Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Zeneca Limited

Alan James Butters

Roger N Barker

Roy Bradbury

Graham A Page

Andrew Trevithick Slark

Stuart C Rennison

Andrew Alec Clifton

Richard A Hann

John A Pope

Barry Pack

Jeffrey Michael Howell

Clive Moscrop

Darrin J Page

Diana C Blackmore

Julie C Double

Clive Muscrop

Walter Peace

James Duncan Pont

A thermal transfer medium for use in mass transfer printing comprises a substrate bearing on at least part of one surface thereof a coating of an overlay material comprising polyester having a glass transition greater than 50&#xb0; C. (preferably at least 75&#xb0; C.) and a molecular weight in the range 6,000 to 10,000. The overlay material combines good transfer characteristics, barrier properties and durability and is highly transparent.

Thermally-transferable polyester image-protecting layer

A receiver medium for digital imaging comprises a substrate having a dye-receiving surface bearing a coating comprising a highly branched functionalised polymer of generally globular form, e.g. a dendrimer, dispersed in a host polymer. Functional groups at or near the surface of the branched polymer, may interact with and bind dye molecules having complementary functional groups, eg dyes as disclosed in WO 96/34766, e.g. by acid-base interaction, thus having the effect of chemically fixing the dye within the coating on the receiver medium. Because dye molecules can be chemically bound to the branched polymer in the receiver sheet, it is possible to use host polymer materials of lower Tg than generally required in the prior art, with the host polymer typically having a Tg of less that 50&#xb0; C. This means that dye molecules can have significantly increased diffusivity through the coating, prior to interaction, resulting in a more even distribution of dye through the coating than has been possible hitherto. The invention also covers a method of making the receiver medium, a method of printing, and a receiver medium/dye combination.

Receiver medium for digital imaging

The present invention relates to a coating material for producing a porous ink-absorbent coating on a substrate to be used in ink-jet printers, comprising radiation curable material and particulate material in a liquid carrier, wherein the weight ratio of particulate material to radiation curable material is greater than 1:1. Also disclosed is a process for preparing a coated substrate using such a coating material. Advantageously, the coating material of the present invention does not crack upon curing, and conveniently forms a porous coating having a glossy surface, while retaining a porous structure for ink-absorption.

Coated substrate for use in ink-jet printers

An inkable sheet suitable for use as an ink jet recording sheet comprises a non-porous thermoplastics polymeric film substrate having on a surface thereof a porous, ink-absorbent, resin layer. The porous layer which comprises voids capable of absorbing and retaining an aqueous-organic ink-solvent medium by capillary action, may comprise a hydrophobic resin, a hydrophilic resin or a blend thereof, and may be bonded to a substrate, such as a film of polyethylene terephthalate, by an intermediate adhesive resin layer. The sheet is particularly suitable in the production of an imaged transparency for use in a transmission mode.

Inkable sheet

Ink composition

Dye diffusion thermal transfer printing

A thermal transfer printing sheet comprising a substrate having a coating of a disazo of Formula (1): ##STR1## wherein: each R independently is selected from --H; --CH.sub.3 ; --CN; --NO.sub.2 ; m--COT.sup.1 ; --SO.sub.2 T.sup.1 ; m--COOT.sup.2 ; --COOPh; --SO.sub.2 F; --SO.sub.2 Cl; and --COOT.sup.2 OT.sup.3;

Thermal transfer printing

A thermal transfer printing sheet comprising a substrate having a coating of a disazo dye of Formula (1): ##STR1## wherein: R is selected from --H; --CN; --NO.sub.2 ; --COT.sup.1 ; --SO.sub.2 T.sup.1 ; --COOT.sup.1 ;

An inkable sheet comprises a substrate and ink-absorbent layer, the surface of which exhibits an internal contact angle of at least 120.degree.. A modifying treatment provides a microporous surface zone of reduced apparent hydrophilicity which accepts a high loading of an aqueous-based ink. Ink patterns of high resolution are thereby achievable.

A coating composition for a plastics substrate such as a polyester film, comprises a polymeric amine, a polyepoxyresin and an etchant, and optionally includes a vinyl polymer. The composition is of utility as a priming medium in the production of photographic and reprographic elements, printing plates, inkable sheets, and the like.

Coating composition

An assembly for use in the production of a relief printing plate comprises a polymeric substrate, a primer layer and a resin layer thereon, the resin layer being at least 2 microns thick and comprising a low molecular weight copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, optionally with a termonomer, particularly a hydroxyl-containing termonomer. The primer layer may contain a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, and the substrate may be a polyester, particularly a polyethylene terephthalate film.

Assembly for use in making a printing plate

An inkable sheet comprises a base sheet, such as a PET film, having on a surface thereof an ink-absorbent resin layer comprising an acrylic or methacrylic polymer containing free carboxylic acid groups and a plasticizer therefor.

A coating composition for a plastics substrate such as a polyester film, comprising a polymeric amine, a polyepoxyresin and an etchant, and optionally includes a vinyl polymer. The composition is of utility as a priming medium in the production of photographic and reprographic elements, printing plates, inkable sheets, and the like.

An inkable sheet comprises a base sheet, such as a PET film, having on a surface thereof an ink-absorbent resin layer comprising a vinyl pyrrolidone polymer and an acrylic or methacrylic polymer.

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Manchester, United Kingdom

Alan James Butters