Thermal transfer sheet, coating liquid for colorant layer, method for manufacturing thermal transfer sheet, and image forming method

Abstract

A thermal transfer sheet which can prevent a kick and a scumming, and can form a photographic tone color image of high quality with a continuous tone image by sublimation transfer; a coating liquid for colorant layer to be used for forming the colorant layer of this thermal transfer sheet; a method for manufacturing this thermal transfer sheet; and image forming method employing this thermal transfer sheet. The problem is solved by a thermal transfer sheet (1) in which at least a colorant layer (3) is layered on a substrate sheet (2), wherein the colorant layer (3) contains a predetermined solvent, a colorant (10x) dispersible in the predetermined solvent, a dispersant, and a binder resin, and the dispersant being one or more selected from the group consisting of polyether-based dispersants, graft type polymer dispersants, acryl-based block type polymer dispersants, urethane-based polymer dispersants and azo-based dispersants.

1 . A thermal transfer sheet comprising:
 a substrate, a first colorant layer and a second colorant layer, layered in this order:   the first colorant layer containing a first residual solvent, a sublimable dye soluble in the first residual solvent, and a first binder resin; and   the second colorant layer containing a second residual solvent, a colorant dispersible in the second residual solvent, and a second binder resin.   
     
     
         2 . A method of manufacturing a thermal transfer sheet comprising:
 a first colorant layer forming step of applying a coating liquid containing a first solvent, a sublimable dye soluble in the first solvent and a first binder resin, onto a surface of a substrate sheet to form a first colorant layer; and   a second colorant layer forming step of applying a coating liquid containing a second solvent, a colorant dispersible in the second solvent and a second binder resin, onto the first colorant layer to form a second colorant layer.