Provided by the present invention is a PVA having highly harmonized adequate water solubility, thickening property and coating film strength, and having superior storage stability in terms of the viscosity in an aqueous solution. A vinyl alcohol polymer having a ratio (Mw (A)/Mn (A)) of the weight average molecular weight (Mw (A)) to the number average molecular weight (Mn (A)) of 3 or greater and 8 or less, and being capable of giving a vinyl alcohol polymer having a ratio (Mw/Mn) of a weight average molecular weight (Mw) to a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 2 or greater and less than 3 when treated at 40 C. for 1 hour in a sodium hydroxide solution.

This invention relates to a conductive thermal image receiver element that has an aqueous coatable dye-receiving layer and an aqueous coatable receiver overcoat layer. The receiver overcoat layer comprises a conductive polymeric material and a two or more dispersants. The dye-receiving layer comprises a water-dispersible release agent, a crosslinking agent, and a polymer binder matrix consisting essentially of a water-dispersible polyester and a water-dispersible acrylic polymer. This invention also relates to a method for making this thermal image receiver element as well as method for using it to provide a dye image by thermal transfer from a donor element.

The thermal transfer sheet according to the present invention that has, in the order mentioned, a substrate, a colored layer, and an adhesion layer; and wherein the colored layer contains a colorant, polyester-based resin A, and polyester-based resin B; the number average molecular weight of the polyester-based resin A is not less than 15,000; the number average molecular weight of the polyester-based resin B is not more than 5,000; a content ratio by mass of the polyester-based resin A to the polyester-based resin B (polyester-based resin A/polyester-based resin B) in the colored layer is not less than 2/3 and not more than 9/1; and the adhesion layer includes a polyester-based resin.

The thermal transfer sheet according to the present invention that has in the order mentioned, a substrate, a release layer, a colored layer, and an adhesion layer; and is characterized in that the colored layer contains a colorant and a polyester-based resin; the adhesion layer contains a polyester-based resin; a ratio of the thickness of the release layer to the total thickness of the colored layer and the adhesion layer (the thickness of the release layer/(the thickness of the colored layer+the thickness of the adhesion layer)) is not less than 2/3 and not more than 3/2; and the total thickness of the release layer, the colored layer, and the adhesion layer is not less than 1.0 m and not more than 2.0 m.

Provided is a thermal transfer sheet which has satisfactory printability and provides a printed matter having excellent boiling resistance.

Disclosed is a thermal transfer sheet which is provided with a substrate, at least a transferable protective layer and a transferable color layer in this order on one side of the substrate, and is provided with a back face layer on the other side of the substrate, characterized in that the transferable protective layer contains a cyclic olefin-based polymer having a glass transition temperature of 100 C. or more as a main component and further contains an incompatible resin with the cyclic olefin-based polymer, and the transferable color layer contains a colorant and a phenolic resin having a softening point of 100 C. or more.

Provided is a thermal transfer sheet which has satisfactory printability and provides a printed matter having excellent boiling resistance.

Disclosed is a thermal transfer sheet which is provided with a substrate, at least a transferable protective layer and a transferable color layer in this order on one side of the substrate, and is provided with a back face layer on the other side of the substrate, characterized in that the transferable protective layer contains a cyclic olefin-based polymer having a glass transition temperature of 100 C. or more as a main component and further contains an incompatible resin with the cyclic olefin-based polymer, and the transferable color layer contains a colorant and a phenolic resin having a softening point of 100 C. or more.

An image forming method including preparing a thermal transfer sheet having a dye layer on a substrate, the dye layer containing a sublimable dye, preparing a decorative seal having a seal base material on a release sheet, the seal base material having a layered structure of an adhesive layer and a film layered in this order from the release sheet side, the film containing a resin having a dyeing affinity to the sublimable dye contained in the dye layer, and the film having an elongation percentage of not less than 150% and not more than 400% when determined by a test method in conformity with JIS-K-7127:1999, and thermally transferring the sublimable dye in the dye layer onto the seal base material by sublimation thermal transfer process, thereby forming a thermal transfer image on the seal base material.

An illustrative dye sublimation apparatus may include a texture sheet with a pattern to be applied to a substrate. More specifically, the texture sheet is pressed into the substrate during the dye sublimation process in order to apply the pattern from the texture sheet while the substrate is heated and simultaneously being infused with an image from a printed sheet. The pressure applied to the texture sheet can vary, for example based on the temperature. Compared to the conventional systems in which substrates are pre-textured, the embodiments disclosed herein describe a process for simultaneous image-infusion and texture-application, which results in a substrate that is both infused and textured.

The present invention provides a method for the production of textured color selection swatches for point of purchase displays of custom blended paints, for color selection guides of dyed or printed textiles or for color selection extruded chips of custom colored plastics using a digital inkjet printer and custom blended inkjet inks based on a set of base inks that can be blended using commercial match prediction software and wherein a textured effect is applied as a component of the color selection aids. The textured effect may be achieved either by printing in three dimensions or printing a pseudo-three dimensional effect.

A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet which does not cause printing failure while being provided with tear-off lines. The sheet includes a dye-receiving layer on one side of a backing sheet, a tear-off line provided crossing the sheet along a width direction of the sheet and roller contact areas configured to contact a transport roller of a printer provided on opposite sides in the width direction. In each of the roller contact areas on the opposite sides, the tear-off line is not parallel to the width direction of the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet in an area occupying half or more of the roller contact area in the width direction, and when that segment of the tear-off line which is not parallel to the width direction of the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet has one or more bends in the roller contact area, all the bends are bent at obtuse angles.