Optical recording medium and production thereof

Claim 2

An optical recording medium according to claim 1, wherein resinification of the recording layer is the result of impregnating an uncured liquid polymerizable component into the recording layer, and curing the impregnated component.

Claim 3

An optical recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the liquid polymerizable component is a photocurable component.

Claim 4

An optical recording medium according to claim 2, wherein the liquid polymerizable component has a viscosity of from 1 to 1000 cp.

Claim 5

An optical recording medium according to claim 4, wherein the liquid polymerizable component has a viscosity of from 1 to 300 cp.

Claim 6

An optical recording medium according to any of claims 2-5, wherein the recording layer is resinified by curing photocurable component containing an acrylate compound.

Claim 7

An optical recording medium according to claim 6, wherein the acrylate compound has three or more functional groups.

Claim 8

The optical recording medium of claim 7, wherein the acrylate compound of three or more functional groups is any of trimethylolpropane triacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, pentaerythritol trimethacrylate, 1, 3, 5-tris (β-acryloyloxyethyl)isocyanurate, 1,3,5-tris(β-methacryloyloxyethyl)isocyanurate, pentaerythritol tetracrylate, pentaerythritol tetramethacrylate, dipentaerythritol pentacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexamethacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexa(ώ-acryloyloxy-ε-caproate), and dipentaerythritol hexa(ώ-methacryloyloxy-ε-caproate).

Claim 9

The optical recording medium of claim 7 or 8, wherein the recording layer is resinified by curing a photocurable component further comprising an acrylate compound of two or less functionality.

Claim 10

The optical recording medium of any of claims 7-9, wherein the recording layer is resinified by curing a photocurable component further comprising a urethane acrylate compound.

Claim 11

An optical recording medium according to any preceding claim, wherein the recording layer contains an organic pigment.

Claim 12

An optical recording medium according to claim 11, wherein the recording layer is a wet-coated film of the organic pigment.

Claim 13

An optical recording medium according to any preceding claim, wherein the recording layer in the region not resinified is of a porous structure.

Claim 14

An optical recording medium according to claim 12, wherein the porous structure has a porosity of from 30 to 80%.

Claim 15

An optical recording medium according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the organic pigment is a polymethine pigment.

Claim 16

An optical recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the polymethine pigment has the structure represented by the structural formula below: wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are independently a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted styryl group, or substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group; r₁ and r₂ are indepedently a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; k is 0 or 1, m is 0, 1, or 2; and G⁻ is an anion.

Claim 17

A recording layer according to any of claims 11-16, further comprising an aminium salt.

Claim 18

An optical recording medium according to any preceding claim, wherein the recording layer has a bare portion at an end face of the substrate.

Claim 19

An optical recording medium according to claim 18, wherein the width of the resinification at the end portion of the recording layer and the vicinity thereof is 1-5 mn.

Claim 20

An optical recording medium according to claim 18, wherein the width of the resinification at the end portion of the recording layer and the vicinity thereof is 2-4 mn.

Claim 21

An optical recording medium according to any of claims 1-17 wherein the recording layer is fined so as not to be exposed at an end face of the substrate.

Claim 22

An optical recording medium according to claim 21, wherein the recording layer is separated from an end face of the substrate by a margin region 1-3 mn wide.

Claim 23

An optical recording medium according to claim 22, wherein the margin region is 1-2 mn wide.

Claim 24

An optical recording medium according to any of claims 21-23, wherein the width of the resinification at the end portion of the recording layer and the vicinity thereof is 1-3 mn.

Claim 25

An optical recording medium according to any of claims 21-23, wherein the width of the resinification at the end portion of the recording layer and the vicinity thereof is 1-2 mn.

Claim 26

A process for producing an optical recording medium having the features of any of claims 1-25, the process comprising steps of forming on the substrate a recording layer having an end portion, resinifiying a portion of the recording layer formed at the end portion and vicinity thereof of the substrate so as to be substantially incapable of optical recording, and forming a protecting layer on the recording layer with interposition of an adhesion layer.

Claim 27

A process according to claim 26, wherein the recording layer is resinified by applying an uncured liquid polymerizable component on the recording layer to impregnate the component into the recording layer, and then curing the uncured polymerizable component.

Claim 28

A process for producing an optical recording medium according to claim 26 or 27, wherein the recording layer is resinified by applying a liquid resin on the recording layer to impregnate the resin into the recording layer.

Claim 29

A process for producing an optical recording medium according to any of claims 26-28, wherein the recording layer is formed to have a porous structure.

Claim 30

A process for producing an optical recording medium according to claim 29, wherein the porous structure has a porosity of from 30 to 80%.

Claim 31

A process as claimed in any of claims 26-30, wherein the recording layer is formed so as to be exposed at an end face of the substrate.

Claim 32

A process for producing an optical recording medium having a substrate, a recording layer, and a protecting layer, comprising steps of forming a recording layer on the substrate, resinifying the end portion and the vicinity thereof of the recording layer so as to be substantially incapable of optical recording, and forming a protecting layer on the recording layer with interposition of an adhesion layer.

Claim 33

An optical recording medium according to any of claims 1-25 or made by the process of any of claims 26-32 which is an optical card.

Claim 34

An optical recording medium according to any of claims 1-25 or made by the process of any of claims 26-32 which is an optical disc.

Claim 35

An optical recording medium having a substrate and recording layer and a protecting layer, where a portion or portions of the recording layer are impregnated with resin to stabilise the medium against penetration by moisture or oxygen.