

Abstract: Foamable aqueous compositions can be foamed and applied to porous substrates to make light-blocking dry opacifying elements. Such compositions have 0.05-15 weight % of porous particles; at least 20 weight % of a binder; at least 0.0001 weight % of additives (including a surfactant); water; and at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant. Each porous particle includes a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores; a mode particle size of 2-50 ?m; and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The continuous polymeric phase Tg is >80° C. and has a polymer viscosity of 80-500 centipoises at an ethyl acetate shear rate of 100 sec?1 at a concentration of 20 weight % at 25° C. The dry opacifying element light blocking value is at least 4 and has a luminous reflectance >40% as measured by the color space Y tristimulus value. The foamed aqueous composition has a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm3.

Abstract: An article is prepared with surface regions having different contact angles. A reactive silane material is attached to a surface having a reactive tail component that is contacted with a first corresponding reactant, followed by imagewise UV exposure to cause imagewise reaction of the reactive tail component and first corresponding reactant, forming reacted regions and latent reaction regions. After rinsing, a second corresponding reactant that is capable of reaction with the reactive moiety is applied. Uniform UV exposure leads to a second reaction product only in the latent reaction regions. After rinsing, first regions comprise exclusively the first reaction product and second regions comprising exclusively the second reaction product. These first and second regions have contact angles that differ by 10-110 degrees. A composition can be applied that is exclusively attracted to either the first regions or the second regions, but not to both the first and second regions.

Abstract: A foamable aqueous composition can be used to form foamed, opacifying elements with one or more dry foamed layers. These compositions generally contain: (a) 0.5 to 20 weight % of porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2 to 50 ?m; (b) at least 20 weight % of a binder material; (c) 0.1 to 30 weight % of a combination of various additives including dispersants, plasticizers, inorganic or organic pigments and dyes, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides, optical brighteners, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inorganic or organic fillers; (d) water; and (e) at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from (c). The foamable aqueous composition is suitably aerated, disposed on a porous substrate, dried, and crushed on the porous substrate to form a foamed, opacifying element.

Abstract: A non-aqueous silver precursor composition contains at least 1 weight % of one or more (a) polymers that are certain cellulosic polymers; (b) reducible silver ions; and (c) an organic solvent medium consisting of: (i) a hydroxylic organic solvent having an ?-hydrogen atom and a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100-500° C., and, optionally, (ii) a nitrile-containing aprotic solvent or a carbonate-containing aprotic solvent different from the (i) organic solvent, each having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100-500° C. The (b) reducible silver ions are present in an amount of 0.1-400 weight %, based on the total weight of the one or more (a) polymers. This composition can be used to form silver nanoparticles under silver ion reducing conditions and then applied to various substrates to provide silver nanoparticle patterns.

Abstract: Flexographic printing members are prepared by developing an exposed flexographic printing member precursor with an aqueous flexographic developer. The aqueous flexographic developer comprises: a) a fatty acid composition consisting of one or more saturated or unsaturated fatty acids or alkali metal salts thereof, each saturated or unsaturated fatty acid or alkali metal salt thereof independently having 12 to 20 carbon atoms, the fatty acid composition being present in an amount of 0.25-2.0 weight %, and at least 85 weight % of the fatty acid composition is composed of one or more C18 mono- or poly-unsaturated fatty acids or alkali metal salts thereof; b) an aminopolycarboxylic acid or alkali metal salt thereof in an amount of 0.05-0.30 weight %; c) a buffer compound in an amount of 05-0.60 weight %; and d) water. Such aqueous flexographic developers can also be provided in concentrated form and appropriately diluted before or during use.