Thermal transfer dyesheets

Abstract

A cleaner thermal transfer dyesheet comprises a supportive base material coated with a composition of a thermally transferable dye dispersed throughout a polymer matrix, the dye being composed of organic molecules alignable to form crystals having a major axis, and a molecular structure having at least one carbon atom bonded to a single moiety and positioned in the molecule such that the size of said moiety effects the rate of crystal growth along the major axis; the coating having in addition to the dye molecules, a minor amount of a crystallization modifier consisting of molecules essentially the same as the dye molecules except that said moiety is replaced by a more bulky substituent. Likewise, where the dye is recognized as having a molecular structure with one or more carbon atoms each bonded to a single moiety positioned to extend from the prime face, a crystallization modifier consists of molecules essentially the same as the dye molecules except that said moiety is replaced by a more bulky substituent. The effect of adding a minor amount of such crystallization modifie is to provide a cleaner, more stable dyesheet.