Release layer treatment formulations

1. A formulation for use with an intermediate transfer member of a printing system, the formulation comprising:

(a) a carrier liquid;

(b) a positively chargeable polymeric chemical agent selected from the group consisting of polyethylene imine, a cationic guar or guar-based polymer and a cationic methacrylamide or methacrylamide-based polymer; and

(c) a resolubilizing agent selected to improve resolubilization of said chemical agent;

said polymeric chemical agent and said resolubilizing agent disposed within said carrier liquid;

said polymeric chemical agent having an average molecular weight of at least 10,000 and a positive charge density of at least 0.1 meq/g;

said resolubilizing agent having a hydrogen-bonding functional group;

said resolubilizing agent having, in a pure state and at 90° C., a vapor pressure of less than 0.5 kPa;

the concentration of the polymeric chemical agent within the formulation being not more than 1 wt. %;

and wherein a weight ratio of said resolubilizing agent to said polymeric chemical agent, within the formulation, is at least 1:10 and less than 2:1.

2. The formulation of claim 1 , said concentration of said polymeric chemical agent within the formulation being not more than 0.5 wt. %.

3. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein a functional group density of said hydrogen-bonding functional group within said resolubilizing agent is at least 0.25 meq/g.

4. The formulation of claim 1 , said resolubilizing agent having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of an amine group, a sulfonate group, and combinations thereof.

5. The formulation of claim 1 , said resolubilizing agent being selected from the group consisting of sugars amino silicones, styrene sulfonates, and combinations thereof.

6. The formulation of claim 1 , said resolubilizing agent being selected from the group consisting of cocoamide diethanol amine, ethoxylated methyl glucose ether, pentaerythritol, PEG 400, PEG 600, poly(sodium-4-styrenesulfonate), sucrose, triethanol amine, and triethylene glycol monomethyl ether.

7. The formulation of claim 1 , said resolubilizing agent having a molecular weight below 5,000 and optionally, having a solubility, in the formulation, of at least 10%.

8. The formulation of claim 1 , a water content of the formulation being at least 60% by weight.

9. The formulation of claim 1 , said weight ratio of said resolubilizing agent to said polymeric chemical agent being at least 1:3.

10. The formulation of claim 1 , the formulation having a viscosity of at most 1,500 cP.

11. The formulation of claim 1 , said vapor pressure of said resolubilizing agent being less than 0.20 kPa.

12. The formulation of claim 1 , said resolubilizing agent and said formulation being each independently stable at a temperature of up to at least 125° C.

13. The formulation of claim 1 , said polymeric chemical agent including at least one of linear polyethylene imine, branched polyethylene imine, and modified polyethylene imine; and, optionally, said polymeric chemical agent having at least one of the following structural properties: (a) said positive charge density being at least 3 meq/g and said average molecular weight being at least 5,000; (b) said positive charge density being at least 3 meq/g and said average molecular weight being at least 1000; (c) said average molecular weight being at least 50,000; and (d) a nitrogen content of at least 18% and said average molecular weight of at least 10,000.

14. The formulation of claim 13 , the charge density of said polyethylene imine being at least 10 meq/g.

15. The formulation of claim 1 , said polymeric chemical agent having at least one of the following structural properties: (a) said positive charge density being at least 3 meq/g and said average molecular weight being at least 5,000; (b) said positive charge density being at least 3 meq/g and said average molecular weight being at least 1000; (c) said average molecular weight being at least 50,000; and (d) a nitrogen content of at least 18% and said average molecular weight of at least 10,000, and wherein said polymeric chemical agent selected from the group consisting of a vinyl pyrrolidone-dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide co-polymer, a vinyl caprolactam-dimemylaminopropyl methacrylamide hydroxyethyl methacrylate terpolymer, a quaternized copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate with diethyl sulfate, a guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, a hydroxypropyl guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

16. The formulation of claim 1 , said resolubilizing agent having a solubility, in the formulation, of at least 1%, at 25° C.

17. The formulation of claim 1 , said polymeric chemical agent, said resolubilizing agent, and said carrier liquid making up at least 80% of the formulation, by weight.

18. A method comprising:

(a) providing a formulation according to claim 1 ;

(b) treating an intermediate transfer member of a printing system by application of said formulation upon a release surface of said intermediate transfer member;

(c) thereafter, depositing an ink image upon said intermediate transfer member,

(d) drying said ink image deposited on said intermediate transfer, and

(e) transferring the dried ink image to a printing substrate.