the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention comprises a substrate as described above preferably polyethylene terephthalate and a functional layer comprised of wax pigment binder resin sometimes residual solvent and a high molecular weight silicone resin suitable for use as a backcoating the functional layer is preferably obtained from the coating formulation of the present invention suitable waxes binder resins pigments and silicone resins are as described above the thermal transfer layer functional layer preferably has a softening point within the range of about 50 u00b0 c to 250 u00b0 c which enables transfer at normal print head energies which range from about 100 u00b0 c to 250 u00b0 c and more typically from about 100 u00b0 c to 150 u00b0 c the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention can be prepared from formulations of the present invention in the form of either a solution dispersion or emulsion once applied to the substrate a portion of the solvent can remain in the coating the ribbons can be prepared by conventional techniques and equipment such as a meyer rod or like wire round doctor bar set up on a conventional coating machine to provide the coating weights described above the coating weight of the thermal transfer layer typically ranges from 1 9 to 4 3 g m 2 a temperature of about 160 u00b0 f is maintained during the entire coating process after the coating formulation is applied it is optionally passed through a dryer at an elevated temperature to ensure drying and adherence of the functional layer to the substrate the thermal transfer layer can be fully transferred onto.