Abstract: The invention provides an image recording element comprising a support and an ink-receiving layer wherein the ink-receiving layer comprises at least one porous layer adjacent the support, and at least one swellable layer adjacent the porous layer and on the surface of the image recording element, wherein the at least one porous layer has pores of a median pore diameter of between 0.05 and 1.0 &mgr;m and the at least one swellable layer has a thickness of between 0.5 and 5 &mgr;m. The image recording element of the invention is especially useful for ink jet printing.

Abstract: The invention is a sampling device (4) and method used to remove bubble free samples from a bubble laden liquid. The device includes a power supply (10), a transducer (6) and a sampling probe (5). The power supply (10) converts normal line voltage to 20 kHz electrical energy. This high frequency electrical energy is converted to mechanical vibrations via the piezoelectric transducer (6). These mechanical vibrations propagate down the sampling probe (5) and emanate from the tip of the probe in the form of ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic waves emanating from the probe tip serve to push away air bubbles from the vicinity of the tip. This allows the removal of a bubble free sample from the bubble laden liquid for further analysis.