Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal transfer medium which transfers images to a receiving substrate. The thermal transfer medium includes a laminate, having a substrate, a coating and a functional layer positioned substantially on the coating. This coating may include an oil. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a method of making the thermal transfer medium.

Abstract: Thermal transfer recording media which make it possible to provide a highly sharpness and clear image even in case of printing on non-coated paper at a high speed and to improve the rub resistance of a printed area after the completion of printing. The present invention provides a thermal transfer recording medium comprising of a base material and a peel layer including a wax (A) and an ink layer including a styrene resin (B), a binder component (C) and a coloring component (D) laminated successively on the base material, wherein the wax (A) is compatible with the styrene resin (B). In the present invention, it is preferable that the weight ratio of the styrene resin (B) to the binder component (C) preferably ranges from 10:90 to 50:50.

Abstract: Articles having a component with a surface defining microstructured features can be formed using thermal transfer elements. One example of a suitable thermal transfer element includes a microstructured layer having a surface defining microstructured features imposed on the microstructured layer. The thermal transfer element is configured and arranged for the transfer of at least a portion of the microstructured layer to a receptor while substantially preserving the microstructured features of that portion.

Abstract: A heat transfer sheet in which a recorded image having excellent stability in storage and manifesting little variation in sensitivity and resolution can be obtained by adding an additive to a light-heat-conversion layer. A heat transfer sheet comprising a light-heat-conversion layer which includes an infrared light absorbing colorant and an image formation layer, the layers being disposed in that order, on a support, wherein the above-mentioned light-heat-conversion layer further comprises at least one compound from any group selected from a) compounds having at least one functional group selected from a phosphate group, a phosphite group, an acid halide group, an acid anhydride group and an isocyanate group, b) compounds having an acidic group, c) compounds represented by the following general formula (10), and tautomers thereof, and compounds represented by the following general formula (13).

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer material which has an image forming layer of low fusible viscosity, which has an excellent transferring sensitivity, which is able to form a high quality image, and in which leakage of a thermally fusible substance is not caused so that there is hardly any contamination of hardware such as an image forming device by the thermally fusible substance.

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: To provide a thermal transfer sheet which is not affected by the illumination light source even in comparison with the pigment coloring material or printed matter and upon transfer of the coloring material thin film, ensures excellent sharpness of halftone dots, good sensitivity, reduced film fogging and very stable transfer releasability. A thermal transfer sheet comprising a support having provided thereon at least a light-to-heat conversion layer containing a light-to-heat conversion substance, and an image forming layer in this order, wherein the absolute value of the difference in the solubility parameter (SP values) obtained by the Okitsu' method between the binder in the image forming layer and the binder contained in the underlying layer thereof is 1.5 or more.

Abstract: A thermal transfer film comprises a coloring layer formed on a substrate film via an intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer contains a thermally fusible substance and a non-transferable binder resin, the melt viscosity of the thermally fusible substance in the temperature range 15 to 25° C. higher than the fuse peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of 100 to 1000 mPa·s, the fuse peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of 50 to 110° C., the crystallization peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is in the range of −20 to 100 ° C., the crystallization peak temperature of the thermally fusible substance is lower than the fuse peak temperature by 10° C. or more, and the softening temperature of the binder resin measured by the ring and ball method is in the range of 130 to 400 ° C. This thermal transfer film is capable of forming a printed product with a good printing quality.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer recording medium comprising a substrate and a heat-sensitive transfer ink layer provided on the substrate, the heat-sensitive transfer ink layer being a coating of a hot-melt ink containing no solvent therein, the heat-sensitive transfer ink layer containing carbon black having a DBP oil absorption of 100 to 200 ml/100 g and a BET specific surface area of 100 m2/g or less, and the heat-sensitive transfer ink layer having a surface resistivity of not more than 1013 &OHgr;/□.