Printable recording medium

1. A printable recording medium, comprising:

a base substrate;

a first ink-receiving layer disposed on top of the base substrate, the first ink-receiving layer including:

a first inorganic pigment in an amount equal to or greater than 70 wt% based on a total wt% of the first ink-receiving layer; and

a first ink-fixing agent in an amount ranging from about 3 wt% to about 10 wt% based on the total wt% of the first ink-receiving layer; and

a second ink-receiving layer disposed on top of the first ink-receiving layer, the second ink-receiving layer including from about 70 wt% to about 90 wt%, based on a total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer, of a second inorganic pigment selected from the group consisting of clay, calcined clay, ground calcium carbonate, aluminum silicate, magnesium carbonate, talc, and combinations thereof, the second inorganic pigment having a median particle size ranging from about 0.1 μm to about 2 μm;

wherein the first ink-receiving layer and the second ink-receiving layer each exclude precipitated calcium carbonate.

2. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the first inorganic pigment is selected from the group consisting of calcined clay, modified calcium carbonate, ultra-fine ground calcium carbonate, and combinations thereof.

3. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the first ink-fixing agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium bromide, magnesium bromide, calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, aluminum chlorohydrate, and combinations thereof.

4. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the first inorganic pigment has a median particle size ranging from about 0.5 μm to about 5 μm.

5. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the second ink-receiving layer includes less than 2 wt% of a second ink-fixing agent based on the total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer.

6. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 5 wherein a weight ratio of the second ink-fixing agent to the first ink-fixing agent is about 1:5.

7. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the printable recording medium is a printable package liner.

8. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second ink-receiving layers are applied to one side of the base substrate, and wherein the printable recording medium further comprises:

a curl control layer applied to a side of the base substrate opposed to the one side.

9. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein:

the first ink-receiving layer further includes a first polymeric binder in an amount ranging from about 5 wt% to about 20 wt% based on the total wt% of the first ink-receiving layer; and

the second ink-receiving layer further includes a second polymeric binder in an amount ranging from about 5 wt% to about 20 wt% based on the total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer.

10. A printing method for producing a durable image, comprising:

providing a printable recording medium including:

a base substrate;

a first ink-receiving layer disposed on top of the base substrate, the first ink-receiving layer including:

a first inorganic pigment in an amount equal to or greater than 70 wt% based on a total wt% of the first ink-receiving layer; and

a first ink-fixing agent in an amount ranging from about 3 wt% to about 10 wt% based on the total wt% of the first ink-receiving layer; and

a second ink-receiving layer disposed on top of the first ink-receiving layer, the second ink-receiving layer including from about 70 wt% to about 90 wt%, based on a total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer, of a second inorganic pigment selected from the group consisting of clay, calcined clay, ground calcium carbonate, aluminum silicate, magnesium carbonate, talc, and combinations thereof, the second inorganic pigment having a median particle size ranging from about 0.1 μm to about 2 μm;

wherein the first ink-receiving layer and the second ink-receiving layer each exclude precipitated calcium carbonate; and

printing a liquid ink on the second ink-receiving layer of the printable recording medium.

11. The printing method as defined in claim 10 wherein the printing of the liquid ink is accomplished at a print speed of at least 100 feet per minute (fpm).

12. The printing method as defined in claim 10 wherein after printing the liquid ink on the second ink-receiving layer, the method further comprises applying an over-print varnish onto the printed ink.

13. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the second ink-receiving layer further includes a polymeric binder, a wax, a plastic pigment, a dispersant, and a rheology modifier.

14. The printable recording medium as defined in claim 13 , wherein the second ink-receiving layer consists of:

the second inorganic pigment;

the polymeric binder present in an amount ranging from about 5 wt% to about 10 wt% based on the total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer;

a wax ranging present in an amount from greater than 0 wt% to about 5 wt% based on the total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer;

a plastic pigment present in an amount from greater than 0 wt% to about 10 wt% based on the total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer;

a dispersant present in an amount from about 0.1 wt% to about 2 wt% based on the total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer; and

a rheology modifier in an amount from about 0.1 wt% to about 2 wt% based on the total wt% of the second ink-receiving layer.