Abstract: A copolymer containing a repeating unit of formula (1) and a repeating unit of formula (2-1) or (2-2): wherein R1 and R2 represent alkyl or aryl, R3 represents alkyl, aryl, alkoxy or amino, R5 and R6 represent hydrogen, alkyl or aryl. The copolymer exhibits excellent mechanical properties, and capable of forming a coating film having low reflectivity.

Abstract: A hollow particle having a core/shell structure in which the core contains an acid group and is crosslinked, the surface of the core is covered with an interlayer of an acid group-free, crosslinked resin having a Tg of from ?60° C. to 80° C., the surface of the interlayer is covered with an outer layer of an acid group-free, crosslinked resin having a Tg of from 80 to 150° C., and the particle has a hollow structure inside thereof that is produced by ionizing and swelling the acid group of the core by the action of a volatile base.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet comprising at least one receiving layer containing a polymer latex and at least one heat insulating layer containing a hollow polymer on a support, wherein the polymer latex contained in the receiving layer comprises two or more dyable polymers having different glass transition temperatures.

Abstract: A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet comprising, on a support, at least one image-receiving layer comprising a polymer latex having a polysiloxane structure of the following formula [1] in the side chain: wherein R1 and R2 represents hydrogen, alkyl or aryl; n is 1 to 500.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet provided with at least one receptor layer on a support, wherein the receptor layer has a polymer containing a repeating unit derived from a monomer represented by formula (1); and a coating composition for forming the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet: wherein, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a methyl group; L1 represents a divalent linking group; R2 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms which may be further substituted; n represents an integer of 1 to 40; Z1 represents a hydrogen atom or a linear, branched or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms which may be further substituted; and when n is 2 or more, R2s may be the same or different.

Abstract: A coating composition for forming a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet provided with at least one receptor layer on a support, wherein the composition comprises a latex polymer containing a repeating unit derived from a monomer represented by formula (1); and a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet prepared by using the coating composition: wherein, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a methyl group; L1 represents a divalent linking group; R2 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms which may be further substituted; n represents an integer of 1 to 40; Z1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group, or an aryl group; and when n is 2 or more, R2s may be the same or different.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet, containing; a support; at least one receptor layer containing at least two kinds of latex polymers, said latex polymers having different elastic moduli from each other; and at least one heat-insulation layer containing hollow latex polymer particles and a water-soluble polymer, said at least one heat-insulation layer being provided between the support and the at least one receptor layer.

Abstract: An image-forming method, having: superposing a heat-sensitive transfer sheet on a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet so that at least one receptor layer of the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet can be contacted with a thermal transfer layer of the heat-sensitive transfer sheet; and providing thermal energy in accordance with image signals given from a thermal head, thereby to form an image; wherein the heat-sensitive transfer sheet has the thermal transfer layer that contains a thermally transferable colorant on one surface of a substrate film, and a heat-resistant sliding layer that is formed so as to contain a hardener on the other surface; and wherein the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet has, on a support, the at least one receptor layer that contains a latex polymer, and at least one heat insulation layer that contains hollow polymer particles but does not contain a resin having poor resistance to an organic solvent.

Abstract: An image-forming method, having: superposing an ink sheet on an image-receiving sheet so that a dye layer of the ink sheet can be contacted with at least one receptor layer of the image-receiving sheet; and providing thermal energy according to image signals given from a thermal head to the superposed two sheets, thereby to form images; wherein the ink sheet has a dye layer that contains a thermally transferable color material on one surface of a substrate, wherein the ink sheet further has (a) a heat-resistant sliding layer on the other surface of the substrate or (b) at least one polyester as a binder component, in which at least a half (molar ratio) of an acid component of the polyester is terephthalic acid; and wherein the image-receiving sheet has, on a support, at least one receptor layer containing e.g., a polymer having at least one vinyl chloride repeating unit.

Abstract: An image-forming method having: superposing a heat-sensitive transfer sheet on an image-receiving sheet so that a receptor layer can be contacted with a thermal transfer layer; and providing thermal energy in accordance with image signals given from a thermal head; in which the heat-sensitive transfer sheet is a sheet containing the thermal transfer layer that contains a colorant and at least one polyester as a binder component of the thermal transfer layer, in which at least one-second by molar ratio of the acid component of said polyester is terephtharic acid, or a sheet containing a thermal transfer layer that contains a colorant on one surface of a substrate film and a heat-resistant sliding layer formed so as to contain a hardener on the other surface of the substrate film; and the image-receiving sheet contains, on a support, the receptor layer that contains one of polyester and/or polycarbonate polymers.

Abstract: A coating composition for producing a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet comprising at least one receiving layer on a support, wherein the coating composition contains a polymer latex containing a repeating unit derived from a monomer represented by the following formula: wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, halogen atom or methyl group; L1 represents a divalent connecting group; and Z represents a C8-C50 straight-chain, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon group.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet comprising at least one receiving layer containing a polymer latex and at least one heat insulating layer containing a hollow polymer on a support, wherein the polymer latex contained in the receiving layer comprises a copolymer containing a repeating unit derived from an acrylic or methacrylic acid ester and the acrylic or methacrylic acid ester has an alcohol moiety having 8 or more carbon atoms.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet comprising at least one receiving layer containing a polymer latex and at least one heat insulating layer containing a hollow polymer on a support, wherein the polymer latex contained in the receiving layer comprises two or more dyable polymers having different glass transition temperatures.