Abstract: An ink-jet recording medium for use in an ink-jet image forming method in which a transparent film layer formed on a substrate as coating is placed on an ink-receiving layer of the recording medium, and then the side of the substrate is heated to transfer the transparent film layer on the ink-receiving layer, followed by peeling off the substrate to laminate the transparent film layer on the surface of the ink-receiving layer. The ink-receiving layer contains polyvinyl alcohol and a cross-linking agent.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an ink recording element comprising a support having thereon a hydrophilic absorbing layer, a laminate adhesion promoting polymer inner layer, and a hydrophilic overcoat polymer layer and a method therefor.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method, having 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 having a support having thereon a fusible, porous, image-receiving layer of non-porous polymeric particles having a core/shell structure of a polymeric, hydrophobic core covered with a polymeric, hydrophobic shell, the Tg of the polymeric, hydrophobic core being at least about 25° C. higher than the Tg of the polymeric, hydrophobic shell; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition of water, a humectant, and a water-soluble dye; and D) printing on the overcoat layer using the inkjet ink in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: Provided is a recording medium provided with an ink-receiving layer on at least one surface of a substrate, wherein said ink-receiving layer is composed of a porous layer comprising pigment particles and mutually fused thermoplastic resin particles.

Abstract: In an ink jet recording sheet including a substrate sheet having a base paper sheet and at least a front polyolefin laminate layer formed on at least a front surface of the base paper sheet, and an ink receiving layer formed on the front polyolefin laminate layer, the surface of the front polyolefin laminate layer has a center-line mean roughness (Ra) of 0.1 to 10 &mgr;m, determined in accordance with JIS B 0601-1982, the ink receiving layer contains a mixture of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose with polyvinyl pyrrolidone in a mixing weight ratio of 100:10 to 100:150 and has a 75° specular gloss of 30% or more determined in accordance with JIS P 8142-1993.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method having 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 having a support having thereon an image-receiving layer of porous polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, the porous polymeric particles being prepared in the presence of an anionic or ationic dispersant, and the image-receiving layer containing a surfactant having a charge opposite to that of the dispersant used to make the porous polymeric particles, the surfactant being present in an amount from about 0.04 parts to about 0.30 parts by weight of the dispersant; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the ink jet recording element using the ink jet ink composition in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a support having thereon a fusible, porous, image-receiving layer having non-porous polymeric particles having a core/shell structure having a polymeric, hydrophobic core covered with a polymeric, hydrophobic shell, the Tg of the polymeric, hydrophobic core being at least about 25° C. higher than the Tg of the polymeric, hydrophobic shell.

Abstract: An inkjet recording element having a support having thereon in order: (I) a base layer of at least about 50% by weight of inorganic particles; and (II) an image-receiving layer of: (a) colloidal, inorganic oxide particles having a mean particle size of from about 10 to about 500 nm; and (b) water-insoluble, cationic, polymeric particles having a benzyldimethyl benzylammonium moiety.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a support having thereon a porous image-receiving layer with at least 30% by weight of particles and at least 30% by weight of a binder, the particles being a mixture of a) silica gel particles having an average particle size of greater than about 9 &mgr;m in diameter; and b) silica gel particles having an average particle size of between 1 and about 8 &mgr;m in diameter; wherein the ratio of the a) silica gel particles to the b) silica gel particles is from about 0.5 to about 5.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal transfer sheet, a thermal transfer method and a thermal transfer system using said thermal transfer sheet. The thermal transfer sheet provided with a coloring layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the coloring layer is formed of a mixture comprising a copolymerization product (A) obtainable by polymerizing an &agr;-olefin/a maleic acid anhydride copolymer with a maleic acid anhydride monoester and an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (B). The thermal transfer sheet is superior in storage stability in a coiled state, anti-background soiling property and the adaptability to high-speed printing, and also capable of forming a print products having excellent functions as to durability such as wear resistance and heat resistance.

Abstract: In a thermal ink-transfer recording material comprising a support, and a primer layer and a thermal transferring ink layer which are superposed on the support in this order, the thermal transferring ink layer comprising a binder and a colorant dispersed in the binder, the primer layer is constituted of at least two types of resins that are not compatible with each other so that the recording material is separable at the interface between the support and the primer layer.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer having: (a) inorganic particles having a primary particle size of from about 7 to about 40 nm in diameter which may be aggregated up to about 500 nm; (b) colloidal particles having a mean particle size of from about 20 to about 500 nm; and (c) water-insoluble, cationic, polymeric particles having at least about 20 mole percent of a cationic mordant moiety.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising a substrate having thereon a porous image-receiving layer having a) organic particles encapsulated with an organic polymer having a Tg of less than about 100° C.; and b) water-insoluble, cationic, polymeric particles.

Abstract: A recording medium comprises a base member and at least a porous organic resin layer formed on the base member. The porous organic resin layer includes organic fine particles having both hydrophilic radicals and hydrophobic radicals, a water-absorbing binder and voids. The layer shows a pore size distribution having a highest peak found within a pore radius range between 3 nm and 300 nm, a pore volume of 0.2 cm3/g or more and a pH value of 5.2 or higher as observed by a method conforming to JIS P 8133. The layer is typically formed by applying to the base member a coating formulation of aqueous dispersion containing such organic fine particles, a water-absorbing binder and a basic substance and showing a pH value of 5.2 or higher as observed by a method conforming to JIS Z 8802, followed by drying.

Abstract: A recording medium for ink jet printing comprises a base material layer such as paper or plastic sheet, a porous lower layer formed on the base material layer, and a porous upper layer formed on the porous lower layer. The porous lower layer contains hydrated alumina showing a boehmite structure. The porous upper layer mainly comprises agglomerates of spherical silica particles with particle diameters ranging between 1 and 100 nm and a binder and contains voids mainly found between the agglomerates, not within the agglomerates. Preferably, a second type of spherical silica particles having smaller particle diameters than the above first type of spherical silica particles are also contained in the porous upper layer, and in this case, the first type particles have particle diameters ranging between 10 and 100 nm and are mostly found outside the agglomerates, while the second type particles have particle diameters ranging between 1 and 10 nm and are mostly found within the agglomerates.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method having the steps of: A) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals; B) loading the printer with ink jet recording element having a substrate having thereon a porous image-receiving layer of a) organic particles encapsulated with an organic polymer having a Tg of less than about 100 ° C.; and b) water-insoluble, cationic, polymeric particles; C) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition; and D) printing on the image-receiving layer using the inkjet ink composition in response to the digital data signals.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a support having thereon an image-receiving layer of porous polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, the porous polymeric particles being prepared in the presence of an anionic or cationic dispersant, and the image-receiving layer containing a surfactant having a charge opposite to that of the dispersant used to make the porous polymeric particles, the surfactant being present in an amount from about 0.04 parts to about 0.30 parts by weight of the dispersant.

Abstract: A recording medium comprises a porous outermost layer on a substrate, the porous outermost layer containing a particulate thermoplastic resin, and the particulate thermoplastic resin exhibiting a &Dgr;E value of not higher than 20 after light exposure. The difference of glass transition temperature of the particulate thermoplastic resin from minimum film-forming temperature thereof may be not less than 10° C., and the minimum film-forming temperature is not lower than 50° C. A process for producing the recording medium comprises forming a porous outermost layer by heat treatment at a temperature of not lower than the glass transition temperature of the particulate thermoplastic resin, but not higher than the minimum film-forming temperature thereof.

Abstract: In a recording medium having an ink accepting layer formed on at least one surface of a base paper, the ink accepting layer is formed in the form of islands scattered on the surface of the base paper with a uniform plane density.

Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of absorptive silica pigment, a polyvinyl alcohol binder, and a cationic fixing agent. The composition is dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.0 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 75% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-1.5 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down the coating composition and applying it to a substrate is also disclosed.