Patent ID: 6936316

Claim:
A multi-layer opaque and matte ink-jet recording medium, suitable for recording images with dye and pigmented inks, which goes through phase change from opaque to transparent and glossy in at least one printed area to reveal the surface of a substrate and thereby provide light-emitting, reflective, glossy, metallic-looking images or to show holographic images, wherein the recording medium comprises a substrate coated with at least two chemically coupled layers comprising: (a) a first transparent ink-receptive layer comprising a polymeric binder and a cross-linker and optionally having a plasticizer and pigment particles such as alumina and silica coated over the substrate, wherein: (i) the cross-linker comprises a polyaminoamide epichlorohydrin resin, or a salt thereof, (ii) the cross-linker comprises an azetidinium polymerr salt comprising monomer units having the structural formula: in which R 1 and R 2 are independently lower alkylene, X− is an anionic, organic or inorganic counterion, and Y 1 , Y 2 and Y 3 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, halo, alkoxy, alkyl, amino, carboxy, acetoxy, cyano and sulfhydryl, and (iii) the cross-linker may further comprise a polyfunctional aziridine or a salt thereof, or a polyfunctional oxazoline and metallic salts; and (b) a second ink-receptive layer comprising an opaque or semi-opaque coating composition, wherein the opaque or semi-opaque coating composition is capable of accepting a printed image and thereby becoming semi-transparent or clearly transparent from application of ink-jet printing ink or similar inks, while presenting a light-emitting, reflective, glossy, metallic-looking or holographic or transparent image of high clarity and quality, wherein said first layer is located between said second layer and the substrate in said recording medium and the first and second layer are chemically coupled.