The present invention refers to a method for decorating a material comprising the steps of: applying a three-dimensional layer (110) by inkjet printing on at least a part of a support (100). Apply one or more of the following layers on at least a part of the support on which the three-dimensional layer has been created: release layer, texturing layer (120), decorative layer (130), white layer (140), colored layer, functional layer, adhesive layer (150). Apply the transferable decoration on at least part of a material (160) to be decorated. Remove the support (100). Reveal the 3D.

There are disclosed methods for producing curable elastomeric compositions comprising carbon black particles, as well as their corresponding cured products. Such compositions, once cured, can be used for the preparation of numerous articles of wide industrial applicability.

A printing system is disclosed for thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate. The system comprises a transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which energy is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and a transfer station at which said imaging surface of said transfer member and the substrate surface are pressed against each other to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of only the regions of the particle coating that have been rendered tacky. In the invention, the imaging station comprises a thermal print head in thermal contact with the rear side of the transfer member and operative to apply energy to the particles on the imaging surface by heat conduction through the transfer member.

A heat transfer film having a) a carrier film, b) at least one coating layer arranged directly on the carrier film, and c) at least one hot-sealable polymer adhesive layer is disclosed. The coating layer is based on a non-aqueous, radiation-curable, liquid composition which contains at least 60 wt %, based on the total weight of the composition, of curable constituents selected from organic oligomers which have ethylenically unsaturated double bonds. Use of the heat transfer films for the dry coating of surfaces, production of such heat transfer films, and methods for coating or lacquering surfaces of objects using the heat transfer films are also disclosed.

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.

Method and system for thermal transfer printing are disclosed. The system comprises a transfer member having an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which electromagnetic radiation (EM) is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles-coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and a transfer station at which only the regions of the particles coating that have been rendered tacky are transferred to a substrate. The transfer member includes on its rear side a body transparent to EM radiation and on its front side an EM radiation absorbing layer, the imaging surface being formed on, or as part of, the absorbing layer.

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.

In an example implementation, an image transfer method includes inkjet printing a latex ink image onto a propylene-ethylene copolymer film extruded onto a single-layer image transfer sheet. The method includes putting the latex ink image and the single-layer image transfer sheet in contact with a substrate, and using heat and pressure to exclusively transfer the latex ink image onto the substrate, after which the single-layer transfer sheet is removed from the substrate.

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.

There are disclosed curable elastomeric compositions comprising at least one reactive curable silicone pre-polymer capable of forming a silicone elastomer upon curing thereof, and a plurality of hydrophilic carbon black particles dispersed therein, as well as their corresponding cured products. Such compositions, once cured, can be used for the preparation of numerous articles of wide industrial applicability.