JPH04187494A - Image receiving medium for sublimable thermal transfer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the reduction of glossiness in a high energy application part and the reduction of O.D. in a low energy application part by a method wherein a molar ratio of isocyanate group contained a curing agent component in an intermediate layer or an accepting layer to hydroxyl group contained in a resin serving as a binder component is specified individually in the intermediate layer and the accepting layer. CONSTITUTION:An intermediate layer B of an image receiving medium consists of a resin containing active hydrogen and isocyanate, which are compounded so that a molar ratio of -NCO group to -OH group can be NCO/OH>=0.5. At this time, a glossiness can be maintained in a high energy application part. An accepting layer C is mainly composed of a dyeable resin containing active hydrogen and isocyanate, which are compounded so that a molar ratio of -NCO group to -OH group can be NCO/OH<=0.5. At this time, a sensitivity is not lowered in a low energy application part. As the isocyanate compound, various types of isocyanate compounds, such as tolylenediisocyanate and hexamethylene diisocyanate, can be used. The reduction of glossiness in a high energy application part is prevented, and a sufficient recording density is obtained in a low energy application part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image receiving medium for sublimation type thermal transfer, which is used in combination with a thermal transfer recording medium having a transfer layer containing a heat sublimable dye.

[Prior Art] A sublimation type thermal transfer recording method using a thermal transfer recording medium having a transfer layer containing a thermally sublimable dye and an image receiving medium receiving the dye sublimated by thermal printing from the back side of the recording medium is an excellent method. It has been attracting attention in recent years as a device that can record halftones and provide full-color hard copies that are similar to color photographs.

In the image receiving medium used in this recording method, a receiving layer, an intermediate layer, or both may be formed using a hardening agent such as an isocyanate together with a resin. It is known that by configuring the receiving layer and the intermediate layer in this manner, it is possible to prevent the gloss from decreasing when high energy is applied.

In order to prevent gloss from decreasing when high energy is applied, conventional image receiving media for sublimation thermal transfer use resins cured with isocyanate in either or both of the receiving layer and the intermediate layer. On the other hand, it was possible to prevent 0. There is a problem that D is reduced.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention attempts to prevent a decrease in gloss in the high energy application area and in O, I) in the low energy application area.

The configuration of the present invention for solving the above problems includes:
In an image receiving medium for sublimation type thermal transfer having an intermediate layer and a receiving layer, -NC contained in the curing agent component of the intermediate layer and the receiving layer
The image receiving medium for sublimation type thermal transfer has a molar ratio of O to -OH contained in the resin as a binder component such that in the intermediate layer, NC010H≦0.5 and in the receiving layer, NC010H≦0.5.

That is, the image-receiving medium for sublimation thermal transfer of the present invention prevents deterioration of gloss in the high-energy application area of the recorded image, and at the same time prevents the decrease in gloss of the high-energy application area by adjusting the degree of curing of the intermediate layer and receptor layer provided on the substrate. It is possible to prevent a decrease in the sensitivity of the application part.

When the present invention is explained with reference to the drawings, the specific structure and operation of the present invention are as follows.

In FIG. 1, the image receiving medium of the present invention includes a substrate A, an intermediate layer B,
It is composed of a receptor layer C.

That is, it has a structure in which a receiving layer C is provided on the surface of a substrate A, and an intermediate layer B is provided between the substrate A and the receiving layer C. In addition, 1 indicates a thermal head, and heat from the thermal head 1 sublimates and diffuses the heat sublimable dye from the dye transfer layer 3 of the sublimation thermal transfer recording medium, and the sublimated dye is transferred to the receiving layer C of the image receiving medium. metastasize. The sublimation dye transferred to the image receiving medium diffuses into the dye-staining resin forming the receiving layer C and dyes the medium.

The intermediate layer B of the image-receiving medium of the present invention is composed of a resin containing active hydrogen and an isocyanate, and the compounding ratio thereof is the molar ratio of -NCO groups to 10H groups, or NC010H≧0.5. At this time, the gloss of the high energy application area can be maintained.

The receiving layer C is mainly composed of a dyeable resin containing active hydrogen and isocyanate, and the blending ratio of these is such that the molar ratio of -NCO groups to 10H groups is NC010H≦0.5, and in this case, the applied energy Sensitivity does not decrease even if it is low. If no isocyanate is contained, the dyeable resin may not contain active hydrogen.

Further, it is preferable that the receptor layer C contains a mold release agent in its surface layer.

Examples of dyeable resins containing active hydrogen include vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers containing OH groups, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers containing COOH groups, and polyester resins. Commercially available products include, for example, VAGH, VROH, and VMCCSVMCH manufactured by Union Carbide, and Denkavinyl 100OGKT and 100OG manufactured by Denki Kagaku Kogyo.
K.

1000GKs, 100Oc, 100OcKS10
0OC8, Byron RV550, RV300, R
V103, RV600, RV200, PCR939
, RV220, RV280, RV290, (Toyobo), Elythyl 3600.320 (1, 32 (II)
, 3210°3220 (Unitika), etc.

In addition, various isocyanate compounds such as tolylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, 4,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and triphenylmethane triisocyanate are used as the isocyanate compound, and adducts of these with hexanetriol and the like can also be used. .

Further, as the substrate A in the image receiving medium of the present invention, synthetic paper, art paper, high quality paper, coated paper, RC paper, baryta paper,
Cellulose paper, plastic film, etc. are preferably used alone or in a laminate thereof.

In addition, the dye-receiving layer can contain release agents such as various silicone resins, amino-modified silicones, epoxy-modified silicones, and alkyd-modified silicones, as well as silica, titanium oxide, and carbonate. It is also possible to contain fillers such as calcium.

In addition, the dye-receiving layer contains surfactants, ultraviolet absorbers,
Antioxidants and the like can also be included as appropriate.

[Examples] Next, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples. Note that all percentages and parts shown below are based on weight.

Example 1 Each mixture having the following composition was sufficiently mixed and dispersed to prepare a coating liquid for the intermediate layer [liquid A] and a coating liquid for the dye-receiving layer [liquid B].

[Liquid A: Vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol copolymer (product name: VAGH: manufactured by Union Carbide Co., Ltd.) 15 parts isocyanate (product name: Coronate, manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industries)
6 parts toluene 40 parts methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts [Liquid B] Vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol copolymer (product name VAGH: manufactured by Union Carbide) 7 parts vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer (product name VYHH: Union Carbide) company)
7 parts silicone oil (product name:
KP393゜manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.)
1 part isocyanate (trade name: Coronate manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industries) 1 part toluene
40 parts methyl ethyl ketone
40 parts Next, [Liquid A] was applied onto synthetic paper (YUPO; manufactured by Oji Yuka Synthetic Paper) with a thickness of about 180 μl using a wire bar to form an intermediate layer with a thickness of about 2 μm, and then Apply [Liquid B] on the intermediate layer using a wire bar to a thickness of approximately 3.
A dye-receiving layer of .mu.l was formed to prepare an image-receiving medium of the present invention.

On the other hand, as a sublimation thermal transfer recording medium, a silicone cured resin film (thickness approximately 1uIll) is provided as a back layer.
A transfer medium was obtained by applying a coating liquid for an ink layer (that is, a dye transfer layer) [Liquid C] having the following formulation to a thickness of about 2 μl on a PET film of 6 μl dust.

[Liquid C Polyvinyl butyral (trade name BX-1.

10 parts sublimated disperse dye for cyan (trade name Kayaset 714, manufactured by Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.) 6 parts polyethylene wax (trade name, 320P manufactured by Mitsui Petrochemical Co., Ltd.)
3-part methyl ethyl ketone
45 parts toluene 4
The five copies of the obtained transfer medium and image receiving medium are placed one on top of the other so that the ink layer of the transfer medium and the dye receiving layer of the image receiving medium face each other, and the image is recorded by changing the heating energy using a thermal head from the back side of the transfer medium. The image density and gloss were measured.

Example 2 Example 1 except that the following [Liquid D] and [Liquid E] were used in place of [Liquid A and [Liquid B] in Example 1, respectively.
An image receiving medium of the present invention was produced in the same manner as described above.

[Liquid D] Polyester resin (Vylon 20o: manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.) tS part Isocyanate (Coronate L; manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Kogyo Co., Ltd.) 2 parts Toluene
40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts [E liquid copolyester resin (Vylon 200) 15 parts Silicone oil (product name: KF393; manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.)
Printing and measurement were carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 using 1 part isocyanate (trade name Coronate, manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Kogyo Co., Ltd.), 2 parts toluene, 40 parts, methyl ethyl ketone, and 40 parts using the obtained transfer medium and image receiving medium.

Example 3 In Example 1, instead of [Liquid A], [D
An image receiving medium of the present invention was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a liquid container was used, and printing and measurement were performed.

Example 4 In Example 1, [E
The procedure was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the liquid was used.

Comparative Example 1 The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out except that in place of Liquid A, Liquid F was used.

[Liquid F] Vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol copolymer (product name VAGH; manufactured by Union Carbide Co., Ltd.) 15 parts Isocyanate (product name Coronate L; manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industries, Ltd.) 4 parts Toluene
40 parts Methyl ethyl ketone 40 parts Comparative Example 2 The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out except that the following [Liquid G] was used instead of [Liquid B] in Example 1.

[Liquid G] Vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol copolymer (product name VAGH; manufactured by Union Carbide) 7-part vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer (product name VYHH; manufactured by Union Carbide)
7-part silicone oil (product name KF393; manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.)
1 part isocyanate (trade name Coronate L;
(manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industries Co., Ltd.) 3 parts Comparative Example 3 Example 1 except that [Liquid F of Comparative Example 1 and Liquid G of Comparative Example 20] were used instead of [Liquid A] and [Liquid B], respectively. This was done in the same manner as 1.

The above results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 ■ is 1. O, D at l1mJ/dot.

(2) is the glossiness at L55 mJ/dot [Effects of the invention] As explained above, the image receptor for sublimation type thermal transfer recording of the present invention is characterized by the isocyanate content contained in the intermediate layer and the receiving layer provided on the base material. Since the amount is as described above with respect to the OH group of the resin, there is no reduction in the gloss of the high energy application area of the recorded image, which is seen in conventional image receiving media, and
The recording density of the low energy application section is also sufficient.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the layer structure of a transfer medium for sublimation type thermal transfer recording and an image receiving medium and their relationship. ■...Thermal head, 2...Heat-resistant layer, 3...Transfer substrate, 4...Dye transfer layer, A...Base, B...
Intermediate layer, C...receptive layer.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a sublimation type thermal transfer image receiving medium having an intermediate layer and a receiving layer on a substrate, an isocyanate group (-NCO) contained in the curing agent component of the intermediate layer and the receiving layer and a resin contained in the binder component. An image receiving medium for sublimation type thermal transfer, characterized in that the molar ratio of hydroxyl groups (-OH) in the intermediate layer to NCO/OH≧0.5 in the intermediate layer and NCO/OH≦0.5 in the receiving layer.