JPH11288100A - Image transfer medium, image forming material, and image forming method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] An image transfer medium which is excellent in both adhesion at the time of transfer and peelability after transfer, and has a high resolution and high quality transferred image.
An image forming material is provided. SOLUTION: A Vicat softening point is 35 to 6 on a support.
A heat-softening layer having a thickness of 20 to 100 μm composed of a resin having a temperature of 5 ° C., and a thickness of 0.05 to 500 μm having a Vicat softening point of 80 ° C. or more and a resin having an Olsen stiffness of 700 to 1100 kg / cm ^2. An image transfer medium having a release layer of 2 μm in this order, an image forming material having an image forming layer thereon, and an image forming method of transferring an image formed thereon to a transfer target by heating and pressing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image transfer medium, an image forming material and an image forming method suitable for producing a color proof for color proofing in color printing, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is well known in the art that a color sheet for color proofing is used in order to save labor and time of proof printing performed as a pre-process of main printing in multicolor printing.

As a method of creating a multicolor image using a color sheet for color proofing, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 47-418
No. 30, JP-A No. 59-97140, and JP-A No. 61-189535, in which a colored image is temporarily transferred onto a final image receiving sheet. And a method of repeating the step of forming an image after transferring a colored photosensitive layer to an image receiving paper described in JP-A-56-50127. In any of these methods, since the transferred final image is covered with an organic polymer, the surface of the obtained image is too glossy and gives an impression different from the image quality at the time of actual printing. Was.

[0004]

In order to solve this problem, an image-only transfer method has been considered in which only a colored image is transferred and laminated on an image receiving paper to form a multicolor image. In order to enhance the adhesion between the image forming member and the image receiving paper at the time of image transfer, and to enhance the releasability when the image forming member is peeled off from the image receiving paper, Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. There has been proposed an image forming material in which a mold releasing cushion layer provided with moldability is introduced. As a result, it was possible to transfer only the image area, but the adhesive force at the interface between the release layer and the image forming layer was too weak, so that only a slight distortion occurred in the image forming member and the image forming layer Crack
This causes a problem that a film-like coating defect occurs, and as a result, the image in that portion is deteriorated.

The present inventor has disclosed an image forming material having a protective layer on the outermost layer in order to improve the raw storage stability of an image forming material having a releasable cushion layer.
No. 1 discloses this. According to this, there was certainly an effect on the improvement of the raw preservability, but in the case where the image forming layer was a photosensitive layer containing quinonediazide, it occurred in the above-described cracked coating film defect portion in the exposed portion. There is a problem that nitrogen gas accumulates in cracks and further deteriorates image defects.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image transfer apparatus which is excellent in both adhesiveness at the time of transfer and peelability after transfer, and has high resolution and high quality in a transferred image. A medium and an image forming material are provided.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a heat-softening layer having a thickness of from 20 to 100 .mu.m made of a resin having a Vicat softening point of 35 to 65.degree. Is 80 ° C or higher and Olsen rigidity is 7
An image transfer medium having, in this order, a release layer having a thickness of 0.05 to ² μm composed of a resin of 00 to 1100 kg / cm ² , wherein the resin constituting the release layer comprises an ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer An image forming method of transferring an image formed on a release layer of an image transfer medium to a transfer-receiving member by heating and pressurizing, a film thickness 20 composed of a resin having a Vicat softening point of 35 to 65 ° C. on a support. 100-μm heat-softening layer, Vicat softening point of 80 ° C. or more and Olsen rigidity of 700-
Thickness 0.0 composed of 1100 kg / cm ² resin
An image forming material having a release layer of 5 to 2 μm and an image forming layer in this order, and the resin constituting the release layer is ethylene-
It consists of a methyl methacrylate copolymer, contains a water-soluble resin and solid particles on the image forming layer, and has a weight of 0.
The protective layer has a protective layer of 0.5 to ² g / m ² , and an image forming method in which an image formed by exposing at least the image forming material is heated and pressed to a transfer receiving body.

That is, the present inventor has found that by adjusting not only the softening point but also the stiffness and the film thickness of the release layer, followability to the upper layer can be obtained, leading to transferability and elimination of cracks. This has led to the invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

[0010] The present invention has a Vicat softening point of 35 to 65 ° C.
Heat-softening layer as a cushion layer having a thickness of 20 to 100 μm and a Vicat softening point of 80 ° C.
With the above, the Olsen rigidity is 700 to 1100 kg / cm ^2.
And a release layer having a thickness of 0.05 to 2 μm made of the above resin.

The VICAT softening point referred to here is a value measured by the method A shown in JIS-K7206-1991. When the heat-softening layer is formed of a single layer, the value obtained by preparing and measuring a test piece having a thickness of 3 mm is used. When the heat-softening layer is composed of a plurality of layers, the thickness of the entire heat-softening layer is measured. The value obtained by preparing and measuring a test piece in which the thickness of the highest heat softening layer was increased until the thickness reached 3 mm was defined as the VICAT softening point of the heat softening layer.

The Olsen rigidity referred to here is ASTM.
D747, a value measured by the method described in JIS-K6301. The Olsen stiffness of the release layer referred to in the present invention is measured by molding a resin used for the release layer into a discometer having a thickness of 12 mm or more and a diameter of 50 mm, and using an Olsen-type hardness tester.

The resin having a Vicat softening point of 35 to 65 ° C. used in the heat-softening layer of the present invention includes ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer and the like. VICAT
Those having a softening temperature of 65 ° C. or lower, for example, ethylene-butene copolymer (butene = 22% by weight), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (vinyl acetate = 15 to 25% by weight, MFR
(Melt flow rate) 5 to 15), ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer (ethyl acrylate = 25% by weight) or the like alone or as a mixture, or each as a separate layer.
They can be mixed and used so that the ICAT softening temperature does not exceed 65 ° C.

The thickness of the heat-softening layer is from 20 to 100 μm, preferably from 30 to 50 μm.

The Vicat softening point used in the release layer of the present invention is 80 ° C. or higher and the Olsen rigidity is 700 to 1100 kg /
Examples of the resin having a cm ² include an ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer resin. It is also possible to add a plasticizer or solid particles to the resin used for the heat-softening layer, and adjust the resin to have a desired softening point and Olsen rigidity.

Examples of the plasticizer used for adjusting the physical properties include phthalic acid esters, aromatic carboxylic acid esters,
Known compounds such as fatty acid ester derivatives, phosphate esters, and polyester plasticizers can be used as long as they do not deteriorate the solubility in the coating film.

The solid particles include silicon dioxide, diatomaceous earth, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide,
Known materials such as glass, alumina, dextrin, starch (for example, rice starch), calcium stearate, zinc stearate, cross-linked particles such as polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene can be used within a range that does not deteriorate the solubility in the coating film.

The thickness of the release layer is 0.05 to 2 μm, preferably 0.5 to 1.0 μm.

As the support used in the image transfer medium or the image forming material of the present invention, a polyester film, particularly a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film, is preferred in terms of strength, dimensional stability against water and heat, economic efficiency and the like. In addition, an acetate film, a polyvinyl chloride film, a polyethylene film, a polypropylene film and the like can be used. The thickness is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of workability, economy and the like, when used as a support, it is preferably about 20 to 150 μm, particularly preferably 50 to 150 μm.
100 μm is preferred.

As a method for forming an image on the surface of the release layer of the image transfer medium of the present invention, known techniques can be used. After an image is formed on the surface of the release layer by an ink-jet method, an electrophotographic method, a fusion heat transfer method, or the like, the image can be transferred onto the transfer object by using a heat-pressure transfer method. In this case, the thermal head method disclosed in JP-A-6-326566 or JP-A-6-55867,
It is preferable to use thermal transfer by a laser method described in, for example, -330260.

As a method of thermal transfer by a laser method,
Laminate a light-to-heat conversion layer and a heat-meltable colorant layer on a support,
The recording material having an intermediate layer (a release layer, a barrier layer, a cushion layer, etc.) provided between the support and the colorant layer, if necessary, and the image transfer medium of the present invention are arranged such that each support is on the outside. A method of performing laser exposure after superimposing and contacting with the substrate is preferable.

In the image forming layer of the image forming material of the present invention, a photosensitive composition having sensitivity to actinic rays can be used. The configuration may be a single-layer configuration or a multilayer configuration of two or more layers. In the case of a multilayer configuration, it is sufficient that at least one or more layers have an image forming ability. Further, one or all of the layers may contain a coloring agent such as a pigment or a dye.

As the photosensitive composition used in the image forming layer of the present invention, a known positive photosensitive composition / negative photosensitive composition can be used. It is preferable to use a photosensitive composition containing a quinonediazide compound. The o-quinonediazide compound is
Any material can be used as long as it can function as a photosensitive agent.

Specifically, for example, 1,2-benzoquinonediazide-4-sulfonyl chloride, 1,2-naphthoquinonediazide-4-sulfonyl chloride, 1,2-
Naphthoquinonediazide-5-sulfonyl chloride,
A compound obtained by condensing 1,2-naphthoquinonediazide-6-sulfonyl chloride with a compound containing a hydroxyl group and / or an amino group is preferably used.

Examples of the hydroxyl group-containing compound include trihydroxybenzophenone, dihydroxyanthraquinone, bisphenol A, phenol novolak resin, resorcinol benzaldehyde condensed resin, and pyrogallol acetone condensed resin. Examples of the amino group-containing compound include aniline, p-aminodiphenylamine, and p-aminodiphenylamine.
-Aminobenzophenone, 4,4'-diaminodiphenylamine, 4,4'-diaminobenzophenone and the like.

With respect to the quinonediazide compounds, including those described herein, see also J. Am. Koser (J. Kosa)
r) "Light Sensitive System" (Light
Sensitive System (New York City, John Wiley & Sons, 1965), and Nagamatsu, Inui co-authored "Photosensitive Polymers" (Kodansha, 1
977) can be used.

As the negative photosensitive composition, a photopolymerizable photosensitive composition is preferable. Specifically, for example, a commonly used photopolymerizable compound can be arbitrarily used. For example, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters can be used. For example, ethylene glycol diacrylate, glycerin triacrylate, polyacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,3
-Propanediol dimethacrylate, 1,2,4-butanetriol trimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolethane triacrylate, pentaerythritol dimethacrylate,
Pentaerythritol trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol tetramethacrylate, pentaerythritol diacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, dipentaerythritol polyacrylate, 1,3-propanediol diacrylate, 1,5-pentanediol dimethacrylate, polyethylene Examples include, but are not limited to, glycol bisacrylate or bismethacrylate.

The negative photosensitive composition can contain a photopolymerization initiator. The photopolymerization initiator in this case is optional, but those having little absorption in the visible region are more preferable. Examples of such a photopolymerization initiator include the following compounds. However, it is not limited to these. That is, benzophenone, Michler's ketone [4 ', 4'-bis (dimethylamino) benzophenone], 4,4'-bis (diethylamino) benzophenone, 4-methoxy-
Aromatic ketones such as 4'-dimethylaminobenzophenone, 2-ethylanthraquinone, phenanthraquinone and other aromatic ketones, benzoin ethers such as benzoin, benzoin methyl ether, benzoin ethyl ether and benzoin phenyl ether , Methylbenzoin, ethylbenzoin and other benzoins, and 2- (o-chlorophenyl)-
4,5-diphenylimidazole duplex, 2- (o-chlorophenyl) -4,5- (m-methoxyphenyl) imidazole duplex, 2- (o-fluorophenyl)-
4,5-diphenylimidazole duplex, 2- (o-methoxyphenyl) -4,5-diphenylimidazole duplex, 2- (p-methoxyphenyl) -4,5-diphenylimidazole duplex, 2,4-di (P-methoxyphenyl) -5-phenylimidazole duplex, 2-
(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl) -4,5-diphenylimidazole duplex, 2- (p-methylmercaptophenyl) -4,5-diphenylimidazole duplex, and US Pat. No. 3,479,185, UK patent 1st, 04
Mention may be made of 2,4,5-triacryl-imidazole duplexes, such as the similar duplexes described in US Pat. No. 7,569 and US Pat. No. 3,784,557.

Other photopolymerizable compounds include 2,4-
Thioxanthones such as diethylthioxanthone can also be used. In this case, a compound known as a photopolymerization accelerator, for example, isoamyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate, ethyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate, N-methyldiethanolamine, bisdiethylaminobenzophenone and the like can be used.

Next, the photosensitive composition used in the present invention can contain a known polymer compound and a synthetic resin, and has a high molecular weight having a carboxylic acid vinyl ester polymerized unit represented by the following general formula in its molecular structure. It preferably contains a molecular compound.

[0031]

Embedded image

Here, R represents an alkyl group, including an alkyl group having a substituent.

Any polymer compound having the above structure can be used arbitrarily, but as the carboxylic acid vinyl ester monomer for constituting the polymerized unit represented by the above general formula, the following examples are preferable. The name and chemical formula are shown together.

1 Vinyl acetate CH ₃ COOCH ＝ CH ₂ 2 Vinyl propionate CH ₃ CH ₂ COOCH ＝ C
H ₂ 3 vinyl butyrate CH ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₂ COOCH ＝ CH ₂ 4 Vinyl pivalate (CH ₃ ) ₃ CCOOCH ＝ C
H ₂ 5 vinyl caproate CH ₃ (CH _{2) 4} COOCH
ＣＨCH ₂ 6 vinyl caprylate CH ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₆ COOCH
= CH ₂ 7 capric acid vinyl CH ₃ (CH _{2) 8} COOCH
ＣＨCH ₂ 8 vinyl laurate CH ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₁₀ COOCH
= CH ₂ 9 vinyl myristate CH ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₁₂ COOC
H = CH ₂ 10 Vinyl palmitate CH ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₁₄ COO
CH = CH ₂ 11 Vinyl stearate CH ₃ (CH ₂ ) ₁₆ COO
CH = CH ₂ 12 vinyl versatate

[0035]

Embedded image

[0036] (R ^1, R ² is an alkyl group, the sum of the number of carbon atoms is 7. That is, the form of the _{^{R 1 + R 2 = C 7}} H 16.) Polymer compound, the carboxylic acid vinyl ester It may be a polymer obtained by polymerizing one kind, a polymer obtained by copolymerizing two or more kinds of vinyl carboxylate, or an arbitrary component ratio of the vinyl carboxylate and another monomer copolymerizable therewith. May be a copolymer.

Examples of the monomer unit which can be used in combination with the polymerization unit represented by the above general formula include ethylenically unsaturated olefins such as ethylene, propylene, isobutylene, butadiene and isoprene, for example, styrene, α-methyl Styrene, p-methylstyrene, p-
Styrenes such as chlorostyrene, for example acrylic acid, acrylic acid such as methacrylic acid, for example, itaconic acid, maleic acid, unsaturated aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as maleic anhydride, for example, diethyl maleate, dibutyl maleate,
Diesters of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids such as di-2-ethylhexyl maleate, dibutyl fumarate, di-2-ethylhexyl fumarate, for example, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, acrylic acid Α such as phenyl, α-methyl chloroacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate
Methylene aliphatic monocarboxylic acid esters, such as acrylonitrile, nitriles such as methacrylonitrile, such as amides such as acrylamide, such as acrylanilide, p-chloroacrylanilide, m-nitroacrylanilide, and m-methoxyacrylanilide; Anilides, for example, methyl vinyl ether, ethyl vinyl ether, isobutyl vinyl ether, vinyl ethers such as β-chloroethyl vinyl ether, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinylidene cyanide, for example, 1-methyl-1-methoxyethylene, 1,1-dimethoxyethylene, 1,2-dimethoxyethylene, 1,1
Ethylene derivatives such as -dimethoxycarbonylethylene and 1-methyl-1-nitroethylene, for example, N-vinyl such as N-vinylpyrrole, N-vinylcarbazole, N-vinylindole, N-vinylpyrrolidene and N-vinylpyrrolidone There are vinyl monomers such as compounds. These monomer units are present in the polymer compound in a structure in which the unsaturated double bond is cleaved.

Particularly preferred as the high molecular compound used in the image forming material of the present invention is a compound having a vinyl acetate polymerized unit in the molecular structure. Among them, those having a vinyl acetate polymerization unit of 40 to 95% by weight, those having a number average molecular weight (MN) of 1,000 to 60,000,
Those having a weight average molecular weight (MW) of 500 to 150,000 are preferred. More preferably, a polymer compound having a vinyl acetate polymerized unit (particularly 40 to 95% by weight) and a carboxylic acid vinyl ester polymerized unit having a longer chain than vinyl acetate is preferable, and a number average molecular weight (MN) of 2,2 is particularly preferable.
000-60,000, weight average molecular weight (MW) is 1
It is a thing of 0000-150,000.

In this case, the monomer constituting the polymer compound having a vinyl acetate polymerized unit by copolymerizing with vinyl acetate is arbitrary as long as it can form a copolymer. You can choose arbitrarily from your body.

The copolymers which can be used as the polymer in the present invention are listed below by showing their monomer components. However, as a matter of course, the present invention is not limited to the following example.

1 vinyl acetate-ethylene 2 vinyl acetate-styrene 3 vinyl acetate-crotonic acid 4 vinyl acetate-maleic acid 5 vinyl acetate-2-ethylhexyl acrylate 6 vinyl acetate-di-2-ethylhexyl maleate 7 vinyl acetate-methyl vinyl ether Reference Signs List 8 vinyl acetate-vinyl chloride 9 vinyl acetate-N-vinylpyrrolidone 10 vinyl acetate-vinyl propionate 11 vinyl acetate-vinyl pivalate 12 vinyl acetate-vinyl versatate 13 vinyl acetate-vinyl laurate 14 vinyl acetate-vinyl stearate 15 Vinyl acetate-vinyl versatate-ethylene 16 Vinyl acetate-vinyl versatate-2-ethylhexyl acrylate 17 Vinyl acetate-vinyl versatate-vinyl laurate 18 Vinyl acetate-bar Vinyl tic acid - crotonic acid 19 vinyl propionate - vinyl versatate 20 vinyl propionate - vinyl versatate - crotonic acid 21 pivalate - vinyl stearate - maleic acid.

For example, when a colored image forming material is used, such as when used as a color proof, the image forming layer, that is, the colored photosensitive layer, is removed imagewise by development following imagewise exposure to form a colored image portion.

In the colored photosensitive layer, a dye and / or
Alternatively, a pigment is added. Especially when used for color proofing,
Pigments and dyes having the same color as the required ordinary colors, that is, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are required, but other metal powders, white pigments, and fluorescent pigments are also used. When applying the present invention to a color proof, many pigments and dyes known in the art can be used, as described below.

Victoria Pure Blue (CI 42595) Auramine (CI 41000) Katilon Brilliant Flavin (CI Basic 1)
3) Rhodamine 6GCP (CI 45160) Rhodamine B (CI 45170) Safranin OK70: 100 (CI 50240) Erioglaucine X (CI 42080) Fast Black HB (CI 26150) No. 1201 Lionol Yellow (CI 2109
0) Lionol Yellow GRO (CI 21090) Shimla First Yellow 8GF (CI 2110
5) Benzidine Yellow 4T-564D (CI 2109)
5) Shimla Fast Red 4015 (CI 1235)
5) Lionol Red 7B4401 (CI 15830) Fastgen Blue TGR-L (CI 7416)
0) Lionol Blue SM (CI 26150) Mitsubishi Carbon Black MA-100 Mitsubishi Carbon Black # 30, # 40, # 50 (CI means color index.) When a colorant is used in the present invention, The ratio of the colorant / components other than the colorant in the colored photosensitive layer can be determined by a method known to those skilled in the art in consideration of the target optical density and the removability of the colored photosensitive layer from the developer. For example, in the case of a dye, the content is preferably 5% to 75% by weight, and in the case of a pigment, the content is preferably 5% to 90% by weight.
Is appropriate.

The thickness of the colored photosensitive layer is determined by a method known to those skilled in the art according to the target optical density, the type of the coloring agent (dye, pigment, carbon black) used in the colored photosensitive layer and its content. but it is, preferably typically the is used in the range of ^{0.1g / m 2 ~5g / m 2} .

In the practice of the present invention, a plasticizer, a coating property improver and the like may be further added to the photosensitive composition, if necessary. Examples of the plasticizer include various low molecular compounds such as phthalates, triphenyl phosphates and maleates, and examples of the coating improver include surfactants such as a fluorine-based surfactant and ethyl cellulose polyalkylene ether. Nonionic activators and the like.

When the image-forming material of the present invention uses the above-mentioned photosensitive composition as an image-forming layer, the protective layer contains a water-soluble resin and solid particles and has a coverage of 0.05 to ² g / m ^2. It is preferable to use As the water-soluble resin which dissolves or disperses in the developing solution during development of the protective layer, polyvinyl alcohol, celluloses and the like can be used. However, the gas permeability of the protective layer is appropriately selected according to the type of the image forming layer used. That is, when a photosensitive composition that generates gas upon exposure, such as o-quinonediazide, is used for the image forming layer, it is preferable to provide a protective layer having good gas permeability, and a photopolymerizable photosensitive composition When an image-forming layer such as an object whose image formation is inhibited by oxygen in the air at the time of exposure is used for the image-forming layer, it is preferable to provide a protective layer having low gas permeability.

The solid particles used in the protective layer include polyethylene particles, polypropylene particles, ethylene-propylene copolymer particles, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer particles, polyethylene terephthalate particles, cross-linked vinyl polymer particles, silicon dioxide, and diatomaceous earth. , Zinc oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, glass, alumina, dextrin, starch (for example, rice starch), calcium stearate, zinc stearate, cross-linked particles such as polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene, and the like. However, two or more kinds may be used in combination.

The amount of the protective layer to be applied is preferably 0.05 to 2.0 g / m ^{2 in} view of its effect and influence on the developing solution.

As the developer used for developing the image forming material of the present invention, any developer having a developing action for developing the image forming material can be used. Specific examples thereof include a developer and a developing method described in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-233759.

In the image forming method using the image forming material, an image portion is formed by performing image exposure and development on the image forming material, and the image portion is transferred to a transfer object (for example, printing paper) to transfer a transferred image. What you get.

When the image forming method of the present invention is embodied as, for example, a multicolor image forming method, the basic method is as follows.
A first color image is formed on the first color image forming material, the colored image is transferred onto a final support, and the support is peeled off. Further, after forming the second color image on the second color image forming material, the second color registration image formed along with the second color image is registered with the first color registration image on the final support. The second-color image is transferred onto the one-color image, and the support is peeled off to obtain a two-color image. Thereafter, similarly, the colored images of the third and fourth colors are transferred onto the final support to obtain a multicolor image. This type of method is disclosed in
-41830, 59-97140, 60-28
649 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,113.

In the image forming method of the present invention, the image forming material is usually imagewise exposed through a color separation mask or the like and then developed to form an image. At this time, a mode is adopted in which only the image portion is transferred to the transfer target and laminated from the image obtained on the support.

[0054]

The present invention will be described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Example 1 <Preparation of image forming material> The following resin dispersion as shown in Table 1 was coated on a 25 μm-thick polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film and dried to form a resin layer for a release layer. .

(Resin Dispersion Composition) Resins described in Table 1 5 parts by weight Xylene 90 parts by weight Ethyl acetate 5 parts by weight Next, a PET film having a thickness of 75 μm [Toray Industries, Inc.
Manufactured by Lumirror T-60] and a release layer side of a PET film having the release layer by an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA) [Mitsui D.
After forming a layer made of UPONT; EVAFLEX P-1407] to have a thickness of 40 μm, 25 μm
m of the PET film was peeled off, and a heat-softening layer of 40 μm was formed on the PET film of 75 μm, and a release layer was further formed thereon.

A photosensitive layer solution having the following formulation was applied on the release layer and dried to form a colored photosensitive layer of a magenta plate having a thickness of 2 μm.

(Sensitivity Layer Solution Composition) Esterified product of p-cresol novolak resin and naphthoquinone-1,2-diazido-4-sulfonyl chloride 0.616 parts by weight Vinyl acetate-vinyl versuccinate copolymer 8.768 Parts by weight [weight ratio 80:20, weight average molecular weight 50,000, 50% methanol solution] Lionol Red Carmine 6B 0.99 parts by weight [manufactured by Toyo Ink Co., Ltd.] Methyl ethyl ketone 35.2 parts by weight The protective layer solution having the following composition was applied to the layer surface so as to have the amount shown in Table 1 and dried to obtain an image forming material.

(Protective Layer Solution Composition) Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 16 parts by weight [Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd .; TC-5] Silica particles 1 part by weight [Fuji Silysia; Cycilia, average particle size 5.2 μm] Polymethyl methacrylate ( PMMA) Particles 1 part by weight [manufactured by Soken Chemical; MX500] Styrene acrylic latex [solid content 48%] 8.2 parts by weight Distilled water 380 parts by weight <Evaluation of raw storage stability> On the protective layer surface of the obtained image forming material Overlay the antistatic processed surface of a 100μm thick antistatic processed PET film in close contact with each other.
g / m ² for 24 hours, the film of the photosensitive layer was peeled (blocking) from the image forming material.
The case where it did not occur was evaluated as ○.

<Evaluation of Claw Break> The image forming material was folded in half while keeping the curvature radius of the bent portion at 2 mm with the protective layer surface inside, and x indicates that the nail was broken, and O was evaluated. The claw breaks lower the adhesive strength at the interface between the photosensitive layer and the release layer, and cause image defects in the portions that are originally desired to remain as images.

<Evaluation of Air Bubble Property> The entire surface of the image forming material was exposed with a 4 kW metal halide lamp at a distance of 50 cm for 60 seconds from the PET surface side, and bubbles generated at the interface between the photosensitive layer and the release layer were counted. These bubbles reduce the adhesive force at the interface between the photosensitive layer and the release layer, and cause image defects in portions that are originally desired to remain as images. 100 bubbles / m
Less than ² was evaluated as ○, and more than ² was evaluated as x.

<Evaluation of Transferability> A 50% flat-screen image original was superimposed on the PET surface side of the image forming material and exposed with a 4 kW metal halide lamp from a distance of 50 cm for 60 seconds. The exposed part was removed by immersing for 2 seconds and rubbing with a sponge while being exposed to running water, and then completely dried to obtain an image forming material having a 50% flat screen image on a release layer.

(Developer composition) PS plate developer manufactured by Konica Corporation; SDP-1 40 ml Surfactant manufactured by Kao Atlas Co., Ltd .; Perex NB-L 100 ml distilled water 400 ml The above image surface and mat coated paper [Shin Oji New Age] manufactured by Paper Manufacturing Co., Ltd. are placed in close contact with each other, and 0.5 is applied to a pair of nip rollers (pressure 5 kgf / cm ² ) heated to 80 ° C.
Laminating was performed at a speed of m / min, and the support of the image forming material was immediately peeled off. At this time, those having an image transfer rate of less than 90% or those in which the release layer was peeled off from the support and transferred to paper were evaluated as x. The transfer rate was 90% or more and the release layer did not peel off. Those were evaluated as ○.

Table 1 shows the above results.

[0065]

[Table 1]

Example 2 <Preparation of Recording Material> An intermediate layer coating solution having the following composition was applied to a 100 μm-thick PET film (manufactured by Diafoil Hoechst; T100G) to a dry film thickness of 6 μm using a reverse roll coater. And dried.

(Composition of Intermediate Layer Coating Solution) Styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) 14 parts by weight [Clayton G1657 manufactured by Shell Chemical Co., Ltd.] 6 parts by weight tackifier [Arakawa Chemical Co., Ltd .; Super Ester A100] methyl ethyl ketone 10 parts by weight toluene 80 Parts by weight On the other hand, a 25 μm-thick PET film (manufactured by Diafoil Hoechst; T100G # 25) was coated with a light-heat conversion layer coating solution having the following composition using a wire bar and dried to obtain a film thickness of 0.5
A light-to-heat conversion layer having a transmission absorbance of 0.8 μm and a wavelength of 830 nm was formed.

(Composition of Light-to-Heat Conversion Layer Coating Solution) Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) 6 parts by weight [Nippon Gohsei Chemical; Gohsenol EG-30] Carbon black dispersion 4 parts by weight [Dainippon Ink Co., Ltd .; SD-9020] 490 parts by weight of water An intermediate layer on PET having a thickness of 100 μm and a thickness of 25 μm
m and the light-to-heat conversion layer on top of each other, and after passing through a pair of nip rolls, peeling off 25 μm of PET,
A cushion layer and a light-to-heat conversion layer were formed in this order on 100 μm PET.

Next, a colorant layer coating solution having the following composition was applied on the light-to-heat conversion layer so as to have a dry film thickness of 0.45 μm and dried to prepare a recording material.

(Composition of Colorant Layer Coating Liquid) Methyl Ethyl Ketone Dispersion of Brilliant Carmine 6B 40 parts by weight [solid content 20%] Styrene acrylic resin 51 parts by weight [manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Co., Ltd .; Hymer SBM73F] EVA [Mitsui DuPont Polychemical EV40Y] 5 parts by weight Fluorinated surfactant 1 part by weight [Asahi Glass Co., Ltd .; Surflon S-382] Methyl ethyl ketone 1300 parts by weight Methyl isobutyl ketone 300 parts by weight Examples of the image transfer media shown in Table 2 are used. It was produced in the same manner as in Example 1. Next, the release layer surface of the image transfer medium and the color material layer surface of the recording material are superimposed on each other so as to be in close contact with each other, and 4000 d is output from the support side of the recording material using a semiconductor laser of 500 mW.
After exposure at a recording density of pi, the recording material was peeled off, and an image composed of the exposed color material layer was formed on the release layer surface of the image transfer medium. The energy required for image formation was 200 mJ
/ Cm ² .

The image surface of the image transfer medium on which the image has been formed is mated with mat-coated paper (New Oji Paper Co., Ltd .; New Age) so as to be in close contact with each other, and a pair of nip rollers (pressure 5 kgf / cm ² ) at a speed of 0.5 m / min, immediately peel off the image transfer medium,
The resolution of the image formed on the mat coated paper was evaluated.

Table 2 shows the results.

[0073]

[Table 2]

As a result, it is understood that the image transfer medium of the present invention has good image transferability.

[0075]

According to the present invention, a high-resolution and high-quality image can be obtained.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Katsunami Kishinami, Inventor Konica Corporation, 1 Sakuracho, Hino-shi, Tokyo

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A vicat softening point of 35 to 6 on a support.
A heat-softening layer having a thickness of 20 to 100 μm composed of a resin having a temperature of 5 ° C., and a thickness of 0.05 to 500 μm having a Vicat softening point of 80 ° C. or more and a resin having an Olsen stiffness of 700 to 1100 kg / cm ^2. An image transfer medium having a release layer of 2 μm in this order. 2. The resin constituting the release layer is ethylene-
2. The image transfer medium according to claim 1, comprising a methyl methacrylate copolymer. 3. An image forming method, comprising: transferring an image formed on a release layer of the image transfer medium according to claim 1 to a transfer target under heat and pressure to form an image. 4. A vicat softening point of 35 to 6 on a support.
A heat-softening layer having a thickness of 20 to 100 μm composed of a resin at 5 ° C., a thickness of 0.05 to ² μm composed of a resin having a Vicat softening point of 80 ° C. or higher and an Olsen rigidity of 700 to 1100 kg / cm ^2. An image forming material comprising a release layer and an image forming layer in this order. 5. The resin constituting the release layer is ethylene-
5. The image forming material according to claim 4, comprising a methyl methacrylate copolymer. 6. The image forming layer according to claim 4, further comprising a protective layer containing a water-soluble resin and solid particles and having a coverage of 0.05 to ² g / m ^2. The image forming material as described in the above. 7. An image forming method, wherein an image formed by subjecting the image forming material according to claim 4 to at least exposure to heat and pressure is transferred to a transfer target to form an image.