Provided is a thermal transfer sheet that can be used for producing not a simple print but a print having a novel function.

A thermal transfer sheet includes a substrate, a dye layer provided on one surface of the substrate and including a dye, and a dye fading accelerating layer provided on the one surface of the substrate frame-sequentially to the dye layer and including a dye fading accelerating material that accelerates fading of the dye.

Provided is a thermal transfer sheet that can be used for producing not a simple print but a print having a novel function.

A thermal transfer sheet includes a substrate, a dye layer provided on one surface of the substrate and including a dye, and a dye fading accelerating layer provided on the one surface of the substrate frame-sequentially to the dye layer and including a dye fading accelerating material that accelerates fading of the dye.

The invention relates to a method for transferring colored markings or labels onto plastic surfaces by means of a laser beam, to a transfer medium for carrying out said method and to articles, the plastic surfaces of which are laser-marked or laser-labeled by way of such a method.

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.

A hot-stamping foil which is transferred to a transfer target by applying a transfer thermal pressure, including: a carrier that is a base film or a coated base film; a laminated optical decoration having a laminated optical structure formed on the carrier; a sinking control layer which contains a soft resin and a deformation limiting agent and is formed on the laminated optical structure; and an adhesive layer which is formed on the sinking control layer, wherein the adhesive layer contains a resin component which contains a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature lower than room temperature and defines the thickness of the adhesive layer, and spacer particles which have a particle size larger than the thickness of the adhesive layer and some of which protrude from the resin component, and wherein the spacer particles sink into the sinking control layer after transfer thermal pressing.

A hot-stamping foil which is transferred to a transfer target by applying a transfer thermal pressure, including: a carrier that is a base film or a coated base film; a laminated optical decoration having a laminated optical structure formed on the carrier; a sinking control layer which contains a soft resin and a deformation limiting agent and is formed on the laminated optical structure; and an adhesive layer which is formed on the sinking control layer, wherein the adhesive layer contains a resin component which contains a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature lower than room temperature and defines the thickness of the adhesive layer, and spacer particles which have a particle size larger than the thickness of the adhesive layer and some of which protrude from the resin component, and wherein the spacer particles sink into the sinking control layer after transfer thermal pressing.

A thermally expandable sheet includes a base, a thermally expansive layer, and a color adjustment layer. The thermally expansive layer is provided on a first side of the base and includes a thermally expandable material that distends in accordance with an amount of heat absorbed, the heat being generated from a thermal conversion layer that includes a thermal conversion material that converts electromagnetic waves to heat. The color adjustment layer is provided on at least one of the thermally expansive layer and a second side of the base and includes a color adjusting agent. When the thermal conversion layer is provided on the color adjustment layer, the color adjustment layer reduces a visual difference in color between a first region where the thermal conversion layer is provided and a second region where the thermal conversion layer is not provided.

A thermally expandable sheet includes a base, a thermally expansive layer, and a color adjustment layer. The thermally expansive layer is provided on a first side of the base and includes a thermally expandable material that distends in accordance with an amount of heat absorbed, the heat being generated from a thermal conversion layer that includes a thermal conversion material that converts electromagnetic waves to heat. The color adjustment layer is provided on at least one of the thermally expansive layer and a second side of the base and includes a color adjusting agent. When the thermal conversion layer is provided on the color adjustment layer, the color adjustment layer reduces a visual difference in color between a first region where the thermal conversion layer is provided and a second region where the thermal conversion layer is not provided.

A thermal transfer ribbon including a substrate, the substrate has a surface provided with dye layer parts and transferable protective layer parts repeatedly formed thereon, and the transferrable protective layer parts include first layer parts formed on the substrate, and second layer parts formed on the respective first layer parts. The first layer parts contain a charge control agent, and the second layer parts contain an antistatic agent and a lubricant.

Provided is, for example, a compound excellent in light fastness and storage stability. The compound is characterized by having a structure represented by the following formula (1) or (2). ##STR00001##