JP6098431B2 - Image transfer sheet for electrophotography and method for producing image recording body - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is an electrophotographic image transfer sheet, a method of manufacturing a contact and an image recording material.

  In addition, when performing printing that requires individual correspondence such as personal identification information (face photo, name, address, date of birth, various licenses, etc.), the most mainstream image forming means is ink An image forming method using a printer or the like employing a sublimation type or melting type thermal transfer method using a ribbon or the like. Patent Documents 1 to 6 describe a method of printing on an image recording medium using an intermediate transfer body in this thermal transfer system.

  In contrast, in electrophotographic image formation (printing), the surface of the image carrier is charged, and the surface of the image carrier is exposed according to an image signal. A latent image is formed, and then a color powder (image forming material) called toner having a polarity opposite to (or the same as) the charged potential is electrostatically developed, whereby a visible image (toner) is formed on the surface of the image carrier. Image). In the case of a color image, this process is repeated a plurality of times or a plurality of image forming devices are arranged in parallel to form a visible color image, and these are transferred and fixed (fixed: mainly by heat) to the image recording medium. The color powder is melted and solidified by cooling).

  In Patent Document 7, various personal information and invisible barcodes are printed on a 250 μm-thick vinyl chloride sheet or a 280 μm-thick polyester sheet by an electrophotographic method, and an overfilm is superimposed on each printing surface. The method of laminating is described.

  Patent Document 8 describes a method of printing personal identification information as a mirror image on a light-transmitting laminate sheet. At least a part of the light-transmitting laminate sheet is a biaxially stretched polyester film, ABS or polyester. Films having a film made of the above and a biaxially stretched polyester film, vinyl chloride films are listed.

  Further, in Patent Document 9, an image receiving layer is a layer containing a curable silicone resin, and the image receiving layer is a layer that can be peeled off from a substrate or a layer adjacent to the substrate side. A method is described in which a transfer sheet is used to form an image by electrophotography on the surface of the image transfer sheet on which the image receiving layer is provided, thereby producing an image recording material.

JP-A-5-96871 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-68812 JP-A-8-142365 JP-A-8-156302 JP-A-9-314875 JP 11-291646 A JP 2001-92255 A JP-A-11-334265 Japanese Patent No. 4645553

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic image transfer sheet capable of suppressing the occurrence of surface cracks over time after the production of an image recording material.

The above object is achieved by the present invention described below.
That is, the invention according to claim 1
A substrate having at least a substrate layer;
It contains an uncured ultraviolet curable resin having thermoplasticity, does not exhibit adhesiveness at 30 ° C. or less, and has at least an image receiving layer having an elongation of 5% or more after irradiation with ultraviolet rays of 500 mJ / cm ^2. A transfer layer that can be peeled off from the substrate;
An electrophotographic image transfer sheet comprising:

The invention according to claim 2
2. The electrophotographic image transfer sheet according to claim 1, wherein the image receiving layer contains at least one selected from an acrylic resin having a quaternary ammonium salt and a quaternary ammonium salt in the side chain.

The invention according to the reference example of the present invention is
An image made of an image-forming material is formed as a mirror image by electrophotography on the surface of the image transfer sheet for electrophotography according to claim 1 or 2 provided with the image-receiving layer. The laminated surface is laminated so as to face one side of the image support to form a laminate, and the laminate is heated and pressure-bonded, and the image receiving layer of the laminate that has been heat-bonded is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the ultraviolet ray. An image recording material obtained by transferring an image made of the transfer layer and the image forming material onto the image support by curing the resin and peeling the substrate from the transfer layer.

The invention according to claim 3
An image forming step of forming an image made of an image forming material as a mirror image by electrophotography on the surface of the image transfer sheet for electrophotography according to claim 1 or 2 provided with the image receiving layer;
A superposition step of superposing the surface on which the image is formed to face one side of the image support to form a laminate; and
A thermocompression bonding step for thermocompression bonding the laminate;
An ultraviolet irradiation step of curing the ultraviolet curable resin by irradiating the image receiving layer of the laminate subjected to thermocompression bonding with ultraviolet rays;
A peeling step of transferring the image made of the transfer layer and the image forming material to the image support by peeling the substrate from the transfer layer;
A method for producing an image recording body having

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the occurrence of cracks on the surface over time after the production of the image recording body is suppressed as compared with the case where the image receiving layer having an elongation of 5% or more after ultraviolet irradiation is not provided. An electrophotographic image transfer sheet is provided.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic image transfer sheet capable of forming an image having an excellent image quality as compared with the case where the image receiving layer does not contain the component.

According to the invention according to the reference example of the present invention, surface cracks are generated over time as compared with the case where an electrophotographic image transfer sheet having an image receiving layer having an elongation of 5% or more after ultraviolet irradiation is not used. A suppressed image recording body is provided.

According to the invention of claim 3 , the occurrence of cracks on the surface over time is suppressed as compared with the case where an electrophotographic image transfer sheet having an image receiving layer having an elongation of 5% or more after ultraviolet irradiation is not used. A method for producing an obtained image recording body is provided.

It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the image transfer sheet which concerns on this embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the image transfer sheet which concerns on this embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the state of the laminated body before and behind thermocompression bonding which concerns on this embodiment, and an image recording body. It is sectional drawing which shows the state of the laminated body before and behind thermocompression bonding which concerns on this embodiment, and an image recording body. It is the schematic which shows an example of a structure of the preparation apparatus of the image recording body which concerns on this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
<Image transfer sheet>
The electrophotographic image transfer sheet (hereinafter also simply referred to as “transfer sheet”) according to the present embodiment includes a base and a transfer layer that can be peeled off from the base. The base has at least a base layer, and the transfer layer has at least an image receiving layer. The image receiving layer contains an uncured ultraviolet curable resin having thermoplasticity. The image receiving layer does not exhibit adhesiveness at 30 ° C. or less, and has an elongation of 5% or more after ultraviolet irradiation.

When an image recording body is produced by using a transfer sheet having an image receiving layer containing a curable resin on a substrate, and transferring the image formed on the image receiving layer together with the image receiving layer to an image support. In addition, cracks may occur on the surface of the image recording body due to changes over time.
On the other hand, the transfer sheet according to this embodiment has an elongation of 5% or more after the image receiving layer is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, so that the occurrence of cracks on the surface of the image recording body over time is suppressed.
It is thought that shrinkage occurs when the curable resin contained in the image receiving layer is cured, and due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the image support and the image receiving layer in the image recording body, time passes. Therefore, it is presumed that cracks occurred on the surface of the image recording body. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the elongation of the image receiving layer after irradiation with ultraviolet rays is in the above range, and it is considered that the image receiving layer can appropriately follow the deformation due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient. As a result, it is considered that cracks occurring with time are suppressed.

On the other hand, when an image is formed on the image-receiving layer of the transfer sheet by an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the transfer sheet may be wound around a member for heat-fixing the image. Further, when the transfer sheet is manufactured, the transfer sheet and the transfer sheet wound around the outside of the sheet may be stuck at the stage of winding the completed transfer sheet.
In contrast, the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment includes an image receiving layer that does not exhibit adhesiveness at 30 ° C. or lower, thereby suppressing wrapping around the heat fixing member when heat fixing an image on the image receiving layer. In addition, sticking between transfer sheets wound up when producing a transfer sheet is also suppressed.
In an embodiment in which no other surface layer is provided outside the image receiving layer in the transfer sheet, that is, an embodiment in which the image receiving layer is the outermost surface, it is included when the image receiving layer contains a thermoplastic resin. The image receiving layer may be sticky due to the influence of the thermoplastic resin. Therefore, it is considered that winding around the heat fixing member during image formation and sticking between the transfer sheets when the transfer sheet was produced and wound up occurred in the above-described temperature range in the present embodiment. By providing an image-receiving layer that does not exhibit adhesiveness, it is considered that the winding around the heat-fixing member and the sticking at the time of winding are suppressed.

In addition, when producing an image recording body using the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment, the transfer sheet is superposed on the image support and subjected to thermocompression bonding, and then ultraviolet irradiation is performed until ultraviolet irradiation is performed. The heated resin in the image receiving layer exhibits plasticity, and residual bubbles entrained during thermocompression bonding can be reduced.
Moreover, the adhesiveness between the image receiving layer and the image support in contact with the image receiving layer is improved by curing the resin by the ultraviolet irradiation.

Further, in the image recording body formed using the transfer sheet, when the image receiving layer is the outermost layer, that is, when the image receiving layer is exposed, if the image receiving layer contains a thermoplastic resin, vinyl chloride or the like When stored in a case of the above material, the surface of the image recording body or the image forming material may be offset with respect to the case, and image deformation may occur so that the image of the image recording body cannot be recognized.
On the other hand, the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment contains an uncured ultraviolet curable resin, and the transfer sheet is superposed on the image support and subjected to thermocompression bonding. Is cured, the occurrence of the offset is suppressed even when stored in a case made of a material such as vinyl chloride, and deformation of the image is suppressed.

  Next, each layer constituting the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

  The transfer sheet according to this embodiment includes a base and a transfer layer that can be peeled off from the base. The substrate has at least a substrate layer, and the transfer layer has at least an image receiving layer. That is, the transfer sheet including the substrate and the transfer layer is polymerized so that the surface on the transfer layer side on which the image is formed is opposed to the image support and is heat-pressed, and has at least the substrate layer. Is peeled off, and a transfer layer having an image receiving layer and the image are transferred to obtain an image recording material.

In addition to the substrate layer, the substrate may have a release layer, an adhesive layer, a back layer, and the like.
In addition to the image receiving layer, the transfer layer may have a transparent support, an adhesive layer, another image receiving layer, and the like.

  Examples of the layer structure of the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment include an embodiment having a transfer layer composed of an image receiving layer and a substrate composed of a release layer, a base material layer, and a back layer in this order. This aspect is not particularly limited as long as the image receiving layer can be satisfactorily peeled from the release layer.

  As another layer configuration of the transfer sheet, there may be mentioned an embodiment having an image receiving layer, a transfer layer composed of a transparent support, and a substrate composed of an adhesive layer, a base material layer, and a back layer in this order. An aspect in which the transparent support and the base material layer are formed via an adhesive layer from the viewpoint of satisfactorily peeling the base material layer when the image receiving layer and the transparent support in the transfer sheet are transferred to the image support. It is. The image receiving layer and the transparent support may be formed via an adhesive layer.

  In the present embodiment, it is sufficient that at least one image receiving layer satisfying the above-described requirements is provided as the image receiving layer. Therefore, the image receiving layer may be a layer in which an image receiving layer satisfying the above-described requirements and one or more image receiving layers made of other compositions are laminated.

Below, the structural example of the transfer sheet of this embodiment is demonstrated in detail with drawing. However, the configuration of the image transfer sheet of the present embodiment is not limited to the configuration illustrated below.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the transfer sheet of the present embodiment. The transfer sheet of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is configured by laminating a base having a back layer 150, a base material layer 110, a release layer 160, and a transfer layer having an image receiving layer 140 in this order. The

  FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the image transfer sheet of the present embodiment. The image transfer sheet of this embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has a substrate having a back layer 150, a base material layer 110, and an adhesive layer 120, a transparent support 130, and an image receiving layer 140. Are stacked in this order.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of each layer of the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

(Transfer layer)
-Image receiving layer The image receiving layer contains an uncured ultraviolet curable resin having thermoplasticity. The image receiving layer does not exhibit adhesiveness at 30 ° C. or less, and has an elongation of 5% or more after ultraviolet irradiation.

(1) Elongation The elongation after ultraviolet irradiation is 5% or more, that is, it has stretchability after being cured by ultraviolet irradiation. This stretchability is considered to suppress cracks on the surface of the image recording body that occur over time due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the image support and the image receiving layer.

  The elongation is more preferably 10% or more, and further preferably 20% or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100% or less, and more preferably 80% or less.

  Examples of a method for controlling the elongation of the image receiving layer after the ultraviolet irradiation to the above range include a method of selecting the type and amount of a resin such as an ultraviolet curable resin to be contained in the image receiving layer.

-Measurement method-
The image receiving layer is cured by irradiating the image receiving layer with ultraviolet rays so that the degree of elongation of the image receiving layer after irradiation with ultraviolet rays is 500 mJ / cm ² with an ultraviolet irradiation (high pressure mercury) lamp. Then, the film was cut out into a film having a width of 15 mm and a length of 50 mm, and stretched at a speed of 10 mm / min with a tensile tester (Imida Manufacturing Co., Ltd .: SVZ-50NA) until the image receiving layer was cracked visually. The stretching ratio (stretched length relative to the length before the start of the tensile test) is defined as the elongation.

(2) Adhesiveness at 30 ° C. or lower By not exhibiting adhesive properties at 30 ° C. or lower (so-called tack-free), wrapping around a heat fixing member when heat fixing an image on an image receiving layer is suppressed. Moreover, sticking between the transfer sheets wound up when producing the transfer sheet is also suppressed.

  Examples of the method for controlling the image receiving layer so as not to develop adhesiveness in the above temperature range include a method for selecting the type and amount of a resin such as an ultraviolet curable resin to be contained in the image receiving layer.

-Method for confirming adhesion-
Using a 1/32 inch steel ball made of high carbon chromium bearing steel made of SUJ2, the test sample (transfer sheet) has a runway of 100 mm, a test sample surface distance of 100 mm, an inclination angle of 20 °, and an environmental temperature of 30 ° C. When rolling the steel ball under conditions, the steel ball does not decelerate (more specifically, the steel ball decelerates 0.01 mm / sec or less). Suppose that there is no.

(3) Uncured ultraviolet curable resin having thermoplasticity In the present embodiment, the image receiving layer contains an uncured ultraviolet curable resin having thermoplasticity.
When manufacturing an image recording body, the transfer sheet is superposed on the image support and subjected to thermocompression bonding, followed by ultraviolet irradiation, so that the heated resin in the image receiving layer has plasticity until ultraviolet irradiation is performed. It is possible to reduce residual bubbles entrained during thermocompression bonding.
Moreover, the adhesiveness between the image receiving layer and the image support in contact with the image receiving layer is improved by curing the resin by the ultraviolet irradiation.

The ultraviolet curable resin used in the present embodiment is selected from, for example, acrylate resins (including urethane-modified products, polyester-modified products, and the like).
Preferable examples of the ultraviolet curable resin include an ultraviolet curable polyfunctional acrylate having two or more (meth) acryloyl groups in the molecule. Specific examples of the UV-curable polyfunctional acrylate having two or more (meth) acryloyl groups in the molecule include neopentyl glycol di (meth) acrylate, 1,6-hexanediol di (meth) acrylate, and trimethylol. Polyol polyacrylates such as propane tri (meth) acrylate, ditrimethylolpropane tetra (meth) acrylate, pentaerythritol tetra (meth) acrylate, pentaerythritol tri (meth) acrylate, dipentaerythritol hexa (meth) acrylate, bisphenol A diglycidyl Epoxys such as diacrylate of ether, diacrylate of neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether, di (meth) acrylate of 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether ( A) polyester (meth) acrylate, polyhydric alcohol, polyvalent isocyanate and hydroxyl group-containing (meth) acrylate obtained by esterifying acrylate, polyhydric alcohol and polyhydric carboxylic acid or its anhydride and acrylic acid Urethane (meth) acrylate, polysiloxane poly (meth) acrylate, and the like obtained by the above-mentioned treatment.

The ultraviolet curable polyfunctional acrylate may be used alone or in combination of two or more, and the content thereof is preferably 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass with respect to the resin solid content of the coating for the image receiving layer. It is as follows.
In addition to the above polyfunctional (meth) acrylate, preferably 10% by mass or less of 2-hydroxy (meth) acrylate and 2-hydroxypropyl (meth) acrylate with respect to the resin solid content of the image-receiving layer coating material. A monofunctional acrylate such as glycidyl (meth) acrylate may be added.

  In general, in the resin components of the various acrylates described above, the curing reaction proceeds by the energy of ultraviolet rays through the intervention of a photoinitiator, a catalyst, or the like. In this embodiment, by using the resin having the functional group, it exhibits a behavior as a general thermoplastic resin until it is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and causes a curing reaction by ultraviolet rays at a stage where curing is necessary. Thus, it has an elongation that can cope with the desired surface curing and thermal expansion of the image support.

Specifically, the (meth) acryloyl group is introduced into the side chain of the main chain skeleton of the acrylic polymer from the viewpoint of more efficiently achieving the above-mentioned elongation and not exhibiting adhesiveness (tack-free). In addition, an ultraviolet curable acrylic polymer obtained by polymerizing an acrylic macromonomer having a molecular weight of about 6000 (more specifically 5000 to 7000) is suitable for the other side chain.
Further, an ultraviolet curable acrylic polymer obtained by copolymerization of a monomer having a structure represented by the following general formula (1) and a monomer having a structure represented by the general formula (2). Is more preferred.

(In General Formula (1) and General Formula (2), R ²¹ is independently hydrogen or a methyl group, R ²² is an acryloyl group or a methacryloyl group, and R ²³ is an acrylic macromolecule having a molecular weight of 5,000 to 7,000. Represents a group in which one hydrogen atom of the monomer is removed.)

As a method for producing an ultraviolet curable acrylic polymer suitably used in the present embodiment, a (meth) acrylic acid ester-based monomer containing a functional group (acid and epoxy) is usually used in the first stage by radical polymerization or the like in a solvent. It is obtained by preparing a polymer obtained by copolymerizing a macromonomer, and adding the (meth) acrylic acid ester-based monomer containing epoxy or acid in the second stage to the polymer polymerized in the first stage.
The acrylic main chain can be selected from a number of (meth) acrylic acid ester monomers and can be designed freely, so it is designed in consideration of the molecular weight and the amount of double bonds, etc. according to the application and required performance. .

  Commercially available products may be used as the ultraviolet curable acrylic polymer suitably used in the present embodiment, and examples thereof include 8KX series manufactured by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd. In addition, specifically, Unidic V-6840, 6841, RC29-120, EKC-1054, WHV-649, EKS-675 manufactured by DIC Corporation, and Forse Seed No. manufactured by China Paint Co., Ltd. . A product such as 370C may be mentioned.

(4) Other components-Other resins-
As the resin contained in the image receiving layer, in addition to the ultraviolet curable resin, thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyester, phenol resin, urea resin, unsaturated polyester, epoxy, silicon resin A thermosetting resin such as the above may be contained within a range that does not impair the extensibility and hardness of the image receiving layer.

-Release agent-
Further, the image receiving layer may contain a release agent such as natural wax or synthetic wax, or a release resin, a reactive silicone compound, or a modified silicone oil.
Specific examples of the wax include natural wax such as carnauba wax, beeswax, montan wax, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, low molecular weight polyethylene wax, low molecular weight oxidized polyethylene wax, low molecular weight polypropylene wax, and low molecular weight oxidized polypropylene wax. Synthetic waxes such as higher fatty acid waxes, higher fatty acid ester waxes, and sazol waxes. These are not limited to single use and may be used in combination.

-Particles-
In the present embodiment, the image-receiving layer may contain particles, and it is particularly desirable that the particles having an average particle diameter of 3 μm or more and 30 μm or less are contained in an amount of 0.3% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less. Those having a weapon salt particle diameter of 1.2 times or more the image receiving layer thickness are more desirable.
As the shape of the particle, a spherical particle is generally used, but it may be a plate shape, a needle shape, or an indefinite shape.

  The particles used in the present embodiment are specifically composed of organic resin particles, specifically, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, dodecyl acrylate, octyl acrylate, phenyl acrylate, methacryl Acrylic crosslinked particles such as methyl acid, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate and dodecyl methacrylate are preferred. Other styrenes such as styrene, vinyl styrene and chlorostyrene; monoolefins such as ethylene, propylene, butylene and isobutylene; vinyl esters such as vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl benzoate and vinyl butyrate; α-no Esters of saturated fatty acid monocarboxylic acids; vinyl ethers such as vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ethyl ether and vinyl butyl ether; vinyl ketones such as vinyl methyl ketone, vinyl hexyl ketone and vinyl isopropenyl ketone; dienes such as isoprene and 2-chlorobutadiene A homopolymer or copolymer obtained by polymerizing at least one type of monomer may be mixed.

  In addition, inorganic particles may be used as the particles. Specific examples include mica, talc, silica, calcium carbonate, zinc white, halocyto clay, kaolin, hydrochloric magnesium carbonate, quartz powder, titanium dioxide, sulfuric acid. Examples include barium, calcium sulfate, and alumina.

  The volume average particle diameter of the particles is preferably 3 μm or more and 30 μm or less. On the other hand, it is preferable that the particles have a volume average particle diameter larger than the film thickness of the image receiving layer, and preferably 1.2 times or more of the image receiving layer thickness. When the volume average particle diameter of the particles is 1.2 times or more, the particles protrude from the image receiving layer, and are wound after coating, stored in a roll shape, or cut into a sheet shape. When the sheet is overlapped in units of several hundred sheets, the friction coefficient between the front and back surfaces decreases due to the point contact effect, and smooth unwinding or smooth sheet feeding in the electrophotographic apparatus can be performed.

  On the other hand, when a transfer sheet on which an image of an image forming material (toner) is formed is laminated with an image support to be transferred, and this laminate is heated and pressed (that is, laminated), it is generally The difference in height of micron order between the image part where the image forming material is formed at the thermocompression bonding part and the non-image part where there is no image forming material, or the difference in level, blocks the air flow at the crimping part. Air may remain visible as bubbles. In this case, since the protrusion of the particles described above has an effect of creating an air escape path or dispersing as fine bubbles between the particles, a volume average particle diameter of 1.2 times or more of the image receiving layer thickness is suitable. .

The mass ratio (particle: resin) of the particles and the resin component (binder) in the image receiving layer of the image transfer sheet is preferably in the range of 0.3: 99.7 to 25:75. A range of 5: 99.5 to 20:80 is more preferable.
When the ratio of the particles is within the above range, when heat-pressing from the image transfer sheet to the image recording body, image disturbance and image density reduction are within the allowable range, and the image quality is good, and the surface of the produced image recording body The hardness is easy to be within an allowable range, and the quality as an image recording body is maintained.

-Surfactant-
The image receiving layer in the present embodiment desirably contains a surfactant (more preferably at least one selected from quaternary ammonium salts and acrylic resins containing a quaternary ammonium salt in the side chain).
The purpose is to make the transfer sheet have a stable semi-conductivity, make it difficult to attract electrostatic adsorbate (floating dust) from the outside, or to easily remove adhering adsorbent (dust). This is because a high-quality image recording body having no foreign matter is produced.
As another object, in image formation in the electrophotographic method, the electrostatic force is used to transfer the image forming material from the image carrier (photosensitive member) or the primary transfer belt in the apparatus onto the transfer sheet. In order to transfer the image forming material with good quality, the surface of the transfer sheet is preferably semiconductive in principle in electrophotography. The surface resistivity is preferably 1 × 10 ⁷ Ω / □ or more and 1 × 10 ¹³ Ω / □ or less, more preferably 1 × 10 ⁸ Ω / □ or more and 1 × 10 ¹² Ω / □ or less at room temperature (22 ° C.). More preferred.

  For this reason, various conductive materials may be added to adjust the surface resistivity. However, surfactants are frequently used including this embodiment. Examples of the surfactant used include cationic surfactants such as polyamines, ammonium salts, sulfonium salts, phosphonium salts, and betaine amphoteric salts, anionic surfactants such as alkyl phosphates, and nonionic surfactants such as fatty acid esters. Surfactant is mentioned. Among these surfactants, from the viewpoint of use for electrophotography, it is desirable to use a cationic surfactant having a large interaction with the recent negatively charged toner for electrophotography.

  Among the cationic surfactants, quaternary ammonium salts are desirable. As the quaternary ammonium salts, compounds represented by the following general formula (I) are desirable.

(In general formula (I), R ¹ represents an alkyl group, alkenyl group, or alkynyl group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, and R ² represents an alkyl group, alkenyl group, or alkynyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. R ³ , R ⁴ and R ⁵ may be the same or different and each represents an aliphatic group, an aromatic group or a heterocyclic group, which is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group, alkenyl group or alkynyl. An aromatic group represents a benzene monocyclic or condensed polycyclic aryl group, which may have a substituent such as a hydroxyl group, A is an amide bond, an ether bond, an ester bond, represents a phenyl group, which may be without .X ^- is a halogen element, sulfate ion, represents a nitrate ion, these ions may have a substituent).

  About the said surfactant, in the combination with the said resin, it may cause the phenomenon of bleeding out which transfers to the said resin surface and oozes out. In this case, the number of friction systems between the image receiving layer of the transfer sheet and the back surface of the transfer sheet in contact with the image receiving layer may increase or may be in close contact, and misfeed or double feed may occur.

  Therefore, it is more preferable that the image receiving layer according to the present embodiment uses an acrylic copolymer containing a quaternary ammonium salt represented by the general formula (I) in the side chain. For example, for example, a copolymer in which the following general formula (II) or general formula (III) and a polyolefin structural unit or a (meth) acrylate structural unit are linearly arranged is used, and the molecular weight thereof is a number average. The molecular weight is preferably in the range of 20,000 to 100,000.

(In the general formulas (II) and (III), R ⁶ and R ¹⁶ represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R ⁷ and R ¹⁷ represent an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R ⁸ , R ⁹ , R ^10. , R ¹⁸ and R ¹⁹ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and X represents a halogen atom, CH ₃ OSO ₃ or C ₂ H ₅ OSO _3. )

The structural unit represented by the general formula (II) or (III) is preferably in a proportion of 10% by mass to 60% by mass in all copolymer components.
The image receiving layer in the present embodiment obtains the surface hardness of the image recording body to be produced by using an ultraviolet curable resin. Acrylate oligomers that are UV-cured by incorporating the structure of the above general formula are also commercially available, and these are more desirable from the viewpoint that the surface resistivity can be within the above range without reducing the surface hardness of the image recording material. Specifically, there are DIC Corporation: Unidic EKC-492, EKC-565, V-9030, Nippon Synthetic Chemical Co., Ltd .: Murasaki UV-AS102.

-Transparent support Next, the transparent support which can be used for this embodiment is demonstrated.
A plastic film is typically used as the transparent support. Among them, polyacetate film, cellulose triacetate film, nylon film, polyethylene terephthalate film, polyethylene naphthalate film, polycarbonate film, polysulfone film, polystyrene film, polyphenylene sulfide, which are light transmissive films used as OHP films Examples include films, polyphenylene ether films, cycloolefin films, polypropylene films, cellophane, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin films, among which polyethylene naphthalate film, polyethylene terephthalate film, polyphenylene sulfide film are preferably used. .

  Although the manufacturing method of the transparent support body used for this embodiment is arbitrary, it produces using well-known methods, such as a co-extrusion method and a bonding method.

  In general, when co-extrusion is performed, a longitudinal stretching process is performed, stretching is performed between two or many rolls having different peripheral speeds, and the film is wound after being adjusted to a target film thickness. In the case of biaxial stretching, the film that has passed through the above process is introduced into the tenter as it is, and stretched 2.5 times or more and 5 times or less in the width direction. A desirable stretching temperature at this time is in a range of 100 ° C. or more and 200 ° C. or less.

  The biaxially stretched film thus obtained is subjected to heat treatment as necessary. The heat treatment is desirably performed in a tenter, and a film having a low heat shrinkage rate can be obtained by performing heat treatment particularly while relaxing in the vertical and horizontal directions. A biaxially stretched film is particularly desirable as the transparent support.

-Releasability treatment-
It is more desirable that the surface on the base material layer side of the transparent support and the surface on the transparent support side in the base material layer to be described later are subjected to release treatment.
As these releasability treatments, surface treatment of a releasable material is generally performed. The releasable material is not particularly limited, but a silicon-based material is desirable. These silicon-based materials are composed of a condensate resin containing at least a silane-based composition, or a mixed composition of these and a colloidal silica dispersion. Further, it is desirable to further contain an organic resin.

  The silane composition is specifically an organosilicon compound, and includes a silane compound, a fluorine-containing silane compound, an isocyanate silane compound, and the like, and these undergo a condensation reaction to form a resin composition.

Silane compounds include Si (OCH ₃ ) ₄ , CH ₃ Si (OCH ₃ ) ₃ , HSi (OCH ₃ ) ₃ , (CH ₃ ) ₂ Si (OCH ₃ ) ₂ , CH ₃ SiH (OCH ₃ ) ₂ , C _{6 H 5 Si (OCH 3)} 3, Si (OC 2 H 5) 4, CH 3 Si (OC 2 H 5) 3, (CH 3) 2 Si (OC 2 H 5) 2, H 2 Si (OC 2 H ₅ ) ₂ , C ₆ H ₅ Si (OC ₂ H ₅ ) ₃ , (CH ₃ ) ₂ CHCH ₂ Si (OCH ₃ ) ₃ , CH ₃ (CH ₃ ) ₁₁ Si (OC ₂ H ₅ ) ₃ , CH ₃ Alkoxysilanes such as (CH ₂ ) ₁₅ Si (OC ₂ H ₅ ) ₃ and CH ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₁₇ Si (OC ₂ H ₅ ) ₃ ; Silazanes such as (CH ₃ ) ₃ SiNHSi (CH ₃ ) ₃ ; _((CH 3) SiN _{) 2 CO, tert-C 4} H 9 (CH 3) 2 special silylating agent such as SiCl; silane coupling agent; and _{HSC 3 H 6 Si (OCH 3} ) silane compounds such as _3; and these hydrolysis Products and partial condensates.

  Examples of the silane coupling agent include vinyl silanes such as vinyltris (β-methoxyethoxy) silane, vinyltriethoxysilane, and vinyltrimethoxysilane; acrylic silanes such as γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane; β- (3, Epoxy silanes such as 4-epoxycyclohexyl) ethyltrimethoxysilane, γ-glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane; N-β- (aminoethyl) -γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane And aminosilanes such as N-phenyl-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane;

Examples of the fluorine-containing silane compounds include CF ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₂ Si (OCH ₃ ) ₃ , C ₆ F ₁₃ C ₂ H ₄ Si (OCH ₃ ) ₃ , and C ₇ F ₁₅ CONH (CH ₂ ) _3. Si (OC ₂ H ₅ ) ₃ , C ₈ F ₁₇ C ₂ H ₄ Si (OCH ₃ ) ₃ , C ₈ F ₁₇ C ₂ H ₄ SiCH ₃ (OCH ₃ ) ₂ , C ₈ F ₁₇ C ₂ H ₄ Si ( ON = C (CH ₃ ) (C ₂ H ₅ )) ₃ , C ₉ F ₁₉ C ₂ H ₄ Si (OCH ₃ ) ₃ , C ₉ F ₁₉ C ₂ H ₄ Si (NCO) ₃ , (NCO) ₃ SiC _{2 H 4 C 6 F 12 C} 2 H 4 Si (NCO) 3, C 9 F 19 C 2 H 4 Si (C 2 H 5) (OCH 3) 2, (CH 3 O) 3 SiC 2 H 4 C 8 _{F 16 C 2 H 4 Si (} OCH 3) 3, _{CH 3 O) 2 (CH 3} ) SiC 9 F 18 C 2 H 4 Si (CH 3) (OCH 3) a fluorine-containing silane compounds such as _2, and silane compounds such as these hydrolyzate or partial condensate thereof Illustrated.

Examples of the isocyanate silane compounds include (CH ₃ ) ₃ SiNCO, (CH ₃ ) ₂ Si (NCO) ₂ , CH ₃ Si (NCO) ₃ , vinylsilyl triisocyanate, C ₆ H ₅ Si (NCO) ₃ , Si (NCO) ₄ , C ₂ H ₅ OSi (NCO) ₃ , C ₈ H ₁₇ Si (NCO) ₃ , C ₁₈ H ₃₇ Si (NCO) ₃ , (NCO) ₃ SiC ₂ H ₄ (NCO) ₃ etc. Is done.

  Examples of the condensate resin of the silane composition in the present embodiment include curable silicone resins such as thermosetting (condensation type, addition type) and photo-curing silicone resins. There are the following.

  Among the thermosetting silicone resins, as a condensation-type curable silicone resin, a polysiloxane such as polydimethylsiloxane having a silanol group at the terminal is used as a base polymer, and polymethylhydrogensiloxane is blended as a crosslinking agent. Reacts with curable silicone resins synthesized by heat condensation in the presence of organic acid metal salts such as organotin catalysts and amines, and polydiorganosiloxanes terminated with reactive functional groups such as hydroxyl groups and alkoxy groups. Examples thereof include curable silicone resins synthesized by synthesis, and polysiloxane resins synthesized by condensing silanol obtained by hydrolyzing a trifunctional or higher functional chlorosilane or a mixture of these with a 1,2-functional chlorosilane.

  The condensation type is classified into a solution type and an emulsion type in terms of form, and any of them is preferably used.

  Among the thermosetting silicone resins, as an addition-type curable silicone resin, a polysiloxane such as polydimethylsiloxane containing a vinyl group is used as a base polymer, and polydimethylhydrogensiloxane is blended as a crosslinking agent. Examples thereof include a curable silicone resin synthesized by reaction and curing in the presence of a platinum catalyst.

  The addition type is classified into a solvent type, an emulsion type, and a solventless type, and any of them is preferably used.

  Examples of the thermosetting silicone resin obtained by the condensation type and addition type curing include, for example, pure silicone resin, silicone alkyd resin, silicone epoxy resin, silicone polyester resin, silicone acrylic resin, silicone phenol resin, silicone urethane resin, and silicone. A melamine resin etc. are mentioned suitably.

  Examples of the photocurable silicone resin include a curable silicone resin synthesized using a photocationic catalyst, and a curable silicone resin synthesized using a radical curing mechanism. Moreover, the modification | denaturation obtained by carrying out photocuring reaction of the low molecular-weight polysiloxane which has a hydroxyl group or an alkoxy group etc. couple | bonded with the silicon atom, and an alkyd resin, a polyester resin, an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, a phenol resin, a polyurethane, or a melamine resin. Silicone resin is desirably used. These may be used individually by 1 type and may use 2 or more types together.

(Substrate)
-Base material layer Next, the base material layer used for this embodiment is demonstrated.
Although it does not specifically limit as said base material layer, For example, a plastic film is typically used. For example, polyacetate film, cellulose triacetate film, nylon film, polyester film, polycarbonate film, polysulfone film, polystyrene film, polyphenylene sulfide film, polyphenylene ether film, cycloolefin film, polypropylene film, polyimide film, cellophane, ABS (acrylonitrile- (Butadiene-styrene) resin film or the like is preferably used, and may be opaque such as white.

  Further, a sheet-like material such as paper, metal, plastic, or ceramic is also preferably used.

-Release layer, adhesive layer Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, as for the transfer sheet which concerns on this embodiment, the said image receiving layer and the said base material layer may be formed through the release layer.
“Release layer” is an adhesive that physically bonds the image receiving layer and the substrate layer up to the step before the step of transferring the image onto the image support after the image is formed on the transfer sheet. It refers to a layer having a function and a release function that peels off from the image receiving layer in the step of transferring the image after laminating and cooling the image.

In the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment, the transparent support and the base material layer may be formed via an adhesive layer as shown in FIG.
“Adhesive layer” is an adhesive that physically connects the transparent support and the substrate layer up to the process before the image is formed on the transfer sheet and transferred to the image support. And a layer having a release function to be peeled off from the transparent support in the step of laminating and cooling the image and then transferring the image.

  The adhesive layer and the adhesive layer are made of a semi-solid (that is, viscous) material in an environment of room temperature and normal pressure (22 ° C. and 50%), and the state of the adhesive layer itself is solidified after bonding. A material capable of bonding other layers without using them may be used, or a material that is solid (that is, has no viscosity) in an environment of normal temperature and normal pressure (22 ° C., 50%) may be used.

  Examples of the material for the adhesive layer and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer include natural rubber, SBR (styrene-butadiene-rubber), and butyl rubber. Synthetic resin systems include acrylic systems, silicon systems, and hot melt systems. Here, synthetic resin systems that can adjust the peel strength with additives are desirable. desirable. However, there is a relation with the compatibility with the transparent support and the like is not limited thereto.

-Adhesive layer Although not shown, for the purpose of strengthening the adhesion between the image receiving layer and the transparent support and suppressing the peeling of the transparent support from the image support produced using the transfer sheet. The image receiving layer and the transparent support may be provided via an adhesive layer.
The thickness of the adhesive layer is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of 0.1 μm to 10 μm, and more preferably in the range of 1 μm to 5 μm.

-Back layer The transfer sheet according to the present embodiment may further include a back layer on the outside of the base material layer (on the side opposite to the side on which the transfer layer is provided).

(Physical properties of image transfer sheet)
Further, the surface resistivity of the substrate side surface and the transfer layer side surface of the transfer sheet of the present embodiment is desirably in the range of 1.0 × 10 ⁸ Ω to 3.2 × 10 ¹³ Ω, and the surface resistance described above. The rate is more preferably in the range of 1.0 × 10 ⁹ Ω to 1.0 × 10 ¹² Ω.

  The surface resistivity difference between the front and back surfaces of the transfer sheet at 23 ° C. and 55% RH in the present embodiment is preferably within 4 digits, and more preferably within 3 digits.

  The surface resistivity is measured in accordance with JIS K6911 using a circular electrode (for example, “HR Probe” of Hirester IP manufactured by Mitsubishi Yuka Co., Ltd.) in an environment of 23 ° C. and 55% RH.

In controlling the surface resistivity of the image receiving layer within the range of 1.0 × 10 ⁸ Ω or more and 3.2 × 10 ¹³ Ω or less when the image receiving layer is the outermost surface, It is desirable to contain a charge control agent. As the charge control agent, a polymer conductive agent, a surfactant, conductive metal oxide particles, or the like is used.
Further, it is desirable that a matting agent is added to a coating layer other than the image receiving layer provided on the surface of the image receiving layer, the back layer, and the base material layer.

Examples of the conductive metal oxide particles include ZnO, TiO, TiO ₂ , SnO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , In ₂ O ₃ , SiO, SiO ₂ , MgO, BaO, and MoO ₃ . These may be used alone or in combination. Further, the metal oxide preferably contains a different element, for example, Al, In, etc. for ZnO, Nb, Ta, etc. for TiO, and Sb, Nb, halogen for SnO ₂ . Those containing elements (doping) are desirable. Among these, SnO ₂ doped with Sb is particularly desirable because it has little change in conductivity over time and high stability.

  Examples of the resin having lubricity used in the matting agent include polyolefins such as polyethylene; fluororesins such as polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon (registered trademark)).

(Method for producing image transfer sheet)
Here, a method for manufacturing an image transfer sheet will be described by taking an image transfer sheet according to an example of this embodiment shown in FIG. 2 as an example. The image transfer sheet of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 2 includes a back layer 150, a base material layer 110, an adhesive layer 120, a transparent support 130, and an image receiving layer 140.

  In the image transfer sheet of the present embodiment, for example, when the image is transferred to the surface of the transparent base material layer 110, the image on the image support is a normal rotation image (normal image). Thus, a fixed image of a reverse image (mirror image) is formed.

When the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment has the adhesive layer 120, the above-described film or the like for forming the transparent support 130 is pasted on the surface of the base material layer 110 after applying the adhesive that becomes the adhesive layer 120. On the other hand, the coating layer used as the back layer 150 is apply | coated and hardened on the surface on the opposite side to the surface in which the said transparent support body 130 of the base material layer 110 was provided. Further, a transfer sheet is formed by applying and curing a coating layer to be the image receiving layer 140 on the surface of the transparent support 130.
In addition, a pressure-sensitive adhesive that becomes the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 120 is applied to the surface of the base material layer 110, and a coating layer that becomes the back layer 150 is applied to the other surface of the base material layer 110 and cured. On the other hand, after applying a coating layer to be the image receiving layer 140 on the surface of the above-mentioned film or the like forming the transparent support 130, the surface of the transparent support 130 opposite to the image receiving layer 140 and the base material layer 110. It can also form by sticking the surface of the adhesive layer 120 side.

  The coating layer of the image receiving layer 140 is prepared by mixing components such as wax, resin, and particles using an organic solvent or water, and dispersing the mixture using an apparatus such as an ultrasonic wave, a wave blower, an attritor or a sand mill. A liquid is prepared, and the coating liquid is applied to the surface of the transparent support 130 as it is.

As a method of applying or impregnating, commonly used methods such as blade coating method, wire bar coating method, spray coating method, dip coating method, bead coating method, air knife coating method, curtain coating method and roll coating method are adopted. Is done.
In the application, either surface of the base material layer 110 may be applied first, or both surfaces may be applied simultaneously.
The drying when forming the coating layer on the surface of the base material layer 110 may be air drying, but is easily dried by heat drying. As a drying method, a commonly used method such as a method of putting in an oven, a method of passing through an oven, or a method of contacting with a heating roller is adopted.

  In actual use, the coefficient of static friction on the surface of the transfer sheet is preferably 2 or less, and more preferably 1 or less. The dynamic friction coefficient of the transfer sheet surface is preferably in the range of 0.05 to 1 and more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 0.65.

  For example, in this embodiment, a toner image is formed as an image on the surface of the image transfer sheet. When forming a toner image, it is desirable to fix the formed toner image so that the temperature of the image transfer sheet surface (image forming surface) is equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner. Considering the melting temperature of normal toner, it is desirable that the surface temperature of the image transfer sheet be 130 ° C. or less, and more desirably 110 ° C. or less.

  In this embodiment, the toner image formed by the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is described as the image formed on the surface of the image transfer sheet. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an image may be formed using ink or the like.

The film thickness of the image receiving layer 140 thus formed is preferably in the range of 5 μm to 25 μm, more preferably in the range of 7 μm to 20 μm.
The film thickness of the back layer is preferably in the range of the surface resistivity, and is preferably 0.01 or more and 0.3 μm or less.

(Image transfer sheet thickness)
The thickness of a card containing an information chip such as an IC chip is defined as a standard up to 840 μm (for example, JISX6301: 2005). However, the core part of a card containing an information chip such as an IC chip already has a thickness of 760 μm. In order to transfer an image using a laminate film on the surface of the card core, transfer to one side is required. If present, the thickness of the transferred layer needs to be 80 μm or less, and if transferred to both sides, the transferred layer needs to have a thickness of 40 μm or less. However, since the laminate film (transfer sheet) must be passed through an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, it is desirable that the laminate film has a thickness of at least 75 μm from the viewpoint of maintaining the stiffness.

From the above viewpoint, the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment desirably has a total thickness of the image receiving layer and the transparent support of 12 μm or more and 80 μm or less and a total thickness of 75 μm or more and 135 μm or less.
In the transfer sheet in which the total thickness of the image receiving layer and the transparent support is specified to be 80 μm or less, the strength of the stiffness when passing through the image forming apparatus is maintained by the total thickness being 75 μm or more, On the other hand, when the thickness is 135 μm or less, the transferability of the image forming material such as toner is satisfactorily maintained, and an image having excellent image quality is formed. In addition, when the total thickness of the image receiving layer and the transparent support is 12 μm or more, it is easy to form the image receiving layer without unevenness on the transparent support and tends to be easily held in a large area. is there.

  Here, the film thickness value of each layer described in the present specification is measured by Digimatic Indicator ID-H0530 manufactured by Mitutoyo Corporation.

<Image recording material>
Next, an image recording body produced using the image transfer sheet according to this embodiment described above will be described.

  In addition, as a method for forming an image on the image receiving layer surface of the transfer sheet according to the present embodiment, in addition to a method for forming a toner image by an electrophotographic image forming method, a method for forming an ink image using ink. A known image forming method is employed.

  The image recording body according to the present embodiment forms an image made of an image forming material as a mirror image on the surface of the image transfer sheet according to the present embodiment on which the image receiving layer is provided, and the surface on which the image is formed is formed. After overlapping so as to face one side of the image support, at least the base material layer in the image transfer sheet is peeled from the image support, so that the image receiving layer and the transparent support in the image transfer sheet and the image are separated. An image made of a forming material is transferred to the image support. The image support is provided with at least the image support, the image receiving layer, and the transparent support in this order. The image is provided in a region sandwiched between the image receiving layer.

  The image recording material is produced by, for example, an image forming step of forming an image made of an image forming material as a mirror image on the surface of the image transfer sheet on which the image receiving layer is provided, and the image transfer sheet. A positioning step of stacking and positioning the image-formed surface and one side of the image support so as to face each other, a thermocompression bonding step of thermocompression bonding the positioned laminate, and the image formation After the material is cooled and solidified, at least the base layer in the image transfer sheet is peeled off from the image support, and at least the image receiving layer and the transparent support in the image transfer sheet and the image forming material are attached to the image support. And a peeling step of transferring and recording an image.

  As this image recording body, for example, (1) an image sheet or image panel in which an image is transferred to an image support by thermocompression bonding from the image transfer sheet of this embodiment having a toner image corresponding to information formed on the surface. And (2) at least information by using at least one means selected from an electric means, a magnetic means, and an optical means, which is arranged in at least one of the image supports. An information record that stores predetermined information such as an IC card, a magnetic card, an optical card, or a combination of these, including at least an information chip that can be read, and can communicate with or without contact with an external device Examples of the configuration include a medium.

  In the image recording material described in the above item (1), the toner image partially or entirely serves as information having some identification function, and the toner image functioning as identifiable information such as image information, character information, etc. If it contains, it will not specifically limit. Further, the identification of the toner image as information is not particularly limited as to whether or not the toner image can be visually identified, and may be mechanically identifiable.

  In the image recording medium (information recording medium) described in the above item (2), the information chip has information having some kind of identification function, and is selected from at least electrical means, magnetic means, and optical means. There is no particular limitation as long as it can be read out by using one means. This information chip may be dedicated to reading information, but may be one that can both read and write information (including “rewriting”) as necessary. A specific example of this information chip is an IC chip (semiconductor circuit), for example.

  It should be noted that the toner image formed when the above-described information chip is used as the information source of the image recording body is not particularly limited as to whether or not part or all of the toner image has information having some kind of identification function.

On the other hand, information included in the toner image or the information chip is not particularly limited as long as it can be identified, but may include variable information. The variable information means that information of individual image recording bodies is different among a plurality of image recording bodies manufactured according to the same standard or standard.
For example, when the toner image includes variable information, the toner image corresponding to the variable information may be a different toner image for each image recording body.

  Further, the variable information may include personal information. In this case, the image recording medium (information recording medium) of the present embodiment is applied to a cash card, an employee ID card, a student ID card, an individual membership card, a residence card, various driving licenses, various qualification acquisition certificates, etc. When used, the personal information includes, for example, a face photograph, personal identification image information, name, address, date of birth, and combinations thereof.

  In the image formation on the transfer sheet by the electrophotographic method, first, the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member (image holding member) is charged and charged, and then the obtained image information is exposed and exposed. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to is formed. Next, the electrostatic latent image is visualized and developed with toner (toner image is formed) by supplying toner as an image forming material from the developing device to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor. Further, the formed toner image is transferred to the surface of the transfer sheet on which the image receiving layer is formed, and finally the toner image is fixed on the surface of the image receiving layer by heat or pressure, and the transfer sheet is removed from the electrophotographic apparatus. Discharged.

  The transfer sheet according to the present embodiment is an image on which the image forming surface (the surface on which the image receiving layer is provided) is overlapped with an image support including an IC chip and the image is transferred. The image formed on the image receiving layer must be a reverse image (mirror image). When an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor, the image information exposed on the surface of the photoconductor is image receiving. It is desirable to provide information in which the image transferred to the layer is a mirror image.

The image support used in the present embodiment is a metal, plastic, ceramic, or the like, and these are preferably in sheet form.
As the image support used in the present embodiment, a plastic sheet is desirable, and in particular, it is desirable to be opaque so that an image formed when an image recording body is formed, and a white plastic sheet is representative. used.

  As the resin for the plastic sheet, those used for the base material layer of the image transfer sheet are used. Polyacetate film, cellulose triacetate film, nylon film, polyethylene terephthalate film, polyethylene telenaphthalate, polycarbonate film, polystyrene film, A polyphenylene sulfide film, a polypropylene film, a polyimide film, a cellophane, an ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin film, a vinyl chloride sheet, an acrylic sheet, or the like is desirably used.

  Among the above, polyester films, particularly those called PETG in which about half of the ethylene glycol component of polyethylene terephthalate is replaced with 1,4-cyclohexanemethanol component, and those obtained by mixing polycarbonate with the polyethylene terephthalate and alloying, Further, an amorphous polyester called A-PET, which is a polyethylene terephthalate that is not biaxially stretched, is more preferably used.

  In the present embodiment, it is desirable that at least the surface of the image support on which the image is transferred contains PETG.

  In the present embodiment, considering the use of an image support containing no chlorine, as further materials, the polystyrene resin sheet, ABS resin sheet, AS (acrylonitrile-styrene) resin sheet, polyethylene terephthalate sheet, polyethylene, A sheet obtained by adding a hot melt adhesive such as polyester or EVA to a polyolefin resin sheet such as polypropylene is also preferably used.

  As a method for whitening the plastic, a method in which a white pigment, for example, metal oxide particles such as silicon oxide, titanium oxide, and calcium oxide, an organic white pigment, and polymer particles are mixed in the film is used. Alternatively, the surface of the plastic sheet may be made uneven by subjecting the surface of the plastic sheet to sandblasting or embossing, and the plastic sheet may be whitened by light scattering due to the unevenness.

  As the image support used in the present embodiment, it is desirable to use a sheet made of plastic having a thickness in the range of 75 μm to 1000 μm, and more desirably, a PETG sheet having a thickness in the range of 100 μm to 750 μm.

In the present embodiment, when the final image recording body is used as an IC card or the like, an image support having a semiconductor circuit inside or on the surface thereof is used.
As a method for incorporating a semiconductor circuit in an image support, there is a method in which a sheet called an inlet to which the semiconductor circuit is fixed is sandwiched between sheet materials constituting the image support, and heat fusion is integrated by heat press. Generally desirable. Further, a semiconductor circuit may be arranged directly without the inlet sheet and integrated by heat fusion.

Other than the above heat fusion, an adhesive such as hot melt may be used to bond the sheets constituting the image support together to incorporate a semiconductor circuit, but is not limited thereto. For example, any method for incorporating a semiconductor circuit in an IC card can be applied as a method for manufacturing the image support.
Further, the semiconductor circuit may be disposed in a state where it is exposed on the surface of the image support, not within the image support, as long as it is allowed for use as an image recording body.

  When the image recording body of the present embodiment is used not only as an IC card but also as a magnetic card or the like, an antenna, a magnetic stripe, an external terminal, or the like may be embedded in the image support. Moreover, a magnetic stripe, a hologram, etc. may be printed and required character information may be embossed.

  The transfer sheet and the image support may be overlapped by holding the transfer sheet and the image support by hand and aligning them, or after forming an image on the transfer sheet, the transfer sheet may be placed on the collating portion or the like. Alternatively, the image support may be sequentially discharged and aligned.

  The pressure-bonding method in the thermocompression bonding process is not particularly limited, and various conventionally known laminating techniques and laminating apparatuses are preferably employed. Among these, it is desirable to use a heat press method of laminating by applying heat. For example, a laminate of a transfer sheet and an image support is inserted into a pressure contact portion (nip portion) of a pair of heat rolls that can heat the laminate. By doing so, the two may be pressure-bonded by using a normal laminating technique and laminating apparatus in which both are melted to some extent and thermally fused.

  After the image forming material is cooled and solidified, the laminated body that has been heat-bonded is peeled off the base layer of the electrophotographic transfer sheet from the image support, and the image is transferred to the image support so that the image is transferred. It is recorded and becomes the image recording material of this embodiment.

  The cooling and solidifying temperature is specifically a temperature not higher than the softening temperature at which the toner is sufficiently hardened, for example, not higher than the glass transition temperature of the image forming material, and desirably not lower than normal temperature (22 ° C.) and not higher than 50 ° C. desirable. The conditions for peeling the transfer sheet from the image support are not particularly limited, but it is desirable to grab the end surface of the transfer sheet and gradually peel it from the image support.

  Next, specific examples of the image recording material described above will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are cross-sectional views showing an example of the state before thermocompression bonding in the production of the image recording body of the present embodiment, and an example of the image recording body after thermocompression bonding and peeling. 3A and 3B, reference numeral 100 denotes a transfer sheet, 200 denotes an image support, and 300 denotes an image recording body.

  FIG. 3A shows a state in which a laminate is configured by superimposing a transfer sheet 100 and an image support 200 (for example, a PETG sheet) as a transfer target. Prior to thermocompression bonding, the image forming material (toner) 190 exists on the image receiving layer 180 side of the transfer sheet or at the interface between the image receiving layer 180 and the image support 200.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, the image forming material 190 is completely embedded in the surface of the image support 200 and the image receiving layer 180 after thermocompression bonding and peeling. Therefore, there is almost no level difference between the surface of the image support 200 and the portion where the image forming material 190 exists, and the produced image recording body 300 has the same feeling as the printed image recording body, and the image formation. The material 190 is not easily peeled off.

  Further, the transparent support 170 remaining on the image support 200 side after peeling serves as an overcoat layer in the image recording body 300.

  The peeled image recording body 300 can be used as it is as the image recording body of the present embodiment. However, when a plurality of individual images are formed on the electrophotographic transfer sheet, the image recording body 300 is cut for each image and has a predetermined size. A plurality of image recording bodies can be obtained.

  In addition, as an aspect of the image recording body according to the present embodiment, a non-contact type or a contact such as a cash card with a face photo, an employee card, a student card, a personal card, a residence card, various driver's licenses, various qualification certificates An image recording medium such as an information recording medium including a personal information image information, an RFID tag, an image sheet for personal verification used in a medical field, an image display board, and a display label.

(Production of image recording material)
Next, a method for producing the image recording body of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image recording body manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment.
4 includes an image forming apparatus 12, a collating apparatus 14 (positioning section), a laminating apparatus 16 (thermocompression bonding section), and a peeling apparatus 17 (peeling section). Has been.

  The image forming apparatus 12 includes, for example, a transfer sheet storage unit 18, an image forming unit 20, a conveyance path 24 that conveys the transfer sheet 22 from the transfer sheet storage unit 18 to the image forming unit 20, and an output port from the image forming unit 20. And a conveyance path 26 for conveying the transfer sheet 22 to 28. Other configurations are omitted.

  The transfer sheet storage unit 18 stores a transfer sheet 22 and is provided with a take-out roll and a paper supply roll provided in a normal paper supply device. The paper supply roll and the like rotate at a predetermined timing. The transfer sheet 22 is conveyed to the image forming unit 20.

  Although not shown, the image forming unit 20 includes a latent image holding member, a charger that charges the latent image holding member, a latent image forming device that forms a latent image on the charged latent image holding member, and at least the latent image. Developing using a developer containing toner to obtain a toner image, a transfer device for transferring the developed toner image to the transfer sheet 22, and fixing the toner image transferred to the transfer sheet 22 by heating and pressing And a known electrophotographic apparatus including a fixing device.

  The conveyance paths 24 and 26 are composed of a plurality of roller pairs including guide roller pairs and guides (not shown). Further, the conveyance path 26 is a reversing path 26 a that reverses the conveyance direction of the transfer sheet 22 by 180 °. Is provided. A cam 32 for changing the guide direction of the transfer sheet 22 is provided at a branch portion between the conveyance path 26 and the reversing path 26a. When the transfer sheet 22 is reciprocated by the reversing path 26a and returned to the transport path 26, the transport direction of the transfer sheet 22 is reversed by 180 °, and the front and back of the transfer sheet 22 are reversed and transported.

  The collating apparatus 14 supplies a plastic sheet (image support) storage unit 34, a collation unit 36 (positioning unit), and a plastic sheet 38 (image support) from the plastic sheet storage unit 34 to the collation unit 36. A conveyance path 40 and a conveyance path 42 that supplies the transfer sheet 22 discharged from the discharge port 28 of the image forming apparatus 12 to the collating unit 36 are configured.

A conveyance path 40 discharge section for supplying the plastic sheet 38 to the collating section 36 and a conveyance path 42 discharge section for supplying the transfer sheet 22 to the collating section 36 are provided in parallel in the height direction.
The conveyance paths 40 and 42 may have a configuration in which a plate-shaped member and a conveyance roll for conveying the transfer sheet 22 or the plastic sheet 38 on the surface thereof are provided, or a belt-shaped conveyance body that rotates. It may be configured. Then, the conveyance roll and the belt rotate at the timing when the transfer sheet 22 is discharged from the image forming apparatus 12 or the timing when the plastic sheet 38 is discharged, and the transfer sheet 22 or the plastic sheet 38 is conveyed to the collating unit 36.

  The plastic sheet storage unit 34 (image support storage unit) stores a plastic sheet 38 and also includes a take-out roll and a paper supply roll provided in a normal paper supply device, and the collating unit 36 is made of plastic. After moving to the position of the discharge port of the sheet storage unit 34, the paper feed roll or the like rotates and conveys the plastic sheet 38 to the collating unit 36.

  For example, a part of the end of the collating unit 36 is supported vertically (up and down in the drawing) so that the plastic sheet 38 and the transfer sheet 22 are supplied from the conveyance path 40 discharge unit and the conveyance path 42 discharge unit, respectively. The belt is connected to the outer wall of the belt, and is configured to move up and down as the belt rotates. Not only the lifting / lowering means but also a known lifting / lowering means such as a motor drive system may be applied. Further, positioning means (not shown) for aligning the ends of the laminated plastic sheet 38 and the transfer sheet 22 is provided.

  The collating portion 36 is provided with a temporary fixing device 44 for temporarily fixing a laminated body in which two transfer sheets 22 are laminated via a plastic sheet 38. This temporary fixing device is composed of, for example, a pair of protruding pieces made of metal so as to be heated by a heater or the like, and by sandwiching the ends of the stacked body between the pair of heated protruding pieces, The ends are thermally welded and temporarily fixed.

  The method of temporary fixing is not limited to a method using a pair of protrusions as long as thermal welding is used, but other existing methods, that is, a heated needle-like member is penetrated in the vertical direction of the sheet, or ultrasonic vibration is used. The sheet may be sandwiched between members on which the child is mounted and welded by heat generated by ultrasonic vibration. Further, a means for mechanically restraining the movement of each other without using heat, that is, a gripper that can be fixed using a staple of a stapler or the like or moved along with the sheet along the conveyance path may be provided.

  When the temporary fixing device 44 is provided on the transport path of the laminated body from the collating unit 36 to the laminating device 16, the temporary fixing device 44 is disposed at the end of the collating unit 36 only at the time of temporary fixing. In this case, it is necessary to take a structure that can be retracted from the conveyance path.

The laminating device 16 may adopt, for example, a belt nip method constituted by a pair of belts 46. Each belt 46 is supported by a heating / pressure roll 48 and a support roll 50, and further has pressure rolls 52 and 54.
The pressure bonding method in the laminating apparatus 16 is not particularly limited, and various conventionally known laminating techniques and laminating apparatuses are preferably employed. For example, a normal laminating technique and laminating apparatus, or a hot pressing technique, and a hot pressing apparatus are used in which the laminated body is inserted into a nip portion of a hot roll pair or the like so as to be melted and thermally fused to some extent. And crimped.

In the present embodiment, an ultraviolet irradiation device is provided between the laminating device 16 and the peeling device 17, and an ultraviolet irradiation lamp 62 that irradiates ultraviolet rays from the front and back of the laminated laminate that passes over the transparent glass plate 60 is installed. Has been. The ultraviolet irradiation lamp 62 uses a metal hydride lamp having a wavelength of 200 nm or more and 400 nm or less, a high pressure mercury lamp having a wavelength of 365 nm, a low pressure mercury lamp having a wavelength of 185/254 nm, or the like as a light source for generating an ultraviolet wavelength region. It is done. The amount of UV exposure of a general UV curable resin is determined by various resins, but many of them are basically cured in a few seconds. Since it is shown by the relational expression of ultraviolet ray exposure amount = ultraviolet ray illuminance × irradiation time, the necessary irradiation time can be obtained if the ultraviolet illuminance is known. Some apparatuses can perform illumination switching such as 80/120 W / cm ² or 120/160 W / cm ² . An apparatus suitable for work such as a desktop type (batch) type or a conveyor type is selected depending on the size and shape of the irradiation target.

  The peeling device 17 includes, for example, an air ejection nozzle 19 and guides 21a and 21b, and a discharge receptacle 56 is provided on the downstream side of the plastic sheet conveyance path.

Next, the operation of the image recording body manufacturing apparatus 10 will be described.
First, in the image forming apparatus 12, the first transfer sheet 22 a stacked on the back surface (lower side in the drawing) of the transfer sheet 22 is transferred from the transfer sheet storage unit 18 via the conveyance path 24. The toner image is supplied to the image forming unit 20 and transferred to the upper surface (upper side in the drawing) of the first transfer sheet 22a by an electrophotographic method, and then fixed and a fixed image is formed (image forming step). At this time, since the fixed image is formed on the upper surface of the first transfer sheet 22 a, the first transfer sheet 22 a is conveyed as it is to the discharge port 28 through the conveyance path 26 and is sent to the collating device 14. .

  In the collating device 14, the first transfer sheet 22 a is supplied to the collating unit 36 through the conveyance path 42 of the collating device 14. Here, the first transfer sheet 22a exiting the transport path 42 discharge section is supplied to the collating section 36 by its own weight so that the image surface faces the upper surface.

  Next, the collating unit 36 is raised and lowered to the conveying path 40 discharging unit, and the plastic sheet 38 is supplied from the plastic sheet storage unit 34 to the collating unit 36 via the conveying path 40. Here, the plastic sheet 38 that has exited the discharge section of the conveyance path 40 is supplied to the collating section 36 by its own weight, and is overlapped with the first transfer sheet 22a.

  Next, in the image forming apparatus 12, the second transfer sheet 22 b laminated on the surface of the plastic sheet 38 (upper side in the drawing) is transferred from the transfer sheet storage unit 18 to the image forming unit 20 via the conveyance path 24. The toner image is supplied and transferred onto the upper surface (upper side in the drawing) of the second transfer sheet 22b by an electrophotographic method, and then fixed and a fixed image is formed (image forming step). Since the fixed image is formed on the upper surface of the second transfer sheet 22b, the second transfer sheet 22b passes through the conveyance path 26, returns to the conveyance path 26 again via the one end and the reverse path 26a, and the discharge port. 28 to the collating device 14.

  At this time, the cam 32 is driven so that the leading end of the cam 32 overlaps the transporting path 26 at the branching portion of the transporting path 26 and the reversing path 26a, and the transporting direction of the second transfer sheet 22b reaching the leading end position of the cam 32 is changed. Then, it is guided and conveyed to the reversing path 26a. Then, after the second transfer sheet 22b reaches the reversing path 26a, the driving roll (not shown) is reversed, the second transfer sheet 22b is reciprocated along the reversing path 26a, and returned to the conveying path 26 again. For this reason, the second transfer sheet 22b returned to the conveyance path 26 is conveyed with the conveyance direction reversed by 180 ° and the front and back surfaces thereof reversed, and the image surface is directed downward (lower side in the drawing). It will be.

  Then, in the collating device 14, the second transfer sheet 22 b is supplied to the collating unit 36 through the conveyance path 42 of the collating device 14. Here, the second transfer sheet 22b exiting the transport path 42 discharge section is supplied to the collating section 36 by its own weight so that the image surface faces the lower surface, and is overlapped with the plastic sheet 38.

  Thus, the collating portion 36 is supplied and overlapped in the order of the first transfer sheet 22a with the image surface facing upward, the plastic sheet 38, and the second transfer sheet 22b with the image surface facing downward (positioning step). . In this laminated body, a first transfer sheet 22a and a second transfer sheet 22b are laminated with their image surfaces facing each other through a plastic sheet 38.

  Next, the end portions of the first transfer sheet 22a, the plastic sheet 38, and the second transfer sheet 22b on the collating portion 36 are aligned by positioning means (not shown), and then the laminate is fixed by the temporary fixing device 44. After being temporarily fixed to the end of the sheet, it is conveyed to the laminating apparatus 16. Note that the sizes of the transfer sheet 22 and the plastic sheet 38 are made equal, and positioning is performed by aligning the ends of the laminate.

  Next, in the laminating apparatus 16, the laminated body of the first transfer sheet 22a, the plastic sheet 38, and the second transfer sheet 22b is passed between the nips of the pair of belts 46 and subjected to thermocompression treatment, and the plastic sheet 38 is removed. The first transfer sheet 22a and the second transfer sheet 22b are thermocompression bonded (thermocompression bonding process).

  When the laminated body that has been subjected to thermocompression bonding comes out of the laminating portion, it is conveyed onto the transparent glass plate 60, and ultraviolet rays are irradiated from above and below by the ultraviolet irradiation lamp 62. As a result, the image receiving layer is cured and firmly bonded to the plastic sheet 38. Thereafter, the laminate is conveyed to the next peeling device 17.

  When the front end of the laminate reaches the air ejection nozzle 19, compressed air is ejected from the nozzle. The end portions of the base layer of the first transfer sheet 22a and the base layer of the second transfer sheet 22b are lifted from the plastic sheet 38 to which the image receiving layer and the transparent support are pressure-bonded, and the tips of the guides 21a and 21b are the first ends. The region between the base layer and the transparent support of the first transfer sheet 22a and the region sandwiched between the base layer and the transparent support of the second transfer sheet 22b are entered. Further, as the laminate is transported, the base material layers of the two transfer sheets are transported along the guides 21a and 21b in a direction separating from the plastic sheet 38, and peeled off from the plastic sheet 38.

  The plastic sheet 38 to which the image receiving layer and the transparent support are pressure-bonded is discharged to a discharge receiver 56 to obtain a recorded plastic sheet. Here, when a plurality of individual images are formed on the plastic sheet, the image is cut for each image to obtain a plastic sheet of a predetermined size.

  The base material layer including the back surface layer of the first transfer sheet 22a and the base material layer including the back surface layer of the second transfer sheet 22b are then discharged to the transfer sheet discharge receiver 57 through a path (not shown).

  As described above, in the image recording body manufacturing apparatus of the present embodiment, an image is formed on one side of the two transfer sheets 22 by the electrophotographic method, and the two transfer sheets 22 are transferred to the image plane via the plastic sheet 38. Are face-to-face and thermocompression bonded, and the substrate layer of the transfer sheet is peeled off to obtain an image recording body.

  Further, a reversing path 26 a is provided in the middle of the conveyance path 26 that conveys the discharge port 28 and the transfer sheet 22 from the image forming unit 20 in the image forming apparatus 12, and the transfer sheet 22 is positioned below the collating unit 36. The first transfer sheet 22a supplied does not pass through the reversing path 26a, and the second transfer sheet 22b supplied on the upper side passes through the reversing path 26a and is transported with its front and back reversed. Inverting the front and back surfaces of the transfer sheet 22 allows continuous positioning and more efficient printing on the plastic sheet.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following Examples and Comparative Examples, “part” means “part by mass”, and “%” means “mass%”.

[Example 1]
An electrophotographic image transfer sheet (transfer sheet A1) was prepared as follows. Hereinafter, the manufacturing method is demonstrated for every process.

<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution a-1>
As an uncured ultraviolet curable resin having thermoplasticity, 50 parts of an acrylate ultraviolet curable resin (manufactured by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd .: Acryt 8KX-077, solid concentration 40%) and 1,2α-hydroxyalkyl as a photopolymerization initiator 0.6 parts of phenone (Irgacure 184 manufactured by BASF), 1 part of a quaternary ammonium salt type surfactant (manufactured by NOF Corporation: Elegan 264WAX), spherical particles of cross-linked polybutyl methacrylate (Sekisui Plastics) Industrial Co., Ltd .: BM30X-8, volume average particle size: 8 μm) was added, and the mixture was sufficiently mixed and stirred to prepare image-receiving layer coating solution a-1.

<Preparation of back layer coating liquid b-1>
20 parts of a polyester resin (manufactured by Soken Chemical Co., Ltd .: Foret FF-4M, solid content concentration 30%) and 0.5 part of a quaternary ammonium salt type surfactant (manufactured by NOF Corporation: Elegan 264WAX) as a thermoplastic resin Then, 0.45 part of spherical particles of cross-linked acrylic resin (manufactured by Soken Chemicals Co., Ltd .: MX-200, volume average particle diameter 2 μm) and 200 parts of methyl ethyl ketone are mixed and stirred sufficiently, and the back layer coating is performed. A working fluid b-1 was prepared.

<Preparation of transfer sheet A1>
The back layer coating solution b-1 is applied to the untreated surface of a biaxially stretched PET film (Panac Corporation Panapeel 100SG-2, thickness 101 μm) subjected to release treatment (release layer) on one side as a base material layer. It apply | coated using the wire bar, it was made to dry at 100 degreeC for 1 minute, and the 0.3-micrometer-thick back layer was formed in the base material layer back side. The image-receiving layer coating liquid a-1 was applied to the release layer surface of the substrate subjected to the release treatment using a wire bar, and dried at 120 ° C. for 1 minute to form an image-receiving layer having a thickness of 5 μm. Thereafter, the sheet was cut into A4 size (210 mm × 297 mm) to prepare 50 image transfer sheets A1.
The surface resistivity of the back layer of this transfer sheet A1 was 1.4 × 10 ¹¹ Ω / □, and the surface resistivity of the image receiving layer was 3.7 × 10 ¹² Ω / □.

(Evaluation of transfer sheet performance)
-Confirmation of adhesion of image receiving layer at 30 ° C-
By the above-described method, the steel ball was decelerated under the condition of the environmental temperature of 30 ° C., and it was confirmed whether or not the adhesiveness was developed. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Confirmation of elongation after ultraviolet ray (UV) irradiation of image receiving layer-
By the above-described method, the image receiving layer is cured by irradiating the image receiving layer with ultraviolet rays (500 mJ / cm ² ) with an ultraviolet ray irradiation (high pressure mercury) lamp, and a tensile tester (IMADA: SVZ-50NA). The film was stretched at a speed of 10 mm / min, and the stretch ratio (stretched length relative to the length before the start of the tensile test) up to the time when the image receiving layer was cracked was determined. In addition, what extended | stretched from 50 mm to 60 mm is described as elongation 20%, for example. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Evaluation of tackiness-
Under the conditions of a room temperature of 22 ° C. and a humidity of 55%, 50 sheets of the transfer sheet A1 were stacked, and 2 kg of a 300 mm × 300 mm aluminum plate was placed thereon and held for 24 hours.
After that, 50 aluminum plates are removed from the transfer sheet A1 stacked, and the transfer sheet A1 on the top is lifted up one by one from the transfer sheet A1, and the sheets are adhered (tucked). I confirmed it. If tucked, multiple sheets will be lifted by overlapping.
If all can be separated without any problem, it is A. If a plurality of transfer sheets are lifted up even once, B is assumed. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Evaluation of transportability in electrophotographic equipment-
Thereafter, 50 sheets of the transfer sheet A1 are set on a tray of an electrophotographic apparatus (Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd .: DocuColor 1450GA), and a face photograph, a name, 1 to 5 point size alphanumeric characters, and a solid image including a solid image. 50 sheets of mirror image were printed continuously on the surface of the image receiving layer, and it was confirmed whether or not a transport stop (jam) due to the sheet in the apparatus or a double feed that transported the film overlapped occurred. .
The case where a jam or a double feed occurred even once was B, and the case where it did not occur was A. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Print image quality evaluation-
Regarding the image quality of the image formed on the transfer sheet A1, the degree of occurrence of image defects (image collapse, image flow) was visually evaluated.
If no image defect was observed, A, and if any image defect was observed, B. The results are shown in Table 1.

<Preparation of Image Recorder A1>
In producing the image recording body, the laminating device 16 and the peeling device 17 were adjusted to operate separately from the collating device 14 portion from the image recording material producing apparatus 10 shown in FIG.
The image recording material was formed on the front and back of this white sheet using a white sheet of PET-G resin (Mitsubishi Resin Co., Ltd .: PG-WHI, thickness 740 μm) to which a white pigment was added as an image support. The images were superimposed on the image forming surface of the transfer sheet A1 and inserted between the nips of the pair of metal belts 46 of the laminating apparatus 16 shown in FIG. The lamination conditions are such that the pressure roll 52 is 130 ° C., the pressure is 10 kg / cm ² , and the conveyance speed is 5 mm / sec.
Further, when the laminated body discharged after lamination passes over the transparent glass plate 60, the image receiving layer is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays from above and below with an ultraviolet irradiation lamp 62 (high pressure mercury) to 500 mJ / cm ^2. It was. Thereafter, the image receiving layer of the image transfer sheet A1 is transferred to the image support (white sheet) by the peeling device 17, the base material layer and the image recording body are separated, and the image recording body A1 is discharged to the discharge receiver 56.

<Evaluation of Image Recorder A1>
-Evaluation of image adhesion-
The evaluation of the adhesiveness of the image transferred to the image recording body A1 was conducted by applying a commercially available 18 mm wide cellophane adhesive tape (manufactured by Nichiban Co., Ltd., cellophane tape) to the image portion transferred to the surface of the image recording body A1 at 700 g / cm. The image was peeled off when applied by linear pressure and peeled 180 ° at a speed of 10 mm / sec.
In this evaluation, A was given when there was no problem. When the image peeled off even a little, it was set as B. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Image quality evaluation-
Regarding the image quality, the accurate reproducibility after lamination of the thin line character printed portion was evaluated.
When the resolution of alphanumeric characters of 1 to 5 points as an image is evaluated by the number of points that can be distinguished from characters, and A and alphanumeric characters smaller than 3 points can be confirmed, A. B if up to 4 alphanumeric characters can be confirmed. When only alphanumeric characters greater than 5 points could be confirmed, C was assigned. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Evaluation of residual bubbles-
Regarding residual bubbles, if it is clearly confirmed that air could not escape during laminating inside the 7-point alphanumeric “O” and “8” circles in the transferred image and remained as bubbles by visual inspection, C. A if not confirmed. B was used when it was difficult to distinguish. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Thermal shock evaluation (crack evaluation)-
In the thermal shock evaluation, assuming that the thermal expansion coefficients of the image support and the image receiving layer are different, a cycle of high temperature and low temperature was repeated to confirm whether or not a large change occurred in the image receiving layer. Specifically, using ESCA: TSA-72EL, high temperature: 70 ° C., low temperature: 0 ° C., each exposure time of 15 minutes, 500 cycles continuously, and cracks occur on the surface of the image recording body. B. When no crack was generated, A was used. The results are shown in Table 1.

-Soft PVC (PVC) resistance-
If an image recording medium (card) is put in a commercially available card case made of soft vinyl chloride and left for 24 hours under high temperature and high humidity (65 ° C., 80%), the card surface material and image are offset to the case. . When no offset occurred, it was set as A. The results are shown in Table 1.

[Example 2]
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution a-2>
As UV curable resin, 50 parts of methacrylate UV curable resin (manufactured by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd .: ACRYT 8KX-018C, solid concentration 40%), urethane acrylate UV curable agent with quaternary ammonium salt bonded to side chain (Japan) Synthetic Chemical Co., Ltd .: Purple UV-AS102, solid concentration 40%) 25 parts, 1, α-hydroxyalkylphenone as a photopolymerization initiator (Irgacure 184 manufactured by BASF), cross-linked polymethyl methacrylate as particles Of spherical particles (manufactured by Sekisui Plastics Kogyo Co., Ltd .: SSX-115, average particle size: 15 μm) were added and sufficiently mixed and stirred to prepare image-receiving layer coating solution a-2.

<Preparation of transfer sheet A2 and image recording body A2>
In Example 1, using the image receiving layer coating liquid a-2 instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1, the image receiving layer having a film thickness of 10 μm (surface resistivity: 1.0 × 10 ¹³ Ω / A transfer sheet A2 and an image recording body A2 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 3
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution a-3>
Instead of the ultraviolet curable resin of Example 2, it was changed to 37 parts of a methacrylate type ultraviolet curable resin (manufactured by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd .: Acryt 8KX-054C, solid content concentration 54%), and the true value of crosslinked polymethyl acrylate as a filler Image-receiving layer coating solution a-3 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 1.5 parts of spherical particles (manufactured by Soken Chemical Co., Ltd .: MX-1000, average particle size: 10 μm) were added.

<Production of Transfer Sheet A3 and Image Recording A3>
In Example 1, an image receiving layer having a film thickness of 6.5 μm (surface resistivity: 9.1 × 10 ¹²⁾ was used by using the image receiving layer coating liquid a-3 instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1. A transfer sheet A3 and an image recording body A3 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that (Ω / □) was formed, and evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 4
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution a-4>
As UV curable resin, 40 parts acrylate UV curable resin (DIC: Unidic RC29-120, solid concentration 50%), urethane acrylate UV curable agent combined with quaternary ammonium salt (Nippon Synthetic Chemical Co., Ltd.) Product: Purple UV-AS102, solid content concentration 40%) 25 parts, 1, α-hydroxyalkylphenone as a photopolymerization initiator (Irgacure 184 manufactured by BASF), 0.4 parts of crosslinked polymethyl methacrylate as particles True spherical particles (manufactured by Sekisui Plastics Co., Ltd .: SSX-115, average particle size: 15 μm) 0.5 parts, 100 parts of butyl acetate as a diluent solvent, 100 parts of ethyl acetate, and thoroughly mixed and stirred, image receiving layer Coating liquid a-4 was prepared.

<Preparation of transfer sheet A4 and image recording body A4>
In Example 1, an image receiving layer (surface resistivity: 8.5 × 10 ¹² Ω / mm) having an image receiving layer thickness of 8 μm was obtained using the image receiving layer coating solution a-4 instead of the image receiving layer coating solution a-1. A transfer sheet A4 and an image recording body A4 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 5
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution a-5>
As UV curable resin, 40 parts of acrylate UV curable resin (DIC: Unidic EKC-1054, solid concentration 50%), urethane acrylate UV curable agent combined with quaternary ammonium salt (Nippon GOHSEI) Product: Purple UV-AS102, solid content concentration 40%) 25 parts, 1, α-hydroxyalkylphenone as a photopolymerization initiator (Irgacure 184 manufactured by BASF), 0.4 parts of crosslinked polymethyl methacrylate as particles True spherical particles (Sekisui Plastics Kogyo Co., Ltd .: SSX-110, average particle size: 10 μm) 1 part, added as a diluting solvent to 100 parts of methyl isobutyl ketone, sufficiently mixed and stirred, image-receiving layer coating solution a-5 Was prepared.

<Preparation of transfer sheet A5 and image recording body A5>
In Example 1, using the image receiving layer coating liquid a-5 instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1, an image receiving layer having a film thickness of 6 μm (surface resistivity: 6.7 × 10 ¹² Ω / A transfer sheet A5 and an image recording body A5 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 6
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution a-6>
Instead of the UV curable resin of Example 1, it was changed to 30 parts of acrylate UV curable resin (manufactured by DIC: Unidic V-6840, solid concentration 50%) and mixed with 200 parts of methyl isobutyl ketone as a diluting solvent. An image receiving layer coating solution a-6 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that.

<Preparation of transfer sheet A6 and image recording body A6>
In Example 1, instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1, an image receiving layer coating liquid a-6 was used, and an image receiving layer having a film thickness of 5 μm (surface resistivity: 3.2 × 10 ¹¹ Ω / A transfer sheet A6 and an image recording body A6 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[Comparative Example 1]
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution c-1>
Instead of Example 1 (made by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd .: ACRYT 8KX-077, solid concentration 40%), 50 parts of a thermoplastic polyester resin (Toyobo Co., Ltd .: Byron 24SS, solid content concentration 30%) was used. , Quaternary ammonium salt type surfactant (manufactured by NOF Corp .: Elegan 264WAX), as particles, spherical particles of cross-linked polybutyl methacrylate (manufactured by Sekisui Plastics Co., Ltd .: BM30X-8, volume average) (Particle size: 8 μm) 0.5 part was added and sufficiently mixed and stirred to prepare image-receiving layer coating solution c-1.

<Preparation of transfer sheet C1 and image recording body C1>
In Example 1, using the image receiving layer coating liquid c-1 instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1, an image receiving layer (surface resistivity: 8.2 × 10 ⁰⁹ Ω / A transfer sheet C1 and an image recording body C1 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.
As a result, there was no problem in the transportability of the transfer sheet C1 and the print image quality evaluation. In addition, the image adhesiveness, image quality, residual bubbles, and thermal shock evaluation of the image recording body C1 were satisfactory, but the card and the card were placed in the soft card case of vinyl chloride under high temperature and high humidity. When it was adhered and forcibly removed, part of the image moved (offset) inside the case. The results are summarized in Table 1.

[Comparative Example 2]
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution c-2>
Instead of the urethane acrylate UV curable resin (made by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd .: Acryt 8KX-077, solid content concentration 40%) of Example 1, an acrylic UV curable resin (manufactured by DIC: Unidic RC29-124, solid content) An image-receiving layer coating solution c-2 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the density was 60%.

<Preparation of transfer sheet C2>
In Example 1, an image receiving layer having an image receiving layer thickness of 7 μm was formed by using the image receiving layer coating liquid c-2 instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1 in the same manner as in Example 1. A transfer sheet C2 was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.
As a result, the transfer sheet C1 was jammed in the apparatus because the image receiving layer was tacked, and an image could not be output. Therefore, the image recording body C2 could not be produced. The results are summarized in Table 1.

[Comparative Example 3]
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution c-3>
Acrylic resin (manufactured by Taisei Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) in which 20 parts of silicone acrylic ultraviolet curing resin (Momentive Performance Materials, Inc .: UVHC1101, solid concentration 100%) is bonded to the side chain with a quaternary ammonium salt: Acryte 1SX-1055, solid part concentration 41%) 20 parts, particles of cross-linked polybutyl methacrylate true spherical particles (manufactured by Sekisui Plastics: BM30X-8, volume average particle diameter: 8 μm) 0.5 parts 40 parts of isopropyl alcohol was added and mixed and stirred sufficiently to prepare an image-receiving layer coating solution c-3.

<Preparation of transfer sheet C3 and image recording body C3>
In Example 1, an image receiving layer having a film thickness of 5 μm (surface resistivity: 3.8 × 10 ¹² Ω /) was used instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1 by using the image receiving layer coating liquid c-3. A transfer sheet C3 and an image recording body C3 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.
As a result, there was no problem in the transportability and print image quality evaluation of the transfer sheet C3. As for the image adhesiveness of the image recording material C3, a part of the image was peeled off (B). Further, there were many residual bubbles (C), and in the thermal shock evaluation, cracks were generated on the surface of the image recording body (B). For the card placed in the soft card case of vinyl chloride under high temperature and high humidity, a crack occurred on a part of the surface of the image recording body. The results are summarized in Table 1.

[Comparative Example 4]
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution c-4>
Quaternary ammonium salt type surfactant (manufactured by NOF Corporation: ELEGAN 264WAX) 2 using 20 parts of silicone acrylic UV curable resin (Momentive Performance Materials, Inc .: UVHC1101, solid concentration 100%) 2 Part, particles of cross-linked polybutyl methacrylate true spherical particles (manufactured by Sekisui Plastics Co., Ltd .: BM30X-8, volume average particle size: 8 μm), 40 parts of isopropyl alcohol was added and mixed sufficiently. Then, an image receiving layer coating solution c-4 was prepared.

<Preparation of transfer sheet C4 and image recording body C4>
In Example 1, an image receiving layer having a film thickness of 5 μm (surface resistivity: 3.8 × 10 ¹⁰ Ω /) was used instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1 by using the image receiving layer coating liquid c-4. A transfer sheet C4 and an image recording body C4 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.
As a result, there was no problem in the transportability and print image quality evaluation of the transfer sheet C4. Regarding the image adhesiveness of the image recording material C4, a part of the image and the entire image receiving layer were peeled off (B). In addition, there were many residual bubbles (C), and in the thermal shock evaluation, cracks occurred on the surface of the image recording body in the form of snake leather patterns (B). For the card placed in the soft card case of vinyl chloride under high temperature and high humidity, a crack occurred on a part of the surface of the image recording body. The results are summarized in Table 1.

[Comparative Example 5]
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution c-5>
A quaternary ammonium salt type surfactant (manufactured by NOF Corporation: ELEGAN 264WAX) is used with 60 parts of a silicone-based thermosetting resin compound (Momentive Performance Materials, Inc .: SHC900, solid concentration 30%). 2 parts, 0.5 parts of cross-linked polybutylmethacrylate spherical particles (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd .: BM30X-8, volume average particle size: 8 μm) as particles, 40 parts of isopropyl alcohol are added and mixed thoroughly. The mixture was stirred to prepare an image receiving layer coating solution c-5.

<Preparation of transfer sheet C5 and image recording body C5>
In Example 1, an image receiving layer having a film thickness of 5 μm (surface resistivity: 5.5 × 10 ¹² Ω /) was used instead of the image receiving layer coating liquid a-1 by using the image receiving layer coating liquid c-5. A transfer sheet C5 and an image recording body C5 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.
As a result, there was no problem in the transportability and print image quality evaluation of the transfer sheet C5. Regarding the image adhesiveness of the image recording material C5, a part of the image and the entire image receiving layer were peeled off (B). In addition, there were many residual bubbles (C), and in the thermal shock evaluation, cracks occurred on the surface of the image recording body in the form of snake leather patterns (B). There was no problem with the card placed in the soft card case of vinyl chloride under high temperature and high humidity, but cracks occurred on a part of the surface of the image recording body. The results are summarized in Table 1.

[Comparative Example 6]
<Preparation of image-receiving layer coating solution c-6>
2 parts of a quaternary ammonium salt type surfactant (manufactured by NOF Corporation: ELEGAN 264WAX) using 80 parts of thermosetting silicone material (manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd .: KP-86, solid concentration 20%). Then, 0.5 parts of cross-linked polybutyl methacrylate true spherical particles (manufactured by Sekisui Plastics Co., Ltd .: BM30X-8, volume average particle diameter: 8 μm) are added as particles, and 40 parts of isopropyl alcohol is added and mixed and stirred sufficiently. An image-receiving layer coating solution c-6 was prepared.

<Preparation of transfer sheet C6 and image recording body C6>
In Example 1, an image-receiving layer coating liquid c-6 was used instead of the image-receiving layer coating liquid a-1, and an image-receiving layer having a film thickness of 5 μm (surface resistivity: 5.5 × 10 ¹² Ω / A transfer sheet C6 and an image recording body C6 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that □) was formed, and evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.
As a result, there was no problem in the transportability and print image quality evaluation of the transfer sheet C6. Regarding the image adhesiveness of the image recording material C6, a part of the image and the entire image receiving layer were peeled off (B). In addition, there were many residual bubbles (C), and in the thermal shock evaluation, cracks occurred on the surface of the image recording body in the form of snake leather patterns (B). For the card placed in the soft card case of vinyl chloride under high temperature and high humidity, a crack occurred on a part of the surface of the image recording body. The results are summarized in Table 1.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image recording body preparation apparatus 12 Image forming apparatus 14 Collating apparatus (positioning part)
16 Laminating machine (Thermocompression bonding part)
17 Peeling device (peeling part)
18 Transfer sheet storage unit 20 Image forming unit 22, 100 Transfer sheet 24, 26, 40, 42 Conveyance path 26a Reverse path 28 Discharge port 32 Cam 34 Plastic sheet storage unit (image support storage unit)
36 Collating part 38, 200 Plastic sheet (image support)
46 belt 56 discharge receiver 57 transfer sheet discharge receiver 60 transparent glass plate 62 ultraviolet irradiation lamp 110 base material layer 120 adhesive layer 130, 170 transparent support 140, 180 image receiving layer 150 back layer 160 release layer 190 image forming material 200 image Support 300 Image Recorder

Claims (3)

A substrate having at least a substrate layer;
It contains an uncured ultraviolet curable resin having thermoplasticity, does not exhibit adhesiveness at 30 ° C. or less, and has at least an image receiving layer having an elongation of 5% or more after irradiation with ultraviolet rays of 500 mJ / cm ^2. A transfer layer that can be peeled off from the substrate;
An image transfer sheet for electrophotography comprising:   The image transfer sheet for electrophotography according to claim 1, wherein the image receiving layer contains at least one selected from an acrylic resin having a quaternary ammonium salt and a quaternary ammonium salt in a side chain. An image forming step of forming an image made of an image forming material as a mirror image by electrophotography on the surface of the image transfer sheet for electrophotography according to claim 1 or 2 provided with the image receiving layer;
A superposition step of superposing the surface on which the image is formed to face one side of the image support to form a laminate; and
A thermocompression bonding step for thermocompression bonding the laminate;
An ultraviolet irradiation step of curing the ultraviolet curable resin by irradiating the image receiving layer of the laminate subjected to thermocompression bonding with ultraviolet rays;
A peeling step of transferring the image made of the transfer layer and the image forming material to the image support by peeling the substrate from the transfer layer;
A method for producing an image recording body having