Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium for forming a printed image with metallic luster of high level with superior transferability according to a thermal transfer mechanism is disclosed which comprises a foundation, and provided on one side of the foundation, a laminate transfer layer comprising at least a release layer, a heat-resistant layer for metal deposition, a metal deposition layer and an adhesive layer in this order from the foundation side, the release layer having a thickness of 0.05 to 0.50 &mgr;m and a softening point not lower than 100° C., the release layer being a substantially transparent layer consisting essentially of a resin, and the peel strength of the laminate transfer layer from the foundation according to T-mode peeling being not larger than 50 gf/12.7 mm.

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 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-receptive elements comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer comprising a graft copolymer comprising a backbone copolymer and at least one branch copolymer, the backbone polymer comprising structural units capable of being oxidized by a transition metal catalyst and the branch copolymer comprising cationic units and neutral hydrophilic units; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition comprising water, a humectant, and a water-soluble anionic dye; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.

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 an inkjet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer comprising porous polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, the porous polymeric particles having the formula: wherein: A represents units of an addition polymerizable monomer containing at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups; B represents units of a copolymerizable, &agr;, &bgr;-ethylenically unsaturated monomer; C represents styrenic or acrylic repeating units containing an ionic functionality; x is from about 27 to about 99 mole %; y is from 0 to about 72 mole %; and z is from about 1 to about 73 mole %; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink composition in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink-jet recording method in which recording is conducted with an ink comprising a pigment component on a recording medium comprising a substrate and a porous layer including polymer particles provided thereon. The method comprises, in the case where the pore diameter distribution of the porous layer including polymer particles and the particle diameter distribution of the pigment component are both expressed in terms of frequency distribution, the steps of forming an image upon controlling a proportion of the frequency of the pore diameter of the porous layer including polymer particles, which overlaps the particle diameter distribution of the pigment component, to the frequency of the whole pore diameter of the porous layer including polymer particles to from 0.1% to 10%; and heat-treating the porous layer including polymer particles after the formation of the image.

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 an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon a porous image-receiving layer comprising particles and a poly(vinyl alcohol) binder, the particles comprising a fumed metallic oxide, and the binder having an average viscosity greater than about 25 cp at 4% solids in an aqueous solution at 20° C.; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink composition in response to the digital data signals.

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 an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon a porous image-receiving layer comprising: (a) particles having a primary particle size of from about 7 to about 40 nm in diameter which may be aggregated up to about 300 nm; and (b) water insoluble, cationic, polymeric particles comprising at least about 20 mole percent of a cationic mordant moiety; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink composition in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of storing encoded data on an article comprising applying said data on a surface of the article, as an encodement invisible to the human eye under normal viewing conditions. The invention also provides materials for use in said method. This invention comprises an article having on a surface thereof data represented by a material applied to the article that forms a differential light pattern when illuminated which is capable of being read by a sensor capable of detecting said differential light pattern, said material being substantially invisible to the human eye under normal viewing conditions; wherein the light absorbance of at least a portion of the surface of the article underlying said data is different from the absorbance of the material comprising the data under the conditions in which the data is read.

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 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. 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. The invention can provide improved drying times for the inkjet images, even under conditions of high humidity.

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-receptive elements comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer comprising a cationic polymer containing at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a trialkylammonium salt, each trialkylammonium salt containing at least one alkyl group having greater than 8 carbon atoms; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition comprising water, a humectant, and a water-soluble anionic dye; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.

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 an ink jet recording element comprising an opaque support having thereon an image-receiving layer comprising porous polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, the porous polymeric particles having a median diameter of less than about 1 &mgr;m and having a degree of crosslinking of about 27 mole % or greater; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the ink jet recording element using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: A recording material having sufficient height and equivalent dimensions of mats formed thereon and a matting process capable of forming these improved mats. A matting process including the step of forming mats on the recording face laminated on the substrate of a recording media with a screen by screen printing and a recording material having the thus formed mats formed on the recording face thereof.

Abstract: What is described herein is a clear white-appearance, water-resistant, color ink-receptive film having a copolymer of (a) vinyl caprolactam and (b) dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide coated thereon; preferably the weight ratio of (a):(b) is 50-95:50-5; optimally about 80:20. The ink-receptive film of the invention is capable of being printed from a color inkjet printer to form color images thereon which exhibit excellent long-term color stability towards light. These advantageous results are achieved herein while retaining the desired properties of rapid ink dry time, good print quality, highly resolved circular dots, and high, uniform optical density, characteristic of other systems.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an ink jet recording paper which is free from blurring, exhibits a highly developed color and has such a strength as to prevent a laminate film and an ink-receiving layer from being peeled by the wind or rain when the paper is posted outdoors after the appropriate film is laminated. The ink jet recording paper is provided with an ink-receiving layer, containing at least a resin and a pigment, on a substrate, wherein major components forming an anchor coating layer of the receiving layer are a styrene/acryl copolymer resin having a glass transition point of 0° C. or more and 20° C. or less and calcium carbonate.

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 an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon in order: a) a hydrophilic, fluid-absorbing layer, and b) an image-receptive layer capable of retaining an ink jet image, the image-receiving layer comprising an open-pore membrane of a mixture of a water-insoluble polymer and a water-absorbent polymer, the mixture containing at least about 25% by weight of the water-absorbent polymer; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the ink jet recording element using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording substrate which comprises (a) a cellulosic substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; (b) on the first surface of the cellulosic substrate and in contact therewith, a first coating comprising (i) an extrudable polyester, (ii) a plasticizer, and (iii) an antistatic agent; (c) on the first surface of the cellulosic substrate and in contact with the first coating, a second coating comprising (i) a hydrophilic binder, (ii) an ink wetting agent, (iii) a lightfastness-imparting agent, (iv) a cationic dye mordant, (v) a filler, and (vi) an optional biocide; and (d) on the second surface of the cellulosic substrate and in contact therewith, a third coating comprising (i) an extrudable alkylene polymer, (ii) an antistatic agent, (iii) a lightfastness-imparting agent, (iv) a plasticizer, and (v) a filler.

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 an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-receptive layer capable of accepting an ink jet image, the layer comprising an open-pore membrane of a mixture of a water-insoluble polymer, a water-absorbent polymer and a mordant, the mixture containing at least about 25% by weight of the water-absorbent polymer, at least about 7% by weight of the mordant, and the balance being the water-insoluble polymer, the mordant comprising a polymer or copolymer containing a quatemized nitrogen moiety; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the ink jet recording element using the ink jet ink in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: A printing composition constructed from a printing layer and a blotting layer. The printing layer has a plurality of pores connecting the top and bottom surfaces thereof and is adapted for accepting ink that is retained in the pores. The blotting layer has a top surface that is in contact with the bottom surface of the printing layer. The blotting layer is constructed from a material that has an affinity for the ink that is less than that required to remove the ink from the pores if the pores are not filled with the ink. The printing layer may be constructed from a plastic that has been coated with a surfactant that renders the sides of the pores hydrophilic. The blotting layer may be constructed from a sheet of plastic having pores therein. The blotting layer may also be constructed from a sheet of paper. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the printing layer is an electret.

Abstract: A recording sheet is provided by forming, on at least one side of a substrate sheet, an ink absorbing layer comprising a cationic polymer having at least crosslinking groups. The ink absorbing layer may comprise (1) a cationic polymer containing a crosslinking monomer (e.g. a monomer having a hydrolyzable condensing group such as alkoxysilyl) as a comonomer unit, (2) a cationic polymer containing a crosslinking monomer and a hydrophilic monomer (e.g. a monomer having a polyoxyalkylene unit) as comonomer units, or (3) the above cationic polymers (1) and (2), and a hydrophilic polymer. The cationic polymer and the hydrophilic polymer may have interacting reactive groups. This recording sheet is useful for the improvement of the water resistance and ink absorption in an ink jet recording sheet.