Recording medium, image-forming method employing the same, process for producing the same

Abstract

An ink-jet recording medium having at least a light-reflecting layer and a dye-fixing layer formed in this order on a base material in a multilayer structure, wherein the light-reflecting layer contains two or more pigments different in chemical composition, and wherein the average particle size of a pigment (A) having a highest liquid absorbency in the pigments is smaller than the average particle size of a pigment (B) having a lowest liquid absorbency in the pigments.

1 . An ink-jet recording medium having at least a light-reflecting layer and a dye-fixing layer formed in this order on a base material in a multilayer structure, wherein the light-reflecting layer contains two or more pigments different in chemical composition, wherein the pigments comprise a pigment (A) having a highest liquid absorbency in the pigments and a pigment (B) having a lowest liquid absorbency in the pigments, wherein the pigment (A) has an average particle size of not larger than 0.5 μm, and the pigment (B) has an average particle size ranging from 0.5 μm to 10 μm, provided that the average particle size of the pigment (A) is smaller than the average particle size of pigment (B), and wherein the pigment (A) is an aluminum pigment.  
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the pigment (B) has an average particle size ranging from 0.5 μm to 5 μm.  
   
   
       4 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the light-reflecting layer is directly formed on the base material.  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the pigment (B) has a refractive index of not less than 1.6.  
   
   
       7 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the pigment (B) is barium sulfate.  
   
   
       8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the dye-fixing layer serves as a recording face and has a 20°-glossiness of not lower than 20%.  
   
   
       10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . An image forming method, comprising a step of conducting recording on the recording medium according to  claim 1  by an ink-jet recording system.  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the dye-fixing layer comprises not less than 70 mass percent alumina hydrate particles.  
   
   
       15 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum pigment is an alumina hydrate.  
   
   
       16 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum pigment is a γ-type crystalline aluminum oxide.  
   
   
       17 . The recording medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the pigment (B) is silica.