Transfer member for printing systems

A method for preparing a layered article, the layered article comprising a functional layer, the method comprising:

• a) providing a support layer adapted to form a rear side of the layered article, the rear side being opposite a first side;
• b) providing a functional layer, the functional layer including a hydrophobic silicone matrix comprising hydrophilic carbon black particles non-covalently dispersed therein;
• and
• c) bringing into contact the support layer and the functional layer with one another so as to form the layered article, said contacting optionally being in presence of a priming layer and/or an adhesive layer disposed on and/or facing the first side of the support layer;
• wherein the hydrophilic carbon black particles have at least one of the following properties:
• i) an oxygen content on the surface of the carbon atoms between 1.0 wt. % and 40 wt. %;
• ii) a volatile components content between 1.5 wt. % and 50 wt. %;
• iii) a surface zeta potential between −70 mV and −15 mV, as measured at a pH of at least 8.0;
• iv) a pH between 2.0 and pH 8.5, when measured for an aqueous dispersion of said hydrophilic carbon black particles;
• v) a dibutyl phthalate (DBP) absorption value between 50 mL/100 g and 200 mL/100 g;
• vi) a specific surface area between 50 m2/g and 650 m2/g, as determined by BET nitrogen absorption;
• vii) an ID/IG ratio of at least 0.8, wherein ID and IG represent the peak intensity maxima of D-band and G-band, respectively, as determined by Raman spectroscopy;
• viii) an average primary particle size (Dv50) of at most 100 nm;
• ix) a predominant secondary particle size (Dv90) of at most 5 μm;
• x) a predominant secondary particle size (Dv90) of at most 1000 nm;
• and
• xi) the hydrophilic carbon black particles contain at least one type of functional group selected from the group consisting of epoxy, hydroxy and carboxylic moieties, as detected by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.