Image forming method, image forming medium and image receiving medium

Abstract

The present invention provides an image forming method which is featured by the advantages such as a high-quality image, a relatively high speed operation, a low running cost, energy saving, resource saving and friendliness to both environments and users. First, there is prepared an image forming medium which comprises on an electroconductive substrate an electroconductive polymer layer capable of taking in and holding an ionic dye as a result of the change in at least two states selected from the group consisting of an oxidized state, a neutral state and a reduced state of the electroconductive polymer and which holds an ionic dye. Next, an image receiving medium, which has OH.sup.- ions having the same polarity as that of the ionic dye held in the electroconductive polymer layer, is brought into contact with the electroconductive polymer layer. Accordingly, there occurs an ion exchange between the ionic dye held in the electroconductive polymer layer and the OH.sup.- ions in the image receiving medium and the ion exchange produces an image pattern of the ionic dye on the image receiving medium.