A process for preparing a printed rigid plastic substrate is described, the process comprising: providing a rigid plastic substrate comprising a primer on a surface of the rigid plastic substrate, the primer comprising a primer resin; printing a liquid electrophotographic ink composition comprising a thermoplastic resin onto the primer on the surface of the rigid plastic substrate; depositing a cross-linking composition comprising a cross-linker onto the printed electrophotographic ink composition disposed on the primer; and laminating the rigid plastic substrate with a flexible film such that the ink composition and the cross-linker are disposed between the rigid substrate and the flexible film and wherein the lamination of the rigid substrate with the flexible film causes cross-linking of the thermoplastic resin of the ink composition and of the primer resin.

A process for preparing a printed rigid plastic substrate is described, the process comprising: providing a rigid plastic substrate comprising a primer on a surface of the rigid plastic substrate, the primer comprising a primer resin; printing a liquid electrophotographic ink composition comprising a thermoplastic resin onto the primer on the surface of the rigid plastic substrate; depositing a cross-linking composition comprising a cross-linker onto the printed electrophotographic ink composition disposed on the primer; and laminating the rigid plastic substrate with a flexible film such that the ink composition and the cross-linker are disposed between the rigid substrate and the flexible film and wherein the lamination of the rigid substrate with the flexible film causes cross-linking of the thermoplastic resin of the ink composition and of the primer resin.

Described herein is an electrostatic ink composition comprising a liquid carrier; and chargeable particles comprising a co-polymer of an alkylene monomer and an acrylic acid monomer, and a pearlescent, non-metallic pigment, wherein the chargeable particles are dispersed in the liquid carrier. Also described herein are a method of electrophotographic printing and a print substrate.

Described herein is an electrostatic ink composition comprising a liquid carrier; and chargeable particles comprising a co-polymer of an alkylene monomer and an acrylic acid monomer, and a pearlescent, non-metallic pigment, wherein the chargeable particles are dispersed in the liquid carrier. Also described herein are a method of electrophotographic printing and a print substrate.

A digital printing apparatus using liquid toner comprising carrier liquid, a dispersing agent and imaging particles, the apparatus comprising: an imaging member adapted to sustain a pattern of electric charge forming a latent image on its surface; a development member arranged to receive a quantity of liquid toner; and to develop said latent image by transferring a portion of said quantity of liquid toner onto said imaging member in accordance with said pattern; a melting unit arranged downstream of the imaging member and configured to melt imaging particles of a transferred part of the portion of liquid toner, said part being transferred from the imaging member, wherein there is provided a dispersing capacity modification unit downstream of the imaging member, said dispersing capacity modification unit being configured for reducing the dispersing capacity of the dispersing agent in the transferred part of the portion of liquid toner.

A digital printing apparatus using liquid toner comprising carrier liquid, a dispersing agent and imaging particles, the apparatus comprising: an imaging member adapted to sustain a pattern of electric charge forming a latent image on its surface; a development member arranged to receive a quantity of liquid toner; and to develop said latent image by transferring a portion of said quantity of liquid toner onto said imaging member in accordance with said pattern; a melting unit arranged downstream of the imaging member and configured to melt imaging particles of a transferred part of the portion of liquid toner, said part being transferred from the imaging member, wherein there is provided a dispersing capacity modification unit downstream of the imaging member, said dispersing capacity modification unit being configured for reducing the dispersing capacity of the dispersing agent in the transferred part of the portion of liquid toner.

A method is disclosed. The method may comprise applying a coating of electrically charged fluid print agent to a developer surface, the fluid print agent comprising particles of thermoplastic resin in a carrier fluid. The method may further comprise controlling migration of fluid print agent from the developer surface to form an image from fluid print agent on a first surface. The method may further comprise irradiating the print agent on the first surface with ultraviolet radiation to heat the print agent to a temperature of at least 70° C. to melt the thermoplastic resin. A print system and a heating unit are also disclosed.

An image formation device includes a transfer member and a first portion to receive an electrically charged, image-receiving holder onto the transfer member. A second portion downstream from the first portion is to receive droplets of ink particles within a dielectric carrier fluid onto the electrically charged, image-receiving holder to form at least part of an image. A charge source is to emit airborne charges to charge the ink particles to move, via attraction relative to the image-receiving holder, through the carrier fluid to become electrostatically fixed relative to the image-receiving holder. A liquid removal unit is to remove at least the carrier fluid from at least a surface of the image-receiving holder. A transfer station is to transfer the ink particles of the image and the image-receiving holder together from the transfer member to an image formation medium.

An image formation device includes a transfer member and a first portion to receive an electrically charged, image-receiving holder onto the transfer member. A second portion downstream from the first portion is to receive droplets of ink particles within a dielectric carrier fluid onto the electrically charged, image-receiving holder to form at least part of an image. A charge source is to emit airborne charges to charge the ink particles to move, via attraction relative to the image-receiving holder, through the carrier fluid to become electrostatically fixed relative to the image-receiving holder. A liquid removal unit is to remove at least the carrier fluid from at least a surface of the image-receiving holder. A transfer station is to transfer the ink particles of the image and the image-receiving holder together from the transfer member to an image formation medium.

A method is disclosed. The method may comprise applying a coating of electrically charged fluid print agent to a developer surface, the fluid print agent comprising particles of thermoplastic resin in a carrier fluid. The method may further comprise controlling migration of fluid print agent from the developer surface to form an image from fluid print agent on a first surface. The method may further comprise irradiating the print agent on the first surface with ultraviolet radiation to heat the print agent to a temperature of at least 70° C. to melt the thermoplastic resin. A print system and a heating unit are also disclosed.