FORMATION OF IMAGE HAVING IMPROVED SLIP PERFORMANCE BY HEAT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for forming an image by heat in which the defect of the image is removed in most of the printing conditions. SOLUTION: In a method for forming an image by heat, (1) the outermost layer of recording material is brought into contact with a heat source. The recording material is constituted by containing at least one kind of thermal element which contains essentially a nonsensitizing silver salt and a reducing agent that is in thermal action relation thereto and is used therefor on a supporting body. (2) Heat is applied to the recording material according to an image from the heat source while holding mutual contact through relative movement between the recording material and the heat source. (3) A stage for separating the recording material from the heat source is incorporated. Dynamic friction coefficient during contact between the outermost layer of the recording material and the heat source has the maximum value smaller than 0.3. The outermost layer of the recording material coming into contact with the heat souce may be the outermost layer of the thermal element, a protective layer applied to the thermal element or a layer on the side opposite to the thermal element of the supporting body.