Abstract: A method of preparing a conductive silver pattern on a substrate comprising the steps of: applying a silver ink on the substrate to form a silver pattern, and sintering the applied silver pattern in one step at a temperature of at least 50° C. and a relative humidity (RH) of at least 50%.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing system including at least one ink-jet ink and a means for jetting an ink-jet ink onto a surface of a substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver, characterized in that the ratio ? Sd/? Ld of the dispersive surface energy of said ink-receiver surface ? Sd over the dispersive surface energy of said ink-jet ink ? Ld is greater than 0.9. A process for ink-jet printing is also claimed. High areal throughput ink-jet printing (e.g. >100 m2/hour) with curable inks can be performed on different kinds of ink-receiver surfaces with a good image quality and colour density due to a controlled spreading of the ink-drops which can be directly cured.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing system comprising at least one ink-jet ink and a means for jetting an ink-jet ink onto a surface of a substantially non-absorbing ink-jet ink-receiver, characterized in that the ratio ? Sd/? Ld of the dispersive surface energy of said ink-receiver surface a ? Sd over the dispersive surface energy of said ink-jet ink a ? Ld is greater than 0.9. A process for ink-jet printing is also claimed. High areal throughput ink-jet printing (e.g. >100 m2/hour) with curable inks can be performed on different kinds of ink-receiver surfaces with a good image quality and colour density due to a controlled spreading of the ink-drops which can be directly cured.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for evaluating the triboelectrical properties of at least two samples, comprising a grounded means (1) for holding a material in sheet form comprising a support provided on at least one surface thereof with at least two samples each in at least one predefined region thereof; a charging means (4) for tribocharging the at least two samples; and a means (7) for measuring an electrical property of the at least two samples. A method for evaluating an array of multiple samples on their triboelectrical properties with such an apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A switch comprises two substrates coated with conductive elements opposed to each other across a gap. At least one of the conductive elements comprises an intrinsically conductive polymer. The switch completes an electrical circuit when one of substrates is pressed toward the other of the substrates and the two conductive elements touch. The polarity applied to the intrinsically conductive polymer coating is, preferably, negative. The voltage applied to the electrical circuit, is, preferably, less than five volts; more preferably, the voltage applied to the electrical circuit is less than three volts; even more preferably, the voltage applied to the electrical circuit is less than one volt.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for removing ink accepting areas of a printing surface of a lithographic printing master by treatment with an atmospheric plasma. Preferably, the plasma is directed to the printing surface as a plasma jet while the printing master is mounted on the plate cylinder of a printing press. The method enables to clean a support of a printing master and then reuse the cleaned support for making another printing master. Preferably, all the following steps are performed on-press: (i) making an imaging material by providing a support with an image recording layer; (ii) making a printing master having a printing surface comprising ink accepting areas by image-wise exposing and optionally developing the imaging material; (iii) starting a pressrun; (iv) a cleaning step using an atmospheric plasma and then repeating steps (i) to (iv).

Abstract: A silver halide photographic material has been provided, having in a layer arrangement at one or both sides of a subbed support, corresponding with a single-side coated or a double-side coated material respectively, one or more layer(s) comprising a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion, one or more protective antistress layer(s) and, optionally, an outermost afterlayer, wherein at least one of said layers, subbing layer(s) inclusive, further comprises means in order to provide, when conditioned at a relative humidity of at most 30%, an electrical resistance, measured as described in Research Disclosure June 1992, item 33840, of from 4×109 &OHgr;/sq. up to 5×1010 &OHgr;/sq. for the layer having the lowest resistance.

Abstract: There is provided a method for preparing a biaxially oriented polyester sheet or web, with improved antistatic properties, comprising the steps of (i) stretching said polyester sheet or web first in one direction and second in a direction perpendicular thereto (ii) coating said hydrophobic polyester sheet or web, either before stretching or between said first and second stretching operation, on one or both sides, with a transparent antistatic primer layer, wherein the coating composition of said transparent antistatic primer layer comprises (1) a dispersion of a polythiophene with conjugated polymer backbone and a polymeric polyanion compound and (2) a latex polymer having hydrophilic functionality. The primer layer is coated from an aqueous composition and does not show a substantial change in resistivity depending on relative humidity or wet processing.

Abstract: Mixtures ofA) neutral polythiophenes of formula (I), ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 separately from one another represent hydrogen or a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group or together form an optionally substituted C.sub.1-4 alkylene radical, preferably a methylene radical optionally substituted by alkyl groups, an ethylene-1,2 radical optionally substituted by C-.sub.1-12 alkyl or phenyl groups, or a cyclohexylene-1,2 radical, andB) organic compounds containing dihydroxy or polyhydroxy and/or carboxyl groups or amide groups or lactam groups,as well as transparent, electrically conducting coatings made therefrom and electroluminescent systems containing a conductive layer produced from the abovementioned mixtures as the electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for obtaining a lithographic base comprising on a hydrophobic support a hydrophilic layer contiguous to said support containing a non-gelatinous hydrophilic (co)polymer or (co)polymer mixture, characterized in that said hydrophobic support is treated with a plasma treatment with an applied power density during the plasma treatment of at least 70 W min/m.sup.2 before applying to said support said hydrophilic layer.

Abstract: Mixtures ofA) neutral polythiophenes of formula (I), ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 separately from one another represent hydrogen or a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group or together form an optionally substituted C.sub.1-4 alkylene radical, preferably a methylene radical optionally substituted by alkyl groups, an ethylene-1,2 radical optionally substituted by C.sub.1-12 alkyl or phenyl groups, or a cyclohexylene-1,2 radical, andB) organic compounds containing dihydroxy or polyhydroxy and/or carboxyl groups or amide groups or lactam groups,as well as transparent, electrically conducting coatings made therefrom and electroluminescent systems containing a conductive layer produced from the abovementioned mixtures as the electrode.

Abstract: A sheet or web material being a subbed or unsubbed hydrophobic resin support or paper support coated with at least one hydrophobic resin layer and having at least on one side thereof an antistatic layer containing for at least 70% by weight colloidal silica having an average particle size not larger than 10 nm and a surface area of at least 300 m.sup.2 per gram, the colloidal silica being present in said antistatic layer at a coverage of at least 50 mg per m.sup.2, characterized in that said antistatic layer is coated with a covering layer having a smaller sticking power to a gelatin layer than said silica containing layer, said covering layer containing at least 50% by weight of a water-insoluble synthetic polymer being applied at a dry coverage in the range of 0.01 to 2 g/m.sup.2.

Abstract: An x-ray cassette (1) to accommodate photosensitive material in sheet form, especially a phosphor film (2), having a cover part (1b), a bottom part (1a) and side parts (1c) joined thereto, the cover part, bottom part and side parts being made of plastic and closing off the cassette interior in a light-tight manner. The cassette has at least one electrically conductive element (6) which covers at least 20% of the surface of the cassette (1).

Abstract: There is provided a method for preparing a biaxially oriented polyester sheet or web, with improved antistatic properties, comprising the steps of(i) stretching said polyester sheet or web first in one direction and second in a direction perpendicular thereto(ii) coating said hydrophobic polyester sheet or web, either before stretching or between said first and second stretching operation, on one or both sides, with a transparent antistatic primer layer, wherein the coating composition of said transparent antistatic primer layer comprises (1) a dispersion of a polythiophene with conjugated polymer backbone and a polymeric polyanion compound and (2) a latex polymer having hydrophilic functionality.The primer layer is coated from an aqueous composition and does not show a substantial change in resistivity depending on relative humidity or wet processing.

Abstract: Antistatically treated plastic formed articles, e.g. photographic film supports, that contain at least two layers on the surface to be antistatically treated, wherein a layer nearer to the plastic surface contains a preparation of a polythiophene that is built up from structural units of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently of each other stand for hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl group or together form an optionally substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylene group, preferably a methylene group optionally substituted by alkyl groups, a 1,2-ethylene group optionally substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl or phenyl groups, a 1,3-propylene group or a 1,2-cyclohexylene group,and a polyanion, a farther layer contains a film-forming polymer and at least one of the two layers contains an alkoxysilane, are characterized, apart from excellent antistatic properties, by very good layer adhesion.

Abstract: A sheet or web material comprising a hydrophobic resin support or paper support coated with at least one hydrophobic resin layer which is coated with an outermost antistatic layer which contains as an essential antistatic component a polythiophene with conjugated polymer backbone in the presence of a polymeric polyanion compound, wherein the layer also contains a dispersion of a hydrophobic polymer which polymer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 40.degree. C. and the layer is a coherent layer.

Abstract: A sheet or web material comprising a hydrophobic resin support or paper support coated with at least one hydrophobic resin layer wherein said resin support or resin layer is coated with a transparent antistatic layer containing as an essential component a polythiophene with conjugated polymer backbone in the presence of a polymeric polyanion compound, characterized in that said antistatic layer is coated with an overlying adhering barrier layer applied from an aqueous polymer dispersion wherein the dispersed polymer has hydrophilic functionality sufficient to render said overlying layer adherent to a thereon coated hydrophilic colloid-containing layer.

Abstract: Method of preparing solvent-resistant polymer beads sizing 0.5-5 pm and having a glass transition temperature of at least 40.degree. C. by dissolving in a solvent mixture of water and water-miscible polar organic solvent an Alpha, Beta-ethylenically unsaturated monomer (1) capable of forming a polymer that is soluble in the monomer(s) present in said solvent mixture but which is insoluble in said solvent mixture, a monomer (2) carrying COOH group(s), a monomer (3) carrying halogen atom(s), a free radical-forming polymerization initiator, and a graft-polymerizable polymer containing hydrophilic groups, heating the solution obtained to a temperature from 50.degree. C. to the reflux temperature thereof with stirring to form said beads, converting said COOH group(s) by reaction with a hydroxide into a carboxylic acid salt group, and causing said carboxylic acid salt group to react with said halogen atom to form ester cross-linkages. The beads can be used as spacing agents in a sheet or web material.