A thermal transfer sheet includes a transfer layer on a substrate. The transfer layer has one or more layers. The critical shearing stress of the transfer layer is within the range of 0.9×10.sup.8 N/m.sup.2-2×10.sup.8 N/m.sup.2. The transfer layer has a release force of 7.5×10.sup.−2 N/cm or less, while the transfer layer is continuously transferred onto a transfer receiving article by use of a thermal printer under conditions including an applied energy of 0.127 mJ/dot and a conveying speed for the thermal transfer sheet of 84.6 mm/sec. The transfer layer transferred onto the transfer receiving article is released from the thermal transfer sheet at a release angle of 50°.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording sheet that provides an image that is excellent in light fastness and has a satisfactory imbalance. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate and dye layers (a yellow dye layer, a magenta dye layer, and a cyan dye layer), in which one or more kinds of the dye layers each contain one or more kinds of specific compounds. The present invention also relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate, dye layers, and a protective layer for protecting the surface of an image, in which the protective layer contains one or more kinds of specific compounds.

Provided is a releasing member-integrated transfer sheet capable of improving both the conveyability on forming an image on a transfer layer and the transferability on transferring the transfer layer onto a transfer receiving article. A releasing member-integrated transfer sheet includes a releasing member including a first support and an adhesive layer provided on the first support, and a transfer sheet including a second support and a transfer layer provided on the second support, the transfer sheet being integrated with the releasing member such that the adhesive layer is opposed to the second support. The transfer layer is peelable from the second support, and the adhesive force between the second support and the adhesive layer is smaller than the adhesive force between the first support and the adhesive layer to thereby make the releasing member separable from the transfer sheet.

To provide a protective layer transfer sheet that can produce a print having excellent abrasion resistance and an excellent glossiness.

A protective layer transfer sheet 100 including a transfer layer 10 provided on one surface of a substrate 1, wherein the transfer layer 10 has a single-layer structure composed only of a protective layer 5 or a layered structure in which the protective layer 10 is located nearest to a side of the substrate 1, and the protective layer 5 contains a styrene resin and a particulate organofluorine compound.

[Object] An object is to provide a thermal transfer sheet that can prevent the occurrence of layer detachment and has high transferability for preventing the occurrence of transfer defects such as delamination trace and tailing.

[Solution] The thermal transfer sheet of the invention is characterized in that it includes a substrate, a release layer, and a transfer layer in that order, and the release layer contains at least one of alumina and alumina hydrate, and a binder resin.

A method and apparatus for thermal transfer printing onto selected regions of a substrate are disclosed. The method comprises: a) providing a transfer member having an imaging surface; b) coating the imaging surface with particles formed of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer; c) removing substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the imaging surface to leave a uniform monolayer particle coating on the imaging surface; d) applying energy to selected regions of the imaging surface to heat and render tacky particles of corresponding regions of the monolayer coating; and e) pressing at least portions of the imaging surface and the substrate surface against one another, either during and/or after application of energy, to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of the particles of the corresponding regions that have been rendered tacky. The monolayer coating can be replenished with new particles and the cycle repeated.

A thermal transfer recording medium comprises a heat-resistant lubricating layer laminated on a first surface of a substrate, and an undercoat layer and a dye layer laminated in this order on a second surface of the substrate. The dye layer contains, as binders, a polyvinyl acetal resin, a phenoxy resin, and a graft copolymer having a main chain comprising polycarbonate and a side chain comprising a vinyl-based polymer, and also contains Compounds I, II, and III as cyan dyes.

[Object] An object is to provide a thermal transfer sheet which allows for forming an image favorable to any of transfer objects having a poor smoothness and a high smoothness.

[Solution] The thermal transfer sheet according to the present invention comprising: a substrate; and a transfer layer comprising a release layer, a colorant layer and an adhesive layer, wherein the release layer includes a polyethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight of 8000 or more and 23000 or less and the colorant layer includes one or both of a polyester and a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, and a colorant.

There is disclosed a layered article that can be used in indirect printing, in analog or digital processes. The layered article, when configured as a transfer member, may serve to receive an ink in any form, allow the ink to be treated so as to form an ink image, and permit the application of the ink image on a substrate. The transfer member comprises a support layer and an imaging layer, which may be formed of a silicon matrix including dispersed carbon black particles. Methods for preparing the same are also disclosed.

A thermal transfer sheet, a combination of an intermediate transfer medium and a thermal transfer sheet, method for producing a printed material using the thermal transfer sheet, and a decorative material, wherein the thermal transfer sheet includes a transfer layer on one surface of a substrate, the transfer layer having a single layer structure consisting only of a heat seal layer or a multilayer structure including a heat seal layer, and in a case where the transfer layer has the multilayer structure, the heat seal layer among the layers constituting the transfer layer is positioned closest to the substrate. The heat seal layer contains one or both of (i) a polyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 55 C. or more and a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 15000 or less, and (ii) a polyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 55 C.