Method of producing transfer sheets and transfer sheets

1. A method of producing a transfer sheet containing an image for transfer to a final surface by heat and pressure, the method including:

providing an image directly on a first surface; and

providing a transfer sheet, comprising

a substrate;

an underlayer on the substrate that has a relatively weak affinity for the substrate, especially under heat; and

an overlayer that has a strong affinity to the underlayer;

transferring an image to the overlayer of the transfer sheet from the first surface using heat and pressure, thereby fixing the image to the transfer sheet, wherein during transferring of the image to the sheet, the underlayer has a higher affinity for the substrate than does the overlay to a surface from which the image is transferred thereto.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the overlayer comprises an amine-terminated polyamide.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the overlayer comprises silica.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the silica is presented in an amount equal to greater than about 3% by weight.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the silica is present in an amount between about 2%-10% by weight.

6. A method according to claim 3 wherein the silica is present in an amount greater than 5%.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the silica is present in an amount about 10% by weight.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the overlayer comprises a polyethylene imine.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the overlayer has a weight per square of greater than or equal to about 10 mg/m 2 .

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the overlayer has a weight per square meter of less than or equal to about 3000 mg/m 2 .

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the overlayer has a weight per square meter of between about 20-30 mg/m 2 .

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the underlayer comprises a linear Polyvinyl Pyridine.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the polyvinyl pyridine has a molecular weight of between about 40,000 and 200,000.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the underlayer comprises a copolymer of vinyl pyridine and styrene.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the copolymer of vinyl pyridine and styrene has a molecular weight of between 60,000 and 100,000.

16. A method according to claim 11 wherein the underlayer has a molecular weight of between 10,000 to 500,000.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the underlayer comprises a polyethylene methacrylic acid copolymer.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the underlayer includes between about 2% and 10% silica.

19. A method according to claim 1 wherein the underlayer has a weight per square meter of greater than or equal to about 100 mg/m 2 .

20. A method according to claim 1 wherein the underlayer has a weight per square meter of less than or equal to about 3000 mg/m 2 .

21. A method according to claim 1 wherein the underlayer has a weight of between about 300 and 600 mg/m 2 .

22. A method according to claim 1 wherein providing an image comprises:

producing an image using an electrostatic process.

23. A method according to claim 1 wherein providing an image comprises:

producing a multicolor image.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein producing a multicolor image comprises:

producing a series of color separations; and

transferring the separations seriatim to an intermediate transfer member.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein transferring the image to the transfer sheet comprises:

transferring the separations as a group from the intermediate transfer member to the transfer sheet.

26. A method according to claim 24 , wherein transferring the image to the transfer sheet comprises:

transferring the separations seriatim from the intermediate transfer member to the transfer sheet.

27. A thermal transfer sheet capable of receiving an image and transferring the image to a final substrate, the sheet comprising:

a sheet of plastic material;

a coating on the sheet comprising an underlayer comprising a polymer chosen from the group consisting of a Polyvinyl Pyridine a copolymer of vinyl pyridine and styrene and a polyethylene methacrylic acid copolymer, and an overlayer.

28. A thermal transfer sheet capable of receiving an image and transferring the image to a final substrate, the sheet comprising:

a sheet of plastic material;

coatings on the sheet comprising:

an underlayer, and,

an overlayer comprising a polymer chosen from the group consisting of an amine-terminated polyamide and a polyethylene imine.

29. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the underlayer comprises a polymer chosen from the group consisting of a Polyvinyl Pyridine a Polyvinyl Pyridine co-styrene as a polyethylene methacrylic acid copolymer.

30. A sheet according to claim 29 wherein the overlayer comprises a polyethylene imine.

31. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the overlayer comprises an amine-terminated polyamide.

32. A sheet according to claim 31 wherein the overlayer comprises silica.

33. A sheet according to claim 32 wherein the silica is present in an amount equal to greater than about 2% by weight.

34. A sheet according to claim 32 wherein the silica is present in an amount less than or equal to about 10% by weight.

35. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the overlayer has a weight per square meter of greater than or equal to about 10 mg/m 2 .

36. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the overlayer has a weight per square meter of less than or equal to about 3000 mg/m 2 .

37. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the overlayer has a weight per square meter of between about 20-300 mg/m 2 .

38. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the underlayer comprises a linear Polyvinyl Pyridine.

39. A sheet according to claim 38 wherein the polyvinyl pyridine has a molecular weight of between about 40,000 and 200,000.

40. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the underlayer comprises a copolymer of vinyl pyridine and styrene.

41. A sheet according to claim 40 wherein the copolymer of vinyl pyridine and styrene has a molecular weight of between 60,000 and 100,000.

42. A sheet according to claim 40 wherein the underlayer has a molecular weight of between 10,000 to 500,000.

43. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the underlayer comprises a polyethylene methacrylic acid copolymer.

44. A sheet according to claim 43 wherein the underlayer includes between about 2 and 10% silica.

45. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the underlayer has a weight per square meter of greater than or equal to about 100 mg/m 2 .

46. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the underlayer has a weight per square meter of less than or equal to about 3000 mg/m 2 .

47. A sheet according to claim 28 wherein the underlayer has a weight of between about 300 and 600 mg/m 2 .

48. A sheet according to claim 28 and including an image formed on the overlayer.

49. A sheet according to claim 48 wherein the image is a toner image.

50. A sheet according to claim 49 wherein the image is a liquid toner image.