Patent ID: 6159657
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: B41C,B41M,Y10S

Abstract:
A composition for thermal imaging comprising:a) a hydrophilic heat-sensitive ionomer,b) water or a water-miscible organic solvent, andc) an infrared radiation sensitive dye (IR dye) that is soluble in water or said water-miscible organic solvent, and has at least three sulfo groups,wherein the heat-sensitive ionomer is selected from the following two classes of polymers:I) a crosslinked or uncrosslinked vinyl polymer comprising recurring units comprising positively-charged, pendant N-alkylated aromatic heterocyclic groups represented by the Structure I: ##STR13## wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl group, R.sub.2 is an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an alkenyl group, halo, a cycloalkyl group, or a heterocyclic group having 5 to 8 atoms in the ring, Z"" represents the carbon and nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur atoms necessary to complete an aromatic N-heterocyclic ring having 5 to 10 atoms in the ring, n is 0 to 6, and W.sup.- is an anion, andII) a crosslinked polymer comprising recurring organoonium groups represented by the structure VI: ##STR14## wherein ORG represents organoonium groups, X' represents recurring units to which the ORG groups are attached, Y' represents recurring units derived from ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomers that may provide active sites for crosslinking, Z' represents recurring units derived from any additional ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomers, x' is from about 20 to about 99 mol %, y' is from about 1 to about 20 mol %, and z' is from 0 to about 79 mol %.