Recording medium with colored image information and method of producing a recording medium
The invention relates to a recording medium provided with colored image information, notably an identification card or value card. The colored image information is applied to a surface (A) of a polycarbonate layer which is treated to give it adhesive properties. The colored image information is notably applied by means of a thermal method and the surface (A) is preferably treated by application of an adhesive coating.
1. A recording medium in the form of a credit card, a debit card, or a phone card with colored image information, the recording medium comprising:
a polycarbonate surface treated to improve its adhesive properties, wherein the molecules in the area close to the polycarbonate surface are modified by a lacquer penetrated into the polycarbonate surface; and
colored image information applied by means of a thermal process to the treated surface.
2. The recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the colored image information is applied by thermal sublimation.
3. The recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lacquer is a screen printing lacquer.
4. The recording medium as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the lacquer is a screen printing lacquer that contains a solvent.
5. The recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the colored image information is covered with a protection coating.
6. The recording medium as claimed in claim 5 , the protection coating is a film or a lacquer coating.
7. The recording medium as claim in claim 6 , wherein the lacquer coating is a screen printing lacquer.
8. The recording medium as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the lacquer is a screen printing lacquer that contains a solvent.
9. The recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , including a black-and-white portion located under or over the colored image information.
10. The recording medium as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the black-and-white portion is applied by a laser printer with complete preservation of the colored image information.
11. The recording medium as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the colored image information and the black-and-white portion are located congruently one above the other and at a distance from each other.
12. The recording medium as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the recording medium is selected from the group consisting of an identification card, a credit card, a debit card, and a telephone card.
13. A method for manufacturing a recording medium in the form of a credit card, a debit card, or a phone card with colored image information, comprising the steps of:
providing a medium comprising polycarbonate;
treating a polycarbonate surface of the medium to improve its adhesive properties wherein a lacquer is applied to this surface and penetrates into the polycarbonate surface and modifies the molecules in the area close to the surface; and
applying a colored image information by a thermal process onto the treated surface.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the thermal process for applying the colored image information onto the treated surface includes thermal sublimation or thermal transfer.
15. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the lacquer is a screen printing lacquer.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the lacquer is a screen printing lacquer that contains a solvent.
17. The method as clamed in claim 13 , including applying a protective coating over at least the colored image information.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the protective coating is a film or a lacquer coating.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the lacquer coating is a screen printing lacquer.