An electrophotographic image forming system forms an electrostatic latent image on at least a photoreceptor, develops an image using an electrostatic charge image developing toner, and removes the toner using a cleaning blade. A tip ridge of the cleaning blade is pressed against a surface of the photoreceptor. The system includes a photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor and a surface protecting layer that is provided on a surface of the photosensitive layer. The surface protecting layer includes a polymerizable monomer having at least two polymerizable groups in a molecule and a polymer of a hole transporting compound having a polymerizable group represented by General formula (1). The tip ridge of the cleaning blade has an edge angle that is obtuse and less than 120° and is pressed against the surface of the photoreceptor at an effective contact angle that is in a range of 8 to 20°.

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An electrophotographic image forming system forms an electrostatic latent image on at least a photoreceptor, develops an image using an electrostatic charge image developing toner, and removes the toner using a cleaning blade. A tip ridge of the cleaning blade is pressed against a surface of the photoreceptor. The system includes a photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor and a surface protecting layer that is provided on a surface of the photosensitive layer. The surface protecting layer includes a polymerizable monomer having at least two polymerizable groups in a molecule and a polymer of a hole transporting compound having a polymerizable group represented by General formula (1). The tip ridge of the cleaning blade has an edge angle that is obtuse and less than 120° and is pressed against the surface of the photoreceptor at an effective contact angle that is in a range of 8 to 20°.

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A method for determining coat weight of a transparent primer coating for liquid electrophotographic printing processes is described, in which an optical brightening agent is added to an aqueous transparent primer composition in an amount of less than 0.1 wt. % based on the total solids content of the primer composition to produce a test composition, the test composition is applied onto a test substrate to produce a transparent primer coating, the fluorescence of the transparent primer coating is measured, and the coat weight of the transparent primer coating based on the fluorescence of the transparent primer coating is determined.

Herein is disclosed a method of electrostatic printing and foiling comprising: forming a coloured toner image on a print substrate by electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink comprising a first resin component comprising an ethylene acrylic acid resin, an ethylene methacrylic acid resin or combinations thereof; forming an adhesive toner image disposed on the coloured toner image on the print substrate by electrostatically printing a liquid electro photographic (LEP) printing composition comprising a first resin component comprising an ethylene acrylic acid resin, an ethylene methacrylic acid resin or combinations thereof, and a second resin component present in an amount of about 20% to about 80% by weight of total solids content of the LEP printing composition, the second resin component having a melting point of from about 50° C. to about 75° C., which is below the melting point of the first resin component; and forming a foiled image disposed on the adhesive toner image by heating the print substrate to at least partially melt the adhesive toner image and applying a foiling material to the print substrate such that the foiling material adheres to the at least partially molten adhesive toner image

Herein is disclosed a method of electrostatic printing and foiling comprising: forming a coloured toner image on a print substrate by electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink comprising a first resin component comprising an ethylene acrylic acid resin, an ethylene methacrylic acid resin or combinations thereof; forming an adhesive toner image disposed on the coloured toner image on the print substrate by electrostatically printing a liquid electro photographic (LEP) printing composition comprising a first resin component comprising an ethylene acrylic acid resin, an ethylene methacrylic acid resin or combinations thereof, and a second resin component present in an amount of about 20% to about 80% by weight of total solids content of the LEP printing composition, the second resin component having a melting point of from about 50° C. to about 75° C., which is below the melting point of the first resin component; and forming a foiled image disposed on the adhesive toner image by heating the print substrate to at least partially melt the adhesive toner image and applying a foiling material to the print substrate such that the foiling material adheres to the at least partially molten adhesive toner image

Methods of making printed flexible packaging material for retort applications include steps of digital printing on a flexible substrate material using polymeric ink and curing the printed ink. The printed ink on the material and packaging made therefrom exhibits resistance to blurring and discoloration under retort conditions.

In an aspect, there is provided a method of foil printing that may comprise providing a substrate having a surface comprising a first area and a second area, wherein the first area has printed thereon a first electrostatic ink composition comprising a first thermoplastic resin and substantially lacking a pigment and the second area has printed thereon a second electrostatic ink composition comprising a second thermoplastic resin and a pigment; applying a liquid solvent composition to the first electrostatic ink composition on the first area and the second electrostatic ink composition on the second area, to swell the first and second thermoplastic resins; and contacting a foiling material with the first electrostatic ink composition on the first area, such that the foiling material selectively adheres to the first area on the surface of the substrate. In another aspect, an electrostatic and foil printing system for performing the method is provided.

In an aspect, there is provided a method of foil printing that may comprise providing a substrate having a surface comprising a first area and a second area, wherein the first area has printed thereon a first electrostatic ink composition comprising a first thermoplastic resin and substantially lacking a pigment and the second area has printed thereon a second electrostatic ink composition comprising a second thermoplastic resin and a pigment; applying a liquid solvent composition to the first electrostatic ink composition on the first area and the second electrostatic ink composition on the second area, to swell the first and second thermoplastic resins; and contacting a foiling material with the first electrostatic ink composition on the first area, such that the foiling material selectively adheres to the first area on the surface of the substrate. In another aspect, an electrostatic and foil printing system for performing the method is provided.

Provided is an image forming method, wherein after image formation with a printing material containing a release agent, a specific active ray-curable liquid substance is applied with a roll coating method, and when a coordinate (A, V) of a point indicating a contact angle A (°) and a viscosity V (mPa.Math.s) corresponding to the contact angle Av (°) is plotted in a coordinate system having a contact angle A (°) on a horizontal axis and a viscosity V (mPa.Math.s) on a vertical axis, the coordinate is included in a coordinate region R (A, V) on an upper side of a contact angle-viscosity curve represented by a formula on a right side of a specific expression.

Provided in one example herein is a liquid electrophotographic varnish composition. The composition includes resin particles each including a polymeric resin mixture, which includes a first polymeric resin including an ethylene-based polymer; and a second polymeric resin including a polyamide. The composition also includes a carrier fluid.