Disclosed is a smoking article wrapping material comprising a base wrapping material to which has been applied, at least in discrete zones, a composition comprising a mechanically fragmented, chemically crosslinked polysaccharide having a particle size (weighted average) in the range from 1 to 1000 m for the dry product; a process for production thereof; and a smoking article comprising the smoking article wrapping material described.

There is described an intaglio printing plate coating apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having an inner space adapted to receive at least one intaglio printing plate to be coated, a vacuum system coupled to the vacuum chamber adapted to create vacuum in the inner space of the vacuum chamber, and a physical vapour deposition (PVD) system adapted to perform deposition of wear-resistant coating material under vacuum onto an engraved surface of the intaglio printing plate, which physical vapour deposition system includes at least one coating material target comprising a source of the wear-resistant coating material to be deposited onto the engraved surface of the intaglio printing plate. The vacuum chamber is arranged so that the intaglio printing plate to be coated sits substantially vertically in the inner space of the vacuum chamber with its engraved surface facing the at least one coating material target. The intaglio printing plate coating apparatus further comprises a movable carrier located within the inner space of the vacuum chamber and adapted to support and cyclically move the intaglio printing plate in front of and past the at least one coating material target.

There is described an intaglio printing plate coating apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having an inner space adapted to receive at least one intaglio printing plate to be coated, a vacuum system coupled to the vacuum chamber adapted to create vacuum in the inner space of the vacuum chamber, and a physical vapour deposition (PVD) system adapted to perform deposition of wear-resistant coating material under vacuum onto an engraved surface of the intaglio printing plate, which physical vapour deposition system includes at least one coating material target comprising a source of the wear-resistant coating material to be deposited onto the engraved surface of the intaglio printing plate. The vacuum chamber is arranged so that the intaglio printing plate to be coated sits substantially vertically in the inner space of the vacuum chamber with its engraved surface facing the at least one coating material target. The intaglio printing plate coating apparatus further comprises a movable carrier located within the inner space of the vacuum chamber and adapted to support and cyclically move the intaglio printing plate in front of and past the at least one coating material target.

A process for providing indicia and an elastic-like behavior to a web substrate is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of: providing a web substrate; printing indicia on the web substrate; and, providing the web substrate with a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions comprising the same material composition. A portion of the first regions extend in a first direction while the remainder of the first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to intersect one another. The first regions form a boundary completely surrounding the second regions. The second regions comprise a plurality of raised rib-like elements. The first regions undergo a molecular level and geometric deformation and the second regions initially undergo a substantially geometric deformation when the web material is subjected to an applied elongation along at least one axis.

An ink composition for use in digital offset printing including a white colorant, a translucent colorant, or a combination thereof; wherein the white colorant, translucent colorant, or combination thereof is present in an amount of at least 50 percent by weight based on the total weight of the ink composition; at least one component selected from the group consisting of a curable monomer and a curable oligomer; at least one phase change agent; an optional dispersant; an optional photoinitiator. A process of digital offset printing including applying the ink composition onto a re-imageable imaging member surface at an ink take up temperature, the re-imageable imaging member having dampening fluid disposed thereon; forming an ink image; transferring the ink image from the re-imageable surface of the imaging member to a printable substrate at an ink transfer temperature.

An ink composition for use in digital offset printing including a white colorant, a translucent colorant, or a combination thereof; wherein the white colorant, translucent colorant, or combination thereof is present in an amount of at least 50 percent by weight based on the total weight of the ink composition; at least one component selected from the group consisting of a curable monomer and a curable oligomer; at least one phase change agent; an optional dispersant; an optional photoinitiator. A process of digital offset printing including applying the ink composition onto a re-imageable imaging member surface at an ink take up temperature, the re-imageable imaging member having dampening fluid disposed thereon; forming an ink image; transferring the ink image from the re-imageable surface of the imaging member to a printable substrate at an ink transfer temperature.

Provided are a gravure cylinder, which has satisfactory wear resistance as the gravure cylinder and includes a surface reinforcing coating layer having wear resistance equal to or more than that of chromium plating using hexavalent chromium, a method of manufacturing the gravure cylinder, and a method of manufacturing a printed matter using the gravure cylinder. The gravure cylinder includes: a plate base material; a recess layer, which is formed on a surface of the plate base material and includes a large number of recesses formed on the surface; and a surface reinforcing coating layer configured to cover the recess layer with chromium nitride or carbon nitride, in which the surface reinforcing coating layer is formed by reactive sputtering.

Provided are a gravure cylinder, which has satisfactory wear resistance as the gravure cylinder and includes a surface reinforcing coating layer having wear resistance equal to or more than that of chromium plating using hexavalent chromium, a method of manufacturing the gravure cylinder, and a method of manufacturing a printed matter using the gravure cylinder. The gravure cylinder includes: a plate base material; a recess layer, which is formed on a surface of the plate base material and includes a large number of recesses formed on the surface; and a surface reinforcing coating layer configured to cover the recess layer with chromium nitride or carbon nitride, in which the surface reinforcing coating layer is formed by reactive sputtering.

A method for manufacturing a printed product comprises provision of a matrix comprising a matrix surface having at least one recess. A first curable compound is applied to the matrix surface in a controlled amount that does not exceed a volume of the recess(es). The first curable compound creep down in and partly fill the recess(es), leaving protruding surfaces substantially free from the first curable compound. The matrix surface and recess(es) are covered by a pickup layer of a second curable compound. The matrix is brought in contact with the substrate surface and the first curable compound and the second curable compound are cured. The matrix surface is separated from the substrate surface, leaving the pickup layer and the first curable compound on the substrate surface. The first curable compound forms printed product micro features at the pickup layer covering the substrate surface.

A method for manufacturing a printed product comprises provision of a matrix comprising a matrix surface having at least one recess. A first curable compound is applied to the matrix surface in a controlled amount that does not exceed a volume of the recess(es). The first curable compound creep down in and partly fill the recess(es), leaving protruding surfaces substantially free from the first curable compound. The matrix surface and recess(es) are covered by a pickup layer of a second curable compound. The matrix is brought in contact with the substrate surface and the first curable compound and the second curable compound are cured. The matrix surface is separated from the substrate surface, leaving the pickup layer and the first curable compound on the substrate surface. The first curable compound forms printed product micro features at the pickup layer covering the substrate surface.