Dye Transfer Mechanisms in Full Color Thermal Printer.

Dye transfer thermal printing systems are becoming increasingly important as a high quality color printing method. The fundamental mechanisms of the dye transfer process must be understood better in order to further develop the system. To understand the dye transfer mechanisms, several experiments were conducted using a test printer and printing materials which were specially prepared for the purpose of the present study. It was disclosed that the mechanism of the dye transfer from the dye donor ribbon to the dye receiving sheet is caused by diffusion in the layers of the dye donor ribbon and dye receiving sheet. Among the various properties of the printing materials, the polymer Tg (glass transition temperature) has a dominant effect on the initiation of the transfer process and the amount of transferred dye.