Colorant-free thermal imaging of substrates and methods of making and using same

摘要

A colorant-free thermally imaged substrate is disclosed, made by a method of using a heating element without ink or toner present to alter the gloss or orientation of a polymeric substrate wherein the heating element is controlled to provide a digital image having a resolution of from about 25 to about 1200 dots per inch (dpi). The thermal imaging method results in a gloss differential image having a resolution such at that obtained in thermal mass transfer printing techniques, but without the color. The gloss differential of the thermal image can be measured or monitored on product inventory or quality control equipment.