Image-carrying material containing organic pigment for thermal image transfer

0001The invention relates to a printable Image support material for thermal image transfer to flat porous surfaces, in particular with an ink-jet inks printable thermal transfer paper.

0002There are various methods, individual, personal transfer images or designs on fabrics. These Topics such as using various printing methods thermal dye diffusion transfer process (D2T2), inkjet recording method (inkjet) or toner process (electrophotography) to release or printed so-called transfer papers and then by heat and pressure to the textile material further transmitted, wherein the paper backing is stripped off.

0003One such method is described in DE 26 53 654 A1 described. Here is the creation durable, on xerographic manner generated images on Cloth. For this, a silicone-coated sheet with a disposed thereon coating layer on which the image to be generated xerographic manufactured. disadvantageous is this transfer paper with silicone coating, that the removal process after the image transfer stick silicone residue on the fibers of the textile base stay.

0004In EP 0479882 A1 describes a process as well as the related transfer paper for transferring described representations on a porous backing, wherein the paper from a painted, a PE layer Containing paper there. The images to be transmitted are printed on the paper by dry copying and then by heat and pressure to the transmitted textile base. A disadvantage of this paper is the insufficient color density of the pad transferred images.

0005In the US 5,501,902 a printable paper presented, the first polymer layer and an inkjet-printable second layer of film-forming binder, a fine-grained thermoplastic polymer and a tintenviskositätsmodifizierenden agent. With Help this transfer paper by heat and The effect of pressure transferred to the textile backing Images have a high color density and with the Images transmitted polymer layers laminated a very good adhesion to the textile base. Disadvantage of This transfer paper is the use of viscosity modifying agent which is a generally hydrophilic agents such as polyethylene glycol or Polyvinyl alcohol. This medication works Although positive effect on the binding capacity, however, has for its water solubility negative impact on the Washing resistance.

0006The JP-A-08 207450 relates to a through the ink-jet method printable image support material for the A heat transfer image, which to be transferred in the Layer a particulate thermoplastic polymer, porous inorganic particles and a hydrophilic Binder. The JP-A-63 257679 describes a printable image support material for image transfer, wherein on the printed layer a thermoplastic Resin is applied, by heat and pressure the printed ink jet material is immersed in water and then the laminate of the Ink-receiving layer and the resin layer separated and glued to a final support. Neither Disclosures to provide information regarding the use of selected organic polyamide as a pigment to remove.

0007It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a Image carrier material to develop, with the aid xerographic toner images produced, but in particular produced by inkjet printing images on flat porous surfaces, especially textile materials, with high color density can be transferred and the above have also wash fastness.

0008This object is printable by a Image support material for thermal image transfer to dissolved scale porous surfaces, comprising a support and includes an image-receiving layer. The Image-receiving layer contains an organic pigment with a specific surface of 2 to 10 m²/ G measured, by the BET multi-point method according to DIN 66131 with krypton, and the organic pigment is a polyamide. According to a in the preferred embodiment, the Pigment image-receiving layer employed a specific Surface area of ​​from 3 to 6 m²/ G. Particularly good results were having a fine grained polyamide with a average particle size to about 30 microns and a specific surface area of ​​more than 4 m²/ G achieved.

0009The amount of organic pigment is 50 to 90 . Gew.%, In particular 60 to 80 wt%, based on the entire layer.

0010The binder used in the image receiving layer is preferably a film-forming polymer, for example, acrylate, vinyl acetate homopolymers or Copolymers, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetates, polyolefins, Olefin copolymers or polyester.

0011The amount of the binder in the receiving layer 10 to 50 wt.%, In particular 15 to 30 wt.%, Based to the entire layer.

0012In a particular embodiment of the invention, the Receiving layer containing a cationic fixing, For example, a quaternary polyammonium from Group of Polyvinylbenzyltrimethyl-, Polydiallyldimethyl-, Polymethacryloxyethyldimethylhydroxyethyl-, Polyhydroxypropyldimethylammoniumchloride. However, other dye-fixing Such as cationic polyamines, cationic Polyacrylamides or cationic polyethyleneimines can be used. The amount of dye fixing Agent may to 15 wt.%, In particular 5 to 10 wt.% be.

0013The image-receiving layer is from an aqueous Coating solution applied. For this purpose, all uses conventional application and metering will. The coating weight of the image-receiving layer can 5 to 30 g / m² be, particularly 10 to 20 g / m²,

0014As support material, a plastic film or a uncoated or surface-modified, for instance coated or siliconized paper be used. Particularly useful is a hochgeleimtes neutral base paper having a Basis weight from 60 to 200 g / m², The base paper may in addition to a special line in an amount up at most 5 g / m², Especially 1 to 3 g / m²be surface-modified. This line may be a natural or synthetic binders such as starch, Starch derivatives, gelatin, carboxy cellulose, Methyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamides and a Salt of higher fatty acids or silicone compounds contain. The paper used as support material has, on the side to be coated (front side) a Surface smoothness of 20 to 500 Bekk · s, in particular 100 to 300 Bekk · s.

0015In a further embodiment of the invention is between the support and the image receiving layer a thermoplastic layer arranged a preferably Ethylene copolymer, an ethylene-copolymer blend, or a Ionomer resin, or a mixture of these polymers or Copolymers containing.

0016The ethylene copolymer contains, in particular 10 to 35 Mol% of another monomer. The ethylene copolymer can in particular an ethylene / vinyl acetate or a Ethylene / (meth) acrylic acid or an ethylene / (meth) acrylic acid alkyl ester copolymer be.

0017The thermoplastic layer on the carrier material using an extrusion coating plant applied. The coating weight of the layer can be 5 to 50 g / m², Especially 10 to 30 g / m² be.

0018The surface of the image carrier material according to the invention may be established by various printing methods, However, in particular by means of ink-jet printing process, printed with any motif that then All synthetic or natural tissue, but also can be transferred to other flat articles. For this purpose, which is printed with a motif Image carrier material using a sheet backing in liquid contact. The transfer takes place by heat (130-200 ° C) and pressure (0.13 x 10⁴ to 50.0 x 10⁴N / m²) instead of. Thereafter, the carrier material of which is Pad deducted.

0019The invention is by means of the following examples are explained in detail.

example 1

0020The front of a neutral sized base paper with a basis weight of 80 g / m² and from a line Starch and 10 wt.% Chromium stearate in a coverage of 3 g / m² provided, was after a corona pretreatment with an ethylene copolymer having 24 mole% of vinyl acetate in an amount of 30 g / m² extrusion coated and then with aqueous dispersions for the production of Receiving layers coated whose compositions dried state in the following table are indicated.<tables><table><tgroup cols="6"><tbody><row><entry namest="1" align="center">ingredients</entry><entry namest="2" nameend="6" align="center">Shares, wt.%</entry></row><row><entry align="center" /><entry align="center">a</entry><entry align="center">b</entry><entry align="center">c</entry><entry align="center">d</entry><entry align="center">e</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Urethane acrylate / vinyl acetate copolymer</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">30</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">40</entry><entry align="center">-</entry></row><row><entry align="left">acrylic latex</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">25</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">30</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Polyhexamethylene dodecanoamide with BET = 4.61 m²/G</entry><entry align="center">85</entry><entry align="center">65</entry><entry align="center">70</entry><entry align="center">50</entry><entry align="center">-</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Poly (ε-laurolactam) with BET = ca.4,2 m²/G</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">60</entry></row><row><entry align="left">polydiallyldimethylammoniumchloride</entry><entry align="center">5</entry><entry align="center">5</entry><entry align="center">5</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">10</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Coating weight, g / m²</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">20</entry><entry align="center">10</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0021On the papers according to the invention was assessed using the Inkjet printer Canon 620 a test image in the Primary colors yellow, cyan, magenta and black customized.

0022The printed paper was then treated with a Textile backing (fabric 100% cotton) in a brought into contact press, in the heat (180 ° C) and printing (34.5 x 10⁴ N / m²) The transfer of the image on The publication was produced. After the transfer has been the Paper support withdrawn.

0023In a further step was the printed Textile base at 30 ° C with conventional detergents washed and inspected.

Comparative Examples

0024A base paper having a basis weight of 80 g / m² has been in the first step with an ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer extrusion coated and then in the second step aqueous coating compositions coated whose Compositions in the dried state in the Table are given.<tables><table><tgroup cols="3"><tbody><row><entry namest="1" align="center">ingredients</entry><entry namest="2" nameend="3" align="center">Shares, wt.%</entry></row><row><entry align="center" /><entry align="center">V1</entry><entry align="center">V2</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Urethane acrylate / vinyl acetate copolymer</entry><entry align="center">20</entry><entry align="center">-</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Polyacrylate (Rhoplex®)</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">20</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Polyamide with BET surface area = 4.6 m²/G</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">-</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Vestamelt® (polyamide) with BET surface area = 0.246 m²/G</entry><entry align="center">75</entry><entry align="center">-</entry></row><row><entry align="left">high molecular weight polyethylene with BET surface area = ca.0.20 m²/G</entry><entry align="right" /><entry align="center">75</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Amide / epichlorohydrin copolymer</entry><entry align="center">5</entry><entry align="center">5</entry></row><row><entry align="left">viscosity modifier polyvinyl alcohol</entry><entry align="center">-</entry><entry align="center">-</entry></row><row><entry align="left">Coating weight, g / m2</entry><entry align="center">10</entry><entry align="center">30</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

test results

0025The papers prepared according to Examples were Help an inkjet printer Canon 620 with a test image provided and in terms of the "bleed" behavior examined. Under "bleed" is the running together of Inks at the edges of color areas lying together To understand the visually with the grades 1 to 10 (very is well judged to very poor).

0026Thereafter, the papers with a textile base were contacted and the image by heat and The effect of pressure from the paper to the textile base transfer.

0027In further step, to the printed Textile pad measured the color density. The Density measurements before and after a completed Washing with conventional detergents at 30 ° C. The Measurements were performed with the Gretag densitometer type 186 D for the primary colors yellow, cyan, magenta and black performed. From the density values ​​for each Color was calculated an average color density. <tables><table><tgroup cols="4"><tbody><row><entry namest="1" align="center">example</entry><entry namest="2" align="center">Bleed Sheet</entry><entry namest="3" nameend="4" align="center">color density</entry></row><row><entry align="center" /><entry align="center" /><entry align="center">before washing</entry><entry align="center">after washing</entry></row><row><entry align="center">1a</entry><entry align="center">1</entry><entry align="center">1.80</entry><entry align="center">1.17</entry></row><row><entry align="center">1b</entry><entry align="center">2</entry><entry align="center">1.75</entry><entry align="center">1.23</entry></row><row><entry align="center">1c</entry><entry align="center">2</entry><entry align="center">1.77</entry><entry align="center">1.24</entry></row><row><entry align="center">1d</entry><entry align="center">2</entry><entry align="center">1.70</entry><entry align="center">1.22</entry></row><row><entry align="center">1e</entry><entry align="center">2</entry><entry align="center">1.74</entry><entry align="center">1.25</entry></row><row><entry align="center">V1</entry><entry align="center">3</entry><entry align="center">1.65</entry><entry align="center">1.00</entry></row><row><entry align="center">V2</entry><entry align="center">4</entry><entry align="center">1.65</entry><entry align="center">0.95</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0028The ratings shown in the table of Bleed show for the samples of the invention a significant Improvement over those samples which on Documents with organic pigment of a specific BET surface &lt;1 m²/ G were prepared. After Transferring the images to a cloth backing and Determining the color density show that using the manufactured image bearing materials of the invention Pictures on textile support higher Fabdensitäten and after one wash a lower loss of Color density. Farbdensitätsverlust of more than 35% by a washing operation are not acceptable.