Aqueous composition comprising a color former, a developer, and a binder, wherein (a) the weight ratio between the developer and the color former is in the range of from 1 to 5; (b) the binder comprises an acrylate binder, comprising acrylic acid and styrene, and at least one additional monomer selected from the group consisting of -methyl styrene, ethyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate; and (c) the color former and/or the developer are present in an un-encapsulated form; a process for the preparation of these compositions, substrates coated with this composition and a process for its preparation, and a process for preparing a marked substrate using this composition.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a thermosensitive recording material having excellent recording color developability and recording image quality, having no inhibition of a color-developing reaction due to the adhesive component after being processed into a thermosensitive recording label (glue desensitization), and being able to withstand long-term storage while retaining excellent recording performance. The present invention is a thermosensitive recording material (1) having at least an anchor layer (1) containing a sizing agent on a support, an undercoat layer containing at least one member selected from the group consisting of plastic hollow particles and sizing agents on the anchor layer (1), and a thermosensitive recording layer containing a leuco dye and a coloring agent on the undercoat layer; and is a thermosensitive recording material (2a) having an anchor layer (2) containing specific amounts of a pigment and a specific sizing agent on a support, and a thermosensitive recording layer containing a leuco dye and a coloring agent on the anchor layer (2); a thermosensitive recording material (2b) having an anchor layer (2) containing a pigment and a specific sizing agent on a support, and a thermosensitive recording layer containing a leuco dye and a specific coloring agent on the anchor layer (2); or a thermosensitive recording material (2c) having an anchor layer (2) containing a sizing agent and a water resistance-imparting agent on a support, and a thermosensitive recording layer containing a leuco dye and a coloring agent on the anchor layer.

A colour laser markable laminate includes a colour laser markable layer including a leuco dye and an infrared absorbing compound, an optional adhesive layer, a polymeric support, an optional outerlayer, wherein the colour laser markable layer further includes an acid scavenger. The support, the optional adhesive layer, or the optional outer layer includes a UV absorbing compound.

A colour laser markable laminate includes a colour laser markable layer including a leuco dye and an infrared absorbing compound, an optional adhesive layer, a polymeric support, an optional outerlayer, wherein the colour laser markable layer further includes an acid scavenger. The support, the optional adhesive layer, or the optional outer layer includes a UV absorbing compound.

A heat-sensitive recording material including a web-shaped substrate having a front side and an opposite reverse side, and at least one heat-sensitive recording layer on either or both of the sides of the web-shaped substrate. The heat-sensitive recording layer contains a color acceptor having a combination at least consisting of one, two, three or more than three color acceptor (compounds) of formula (1) ##STR00001## where R is alkyl, and of at least one secondary color acceptor comprising lactic acid oligomers conforming to formula (3) ##STR00002##

An information recording medium having a front surface and a back surface has a first color developing layer, a second color developing layer and a third color developing layer. The first color developing layer develops yellow at a temperature not less than a first threshold value. The second color developing layer is arranged at the back surface side with respect to the first color developing layer. The second color developing layer develops magenta at a temperature not less than a second threshold value that is lower than the first threshold value. The third color developing layer is arranged at the front surface side with respect to the first color developing layer. The third color develops cyan at a temperature not less than a third threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value.

An information recording medium having a front surface and a back surface has a first color developing layer, a second color developing layer and a third color developing layer. The first color developing layer develops yellow at a temperature not less than a first threshold value. The second color developing layer is arranged at the back surface side with respect to the first color developing layer. The second color developing layer develops magenta at a temperature not less than a second threshold value that is lower than the first threshold value. The third color developing layer is arranged at the front surface side with respect to the first color developing layer. The third color develops cyan at a temperature not less than a third threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value.

The invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording material, comprising a supporting substrate and a heat-sensitive color-forming layer, which contains at least one color former and at least one phenol-free color developer, characterized in that the at least one color developer is a compound of formula (I), wherein Ar is an aryl residue, a heteroaryl residue, or a benyzl residue and Y is an aryl residue, a heteroaryl residue, a benzyl residue, an aryloxy residue, a heteroaryloxy residue, a benzyloxy residue, an arylamino residue, a heteroarylamino residue, or a benzylamino residue. The invention further relates to a method for producing said heat-sensitive recording material.

##STR00001##

A thermoreversible recording medium including a support, and a thermoreversible recording layer, which is disposed on the support, and contains a leuco dye, and a reversible color developer, wherein an average particle diameter of granules in the thermoreversible recording layer is 0.35 micrometers or smaller.

An object of the invention is to provide a recording material and recording sheet having excellent color-developing performance, storage stability, etc. A recording material having good color-developing performance and storage stability may be obtained by using a specific compound having a benzhydrol skeleton as an additive in a recording material employing color development through a reaction between a color former and a color-developing agent.