Stabilizers for dye-donor element used in thermal dye transfer

In a process of forming a thermal dye transfer image comprising:

• I) contacting at least one dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye in a polymeric binder, with a dye-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a polymeric dye image-receiving layer;
• II) imagewise-heating said dye-donor element;
• and
• III) transferring a dye image to said dye-receiving element to form said thermal dye transfer image,
• the improvement wherein said dye layer also contains a stabilizer comprising a monomeric or oligomeric organic material having a glass transition temperature of greater than about 60.degree. C., said stabilizer:
• a) being derived from a mixture of at least two different compounds, each having at least two linking components joining one multivalent organic nucleus with at least two organic nuclei, wherein at least one of the multivalent organic nucleus and the organic nuclei is a multicyclic aromatic nucleus;
• or
• b) having a phenylindane moiety.

In a thermal dye transfer assemblage comprising:

• (I) a dye donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye dispersed in a polymeric binder, and
• (II) a dye-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a dye image-receiving layer, said dye-receiving element being in superposed relationship with said dye-donor element so that said dye layer is in contact with said dye image-receiving layer,
• the improvement wherein said dye layer also contains a stabilizer comprising a monomeric or oligomeric organic material having a glass transition temperature of greater than about 60.degree. C., said stabilizer:
• a) being derived from a mixture of at least two different compounds, each having at least two linking components joining one multivalent organic nucleus with at least two organic nuclei, wherein at least one of the multivalent organic nucleus and the organic nuclei is a multicyclic aromatic nucleus;
• or
• b) having a phenylindane moiety.