The present disclosure is drawn to methods of embossing print media, printing systems, and printers. In one example, a method of embossing a print medium can include printing a radiation absorbing ink on a coated print medium to form a printed area. The coated print medium can include a print substrate and an expanding coating layer on the print substrate. The expanding coating layer can include a thermal expansion agent having a minimum expansion temperature. The method can further include heating the coated print medium using a heater such that the printed area and unprinted area reach a first temperature from 5 C to 90 C below the minimum expansion temperature. The coated print medium can be irradiated with radiation having a wavelength from 200 nm to 400 nm to selectively heat the print area and expand the thermal expansion agent in the printed area.

The present disclosure is drawn to methods of embossing print media, printing systems, and printers. In one example, a method of embossing a print medium can include printing a radiation absorbing ink on a coated print medium to form a printed area. The coated print medium can include a print substrate and an expanding coating layer on the print substrate. The expanding coating layer can include a thermal expansion agent having a minimum expansion temperature. The method can further include heating the coated print medium using a heater such that the printed area and unprinted area reach a first temperature from 5 C to 90 C below the minimum expansion temperature. The coated print medium can be irradiated with radiation having a wavelength from 200 nm to 400 nm to selectively heat the print area and expand the thermal expansion agent in the printed area.

Direct thermal recording media are designed to operate based on a thermally-induced change of state rather than a thermally-induced chemical reaction between a leuco dye and an acidic developer. The media use two types of scattering particles, one of which changes its state from solid to liquid during printing, and the other of which does not. The former particles, upon melting, fill spaces between the latter particles, thus eliminating or substantially reducing light scattering, which makes an underlying colorant visible at selected print locations where heat is locally applied. The latter, higher melting point particles have a caged morphology and comprise perforated particles. The media can provide high quality thermally-produced images at print speeds at least as high as 10 inches per second (ips).

Revealable substrates and methods include an opacifying layer having a plurality of irregular and/or odd-shaped opaque polymer particles defining voids therebetween. At least part of the opacifying layer may be induced to become transparent, for example, by collapsing at least some of the voids to reduce or eliminate internal reflection of light in the opacifying layer. Upon rendering transparent the portion(s) of the opacifying layer, a color material (e.g., ink) disposed underneath the opacifying layer is revealed and/or viewable therethrough.

Revealable substrates and methods include an opacifying layer having a plurality of irregular and/or odd-shaped opaque polymer particles defining voids therebetween. At least part of the opacifying layer may be induced to become transparent, for example, by collapsing at least some of the voids to reduce or eliminate internal reflection of light in the opacifying layer. Upon rendering transparent the portion(s) of the opacifying layer, a color material (e.g., ink) disposed underneath the opacifying layer is revealed and/or viewable therethrough.

The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording material comprising a carrier substrate, which is black or coloured on at least one side, and a thermoresponsive layer on the at least one black or coloured side of the carrier substrate, wherein the thermoresponsive layer comprises nanoparticles of at least one cellulose ester, and to a method for producing this material, and to a heat-sensitive recording material that can be obtained by this method.

The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording material comprising a carrier substrate, which is black or coloured on at least one side, and a thermoresponsive layer on the at least one black or coloured side of the carrier substrate, wherein the thermoresponsive layer comprises nanoparticles of at least one cellulose ester, and to a method for producing this material, and to a heat-sensitive recording material that can be obtained by this method.

Provided is a thermal transfer sheet that can suppress thermal fusion of the thermal transfer sheet and a transfer-receiving article and can improve the durability of a printed article obtained by transferring a transfer layer onto the transfer-receiving article, even if energy applied to the thermal transfer sheet was increased upon transferring the transfer layer onto the transfer-receiving article. This thermal transfer sheet 100 comprises a thermal transfer layer 10 on one surface of a substrate 1. The transfer layer 10 comprises one or more layers, and among the layers constituting the transfer layer 10, the layer closest to the substrate 1 contains a copolymer of isobutyl (meth)acrylate and a monomer having a carboxyl group, and the acid value of the copolymer is not less than 40 mg KOH/g.

An aqueous ink composition including: an aqueous medium and resin fine particles, in which a proportion of a high-boiling solvent occupied in the aqueous medium is 3% by mass or less, and a resin constituting the resin fine particle contains constitutional units represented by General Formula (1) or (2).

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In the formulae, R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, A.sup.1 represents O, NH, or N(L.sup.2-Y.sup.2), and L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 each are represent a specific divalent group such as an alkylene group or the like.

Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 each represent OH, OR.sup.2, NH.sub.2, NR.sup.2H, NR.sup.2R.sup.3, SH, S(O).sub.2OM, or OP(O)(OM).sub.2. R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each represent a specific substituent, and M represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal ion, or an ammonium ion.

A thermosensitive recording medium including a base and a recording layer including a photothermal conversion material and disposed on the base, wherein the thermosensitive recording medium is configured to record information in the thermosensitive recording medium through laser light irradiation, and wherein a color difference delta E between a color tone A of a background observed through the thermosensitive recording medium in which information is not recorded and a color tone B of the background directly observed without the thermosensitive recording medium in which information is not recorded is 20 or less, and a film thickness D of an area of the recording layer irradiated with laser light after information recording performed by laser light irradiation is 140% or greater but 250% or less relative to a film thickness C of the recording layer of the thermosensitive recording medium in which information is not recorded.