System and Method for Image Receiving Surface Treatment in an Indirect Inkjet Printer

An inkjet printer comprising:

• an indirect image receiving member having an image receiving surface configured to move in a process direction in the inkjet printer;
• a surface maintenance unit configured to apply a layer of a hydrophilic composition comprising a liquid carrier and an absorption agent to the image receiving surface;
• a dryer positioned and configured to remove at least a portion of the liquid carrier from the layer of hydrophilic composition after the surface maintenance unit has applied the hydrophilic composition to the image receiving surface to form a dried layer of the absorption agent;
• a plurality of inkjets configured to eject aqueous ink onto the dried layer to form an aqueous ink image on the image receiving surface;
• and
• a transfix member that engages the image receiving member to form a transfix nip, the transfix member being configured to apply pressure to a print medium moving through the transfix nip as the aqueous ink image on the dried layer moves through the transfix nip to transfix the aqueous ink image and the region of the dried layer that receives the aqueous ink to a surface of the print medium.