EP0514457B1 - Photographic bleaching solution and use thereof in photographic color processing - Google Patents
Photographic bleaching solution and use thereof in photographic color processing Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0514457B1 EP0514457B1 EP91904196A EP91904196A EP0514457B1 EP 0514457 B1 EP0514457 B1 EP 0514457B1 EP 91904196 A EP91904196 A EP 91904196A EP 91904196 A EP91904196 A EP 91904196A EP 0514457 B1 EP0514457 B1 EP 0514457B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- acid
- bleaching solution
- bleaching
- photographic
- potassium
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 238000004061 bleaching Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 64
- -1 silver halide Chemical class 0.000 claims abstract description 31
- 239000002253 acid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 150000007933 aliphatic carboxylic acids Chemical class 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 229910052700 potassium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 239000011591 potassium Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- XAEFZNCEHLXOMS-UHFFFAOYSA-M potassium benzoate Chemical compound [K+].[O-]C(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1 XAEFZNCEHLXOMS-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetic acid Chemical compound CC(O)=O QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 21
- KCXVZYZYPLLWCC-UHFFFAOYSA-N EDTA Chemical compound OC(=O)CN(CC(O)=O)CCN(CC(O)=O)CC(O)=O KCXVZYZYPLLWCC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 7
- XNCSCQSQSGDGES-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-[2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]propyl-(carboxymethyl)amino]acetic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CN(CC(O)=O)C(C)CN(CC(O)=O)CC(O)=O XNCSCQSQSGDGES-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 150000003863 ammonium salts Chemical class 0.000 claims description 6
- SXDBWCPKPHAZSM-UHFFFAOYSA-M bromate Chemical class [O-]Br(=O)=O SXDBWCPKPHAZSM-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims description 4
- IOLCXVTUBQKXJR-UHFFFAOYSA-M potassium bromide Chemical group [K+].[Br-] IOLCXVTUBQKXJR-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000002378 acidificating effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000007844 bleaching agent Substances 0.000 abstract description 34
- 229910052709 silver Inorganic materials 0.000 abstract description 22
- 239000004332 silver Substances 0.000 abstract description 22
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 abstract description 14
- BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silver Chemical compound [Ag] BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 abstract description 9
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 abstract description 9
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 50
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 15
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 14
- 150000007513 acids Chemical class 0.000 description 5
- 229960001484 edetic acid Drugs 0.000 description 5
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 description 5
- CDAWCLOXVUBKRW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-aminophenol Chemical class NC1=CC=CC=C1O CDAWCLOXVUBKRW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron Chemical compound [Fe] XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 125000001931 aliphatic group Chemical group 0.000 description 4
- 229910052783 alkali metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 4
- BWHMMNNQKKPAPP-UHFFFAOYSA-L potassium carbonate Chemical compound [K+].[K+].[O-]C([O-])=O BWHMMNNQKKPAPP-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- XWSGEVNYFYKXCP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-[carboxymethyl(methyl)amino]acetic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CN(C)CC(O)=O XWSGEVNYFYKXCP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- LYCAIKOWRPUZTN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethylene glycol Chemical compound OCCO LYCAIKOWRPUZTN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M Potassium hydroxide Chemical compound [OH-].[K+] KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 3
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 3
- 239000000839 emulsion Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000003352 sequestering agent Substances 0.000 description 3
- PLIKAWJENQZMHA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 4-aminophenol Chemical compound NC1=CC=C(O)C=C1 PLIKAWJENQZMHA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- QGZKDVFQNNGYKY-UHFFFAOYSA-O Ammonium Chemical compound [NH4+] QGZKDVFQNNGYKY-UHFFFAOYSA-O 0.000 description 2
- VTLYFUHAOXGGBS-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fe3+ Chemical compound [Fe+3] VTLYFUHAOXGGBS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- WCUXLLCKKVVCTQ-UHFFFAOYSA-M Potassium chloride Chemical compound [Cl-].[K+] WCUXLLCKKVVCTQ-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 2
- QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulfuric acid Chemical compound OS(O)(=O)=O QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000003929 acidic solution Substances 0.000 description 2
- SXDBWCPKPHAZSM-UHFFFAOYSA-N bromic acid Chemical compound OBr(=O)=O SXDBWCPKPHAZSM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- NBZBKCUXIYYUSX-UHFFFAOYSA-N iminodiacetic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CNCC(O)=O NBZBKCUXIYYUSX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- VCJMYUPGQJHHFU-UHFFFAOYSA-N iron(3+);trinitrate Chemical compound [Fe+3].[O-][N+]([O-])=O.[O-][N+]([O-])=O.[O-][N+]([O-])=O VCJMYUPGQJHHFU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 150000004989 p-phenylenediamines Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 239000006179 pH buffering agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- ZJAOAACCNHFJAH-UHFFFAOYSA-N phosphonoformic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)P(O)(O)=O ZJAOAACCNHFJAH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910000027 potassium carbonate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229910001414 potassium ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 159000000001 potassium salts Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 150000003378 silver Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000003381 stabilizer Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000000087 stabilizing effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 description 2
- CBCKQZAAMUWICA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,4-phenylenediamine Chemical compound NC1=CC=C(N)C=C1 CBCKQZAAMUWICA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- GXVUZYLYWKWJIM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanamine Chemical compound NCCOCCN GXVUZYLYWKWJIM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- GTOOAPLRWMOITA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-(4-amino-n-ethyl-3-methylanilino)ethyl hydrogen sulfate Chemical compound OS(=O)(=O)OCCN(CC)C1=CC=C(N)C(C)=C1 GTOOAPLRWMOITA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- TZMVSJNOQJXJMO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-[1,2,2-tris(carboxymethyl)cyclohexyl]acetic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CC1(CC(O)=O)CCCCC1(CC(O)=O)CC(O)=O TZMVSJNOQJXJMO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- URDCARMUOSMFFI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-[2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl-(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]acetic acid Chemical compound OCCN(CC(O)=O)CCN(CC(O)=O)CC(O)=O URDCARMUOSMFFI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- WYMDDFRYORANCC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-[[3-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]-2-hydroxypropyl]-(carboxymethyl)amino]acetic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CN(CC(O)=O)CC(O)CN(CC(O)=O)CC(O)=O WYMDDFRYORANCC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- QHHFAXFIUXRVSI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-[carboxymethyl(ethyl)amino]acetic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CN(CC)CC(O)=O QHHFAXFIUXRVSI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- CAMQCQPKZNSFND-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-amino-3,6-dimethylphenol Chemical compound CC1=CC=C(C)C(O)=C1N CAMQCQPKZNSFND-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- FEDLEBCVFZMHBP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-amino-3-methylphenol Chemical compound CC1=CC=CC(O)=C1N FEDLEBCVFZMHBP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- ZIUZDRMIXJKUNY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 3-[2-carboxyethyl(ethyl)amino]propanoic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CCN(CC)CCC(O)=O ZIUZDRMIXJKUNY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- BGNGWHSBYQYVRX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 4-(dimethylamino)benzaldehyde Chemical compound CN(C)C1=CC=C(C=O)C=C1 BGNGWHSBYQYVRX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- HDGMAACKJSBLMW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 4-amino-2-methylphenol Chemical compound CC1=CC(N)=CC=C1O HDGMAACKJSBLMW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- BDDLHHRCDSJVKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 7028-40-2 Chemical compound CC(O)=O.CC(O)=O.CC(O)=O.CC(O)=O BDDLHHRCDSJVKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- CZIVFJSFPSKAPH-UHFFFAOYSA-N C(CCC(=O)O)(=O)O.C(CC(=O)O)(=O)O.C(CCC)(=O)O.OCC(=O)O.C(CC)(=O)O.C(CC(O)(C(=O)O)CC(=O)O)(=O)O.C(C)(=O)O Chemical compound C(CCC(=O)O)(=O)O.C(CC(=O)O)(=O)O.C(CCC)(=O)O.OCC(=O)O.C(CC)(=O)O.C(CC(O)(C(=O)O)CC(=O)O)(=O)O.C(C)(=O)O CZIVFJSFPSKAPH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-M Chloride anion Chemical compound [Cl-] VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrochloric acid Chemical compound Cl VEXZGXHMUGYJMC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M Ilexoside XXIX Chemical compound C[C@@H]1CC[C@@]2(CC[C@@]3(C(=CC[C@H]4[C@]3(CC[C@@H]5[C@@]4(CC[C@@H](C5(C)C)OS(=O)(=O)[O-])C)C)[C@@H]2[C@]1(C)O)C)C(=O)O[C@H]6[C@@H]([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O6)CO)O)O)O.[Na+] DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 229910021578 Iron(III) chloride Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- OFOBLEOULBTSOW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Malonic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CC(O)=O OFOBLEOULBTSOW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- QPCDCPDFJACHGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N N,N-bis{2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl}glycine Chemical compound OC(=O)CN(CC(O)=O)CCN(CC(=O)O)CCN(CC(O)=O)CC(O)=O QPCDCPDFJACHGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000020 Nitrocellulose Substances 0.000 description 1
- ABLZXFCXXLZCGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Phosphorous acid Chemical compound OP(O)=O ABLZXFCXXLZCGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000004793 Polystyrene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910021607 Silver chloride Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- KDYFGRWQOYBRFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Succinic acid Natural products OC(=O)CCC(O)=O KDYFGRWQOYBRFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- FJWGYAHXMCUOOM-QHOUIDNNSA-N [(2s,3r,4s,5r,6r)-2-[(2r,3r,4s,5r,6s)-4,5-dinitrooxy-2-(nitrooxymethyl)-6-[(2r,3r,4s,5r,6s)-4,5,6-trinitrooxy-2-(nitrooxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-3,5-dinitrooxy-6-(nitrooxymethyl)oxan-4-yl] nitrate Chemical compound O([C@@H]1O[C@@H]([C@H]([C@H](O[N+]([O-])=O)[C@H]1O[N+]([O-])=O)O[C@H]1[C@@H]([C@@H](O[N+]([O-])=O)[C@H](O[N+]([O-])=O)[C@@H](CO[N+]([O-])=O)O1)O[N+]([O-])=O)CO[N+](=O)[O-])[C@@H]1[C@@H](CO[N+]([O-])=O)O[C@@H](O[N+]([O-])=O)[C@H](O[N+]([O-])=O)[C@H]1O[N+]([O-])=O FJWGYAHXMCUOOM-QHOUIDNNSA-N 0.000 description 1
- SJOOOZPMQAWAOP-UHFFFAOYSA-N [Ag].BrCl Chemical compound [Ag].BrCl SJOOOZPMQAWAOP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- HOLVRJRSWZOAJU-UHFFFAOYSA-N [Ag].ICl Chemical compound [Ag].ICl HOLVRJRSWZOAJU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- DHKHKXVYLBGOIT-UHFFFAOYSA-N acetaldehyde Diethyl Acetal Natural products CCOC(C)OCC DHKHKXVYLBGOIT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 150000001241 acetals Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- CKJBFEQMHZICJP-UHFFFAOYSA-N acetic acid;1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol Chemical compound CC(O)=O.CC(O)=O.CC(O)=O.CC(O)=O.NCC(O)CN CKJBFEQMHZICJP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003513 alkali Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910000288 alkali metal carbonate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 150000008041 alkali metal carbonates Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910000318 alkali metal phosphate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 150000001340 alkali metals Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 125000000217 alkyl group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- XYXNTHIYBIDHGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N ammonium thiosulfate Chemical compound [NH4+].[NH4+].[O-]S([O-])(=O)=S XYXNTHIYBIDHGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000003963 antioxidant agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000006708 antioxidants Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 125000003118 aryl group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 230000009286 beneficial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005282 brightening Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000001649 bromium compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229920002301 cellulose acetate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000003750 conditioning effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- SOCTUWSJJQCPFX-UHFFFAOYSA-N dichromate(2-) Chemical compound [O-][Cr](=O)(=O)O[Cr]([O-])(=O)=O SOCTUWSJJQCPFX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- FGRVOLIFQGXPCT-UHFFFAOYSA-L dipotassium;dioxido-oxo-sulfanylidene-$l^{6}-sulfane Chemical compound [K+].[K+].[O-]S([O-])(=O)=S FGRVOLIFQGXPCT-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 229910001447 ferric ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- YAGKRVSRTSUGEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N ferricyanide Chemical compound [Fe+3].N#[C-].N#[C-].N#[C-].N#[C-].N#[C-].N#[C-] YAGKRVSRTSUGEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000009472 formulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229960005102 foscarnet Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000004694 iodide salts Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- RBTARNINKXHZNM-UHFFFAOYSA-K iron trichloride Chemical compound Cl[Fe](Cl)Cl RBTARNINKXHZNM-UHFFFAOYSA-K 0.000 description 1
- RUTXIHLAWFEWGM-UHFFFAOYSA-H iron(3+) sulfate Chemical compound [Fe+3].[Fe+3].[O-]S([O-])(=O)=O.[O-]S([O-])(=O)=O.[O-]S([O-])(=O)=O RUTXIHLAWFEWGM-UHFFFAOYSA-H 0.000 description 1
- 229910000360 iron(III) sulfate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000004682 monohydrates Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- WMBCUXKYKVTJRF-UHFFFAOYSA-N n-methyl-1-(oxan-4-yl)methanamine Chemical compound CNCC1CCOCC1 WMBCUXKYKVTJRF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- MGFYIUFZLHCRTH-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitrilotriacetic acid Chemical compound OC(=O)CN(CC(O)=O)CC(O)=O MGFYIUFZLHCRTH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229920001220 nitrocellulos Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 150000007524 organic acids Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000007800 oxidant agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001590 oxidative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229960003330 pentetic acid Drugs 0.000 description 1
- JRKICGRDRMAZLK-UHFFFAOYSA-L peroxydisulfate Chemical compound [O-]S(=O)(=O)OOS([O-])(=O)=O JRKICGRDRMAZLK-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- WVDDGKGOMKODPV-ZQBYOMGUSA-N phenyl(114C)methanol Chemical compound O[14CH2]C1=CC=CC=C1 WVDDGKGOMKODPV-ZQBYOMGUSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 235000021317 phosphate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 150000003013 phosphoric acid derivatives Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229920006289 polycarbonate film Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000005020 polyethylene terephthalate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920002223 polystyrene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000001103 potassium chloride Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000011164 potassium chloride Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000001556 precipitation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003755 preservative agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000004053 quinones Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- ADZWSOLPGZMUMY-UHFFFAOYSA-M silver bromide Chemical compound [Ag]Br ADZWSOLPGZMUMY-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- ZUNKMNLKJXRCDM-UHFFFAOYSA-N silver bromoiodide Chemical compound [Ag].IBr ZUNKMNLKJXRCDM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- HKZLPVFGJNLROG-UHFFFAOYSA-M silver monochloride Chemical compound [Cl-].[Ag+] HKZLPVFGJNLROG-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 229910052708 sodium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011734 sodium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 159000000000 sodium salts Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- AKHNMLFCWUSKQB-UHFFFAOYSA-L sodium thiosulfate Chemical compound [Na+].[Na+].[O-]S([O-])(=O)=S AKHNMLFCWUSKQB-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 235000019345 sodium thiosulphate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000010186 staining Methods 0.000 description 1
- LSNNMFCWUKXFEE-UHFFFAOYSA-L sulfite Chemical class [O-]S([O-])=O LSNNMFCWUKXFEE-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 150000004764 thiosulfuric acid derivatives Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229920002554 vinyl polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000012224 working solution Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
- G03C7/00—Multicolour photographic processes or agents therefor; Regeneration of such processing agents; Photosensitive materials for multicolour processes
- G03C7/30—Colour processes using colour-coupling substances; Materials therefor; Preparing or processing such materials
- G03C7/42—Bleach-fixing or agents therefor ; Desilvering processes
- G03C7/421—Additives other than bleaching or fixing agents
Definitions
- This invention relates in general to photography and in particular to a novel bleaching solution for the bleaching of photographic elements. More specifically, this invention relates to an environmentally advantageous photographic bleaching solution which is useful in the color processing of photographic elements.
- a suitable oxidizing agent commonly referred to as a bleaching agent
- a fixing agent dissolving the silver halide so formed in a silver halide solvent
- the bleaching agent and fixing agent can be combined in a bleach-fixing solution and the silver removed in one step by use of such solution.
- bleaching agents are known for use in photographic processing, for example, ferricyanide bleaching agents, persulfate bleaching agents, dichromate bleaching agents, permanganate bleaching agents, ferric chloride, and water-soluble quinones.
- ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid as a bleaching agent in photographic color processing. Such complexes are used in both bleaching compositions and bleach-fixing compositions.
- a very large number of different compounds of the aminopolycarboxylic acid class are disclosed in the prior art as being useful photographic bleaching agents.
- the usual commercial practice is to use an ammonium or alkali metal salt of a ferric complex of ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or of a ferric complex of propylenediaminetetraacetic acid (PDTA).
- EDTA ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid
- PDTA propylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- patent 4,268,618 which describes a photographic bleaching bath containing an organic acid iron (III) complex salt, an alkali metal or ammonium salt of bromic acid, a water-soluble halogenide, a compound of the formula X-(R')- n COOM or the formula and a compound of the formula and British patent 1,319,721 which describes a photographic bleaching bath which contains a complex ferric salt and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid.
- ferric complexes of an aminopolycarboxylic acid can be employed in photographic bleaching solutions in the form of ammonium or alkali metal salts such as sodium or potassium salts.
- ammonium salts is undesirable from an environmental standpoint and the use of sodium salts provides an undesirably sluggish bleaching action.
- photographic bleaching solutions which comprise a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid as the bleaching agent, since these solutions are both fast-acting and environmentally acceptable.
- bleaching solution containing a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid.
- a significant and highly undesirable increase in blue D min results from bleach induced dye formation.
- bleach induced dye formation refers to reaction between the coupler and oxidized developing agent that takes place in the bleaching solution and leads to the generation of image dye and thus to stain formation.
- an environmentally advantageous photographic bleaching solution for use in the color processing of photographic elements is an aqueous acidic solution which is substantially free of fixing agents, bromates and ammonium salts and comprises (1) as a bleaching agent, a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminpolycarboxylic acid, (2) as an agent which functions to convert silver to silver halide, a potassium halide, and (3) a sufficient amount of a water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid to inhibit bleach induced dye formation.
- the present invention is based, in major part, on the unexpected discovery that water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acids, when used in sufficient concentration, will effectively eliminate the problem of bleach induced dye formation and thus avoid unwanted staining that occurs in photographic processing. While water-soluble aliphatic carboyxlic acids have been commonly used in photographic bleach solutions heretofore, they have usually been used to adjust pH and use for this purpose does not require the high concentration of acid that is optimally used to effectively eliminate the problem of bleach induced dye formation.
- the essential components of the novel bleaching solution of this invention are a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid, a potassium halide, and a water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid.
- the potassium salt of the ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid can be employed in any effective amount, with useful amounts typically being at least 0.1 moles per liter of bleaching solution, and preferably at least 0.5 moles per liter.
- useful ferric complexes include complexes of: nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, propylenediamine tetraacetic acid, diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid, ortho-diamine cyclohexane tetraacetic acid, ethylene glycol bis(aminoethyl ether) tetraacetic acid, diaminopropanol tetraacetic acid, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine triacetic acid, ethyliminodipropionic acid, iminodiacetic acid, methyliminodiacetic acid, ethyliminodiacetic acid, and the like.
- a mixture of bleaching agents is preferred over the use of individual bleaching agents, since a mixture can provide a desired level of bleaching power intermediate that of the individual bleaching agents of which it is composed.
- particularly useful mixtures include a mixture of the ferric complex of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and the ferric complex of propylenediaminetetraacetic acid, a mixture of the ferric complex of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and the ferric complex of methyliminodiacetic acid, and a mixture of the ferric complex of iminodiacetic acid and the ferric complex of methyliminodiacetic acid.
- Potassium halides useful in the bleaching solutions of this invention include potassium chloride and potassium bromide.
- the potassium halide can be employed in any effective amount, with useful amounts typically being at least 0.1 moles per liter, and preferably at least 0.25 moles per liter.
- Water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acids useful in the bleaching solutions of this invention include all of the many members of this well-known class of acids, such as, for example: acetic acid citric acid propionic acid hydroxyacetic acid butyric acid malonic acid succinic acid, and the like.
- the water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid is employed in an amount of at least 0.7 moles per liter of bleaching solution, and most preferably at least 0.9 moles per liter.
- the bleaching solutions of this invention are aqueous acidic solutions preferably having a pH in the range of from about 4 to about 6.8 and most preferably in the range of from 4.5 to 5.5.
- the bleaching solutions of this invention can contain other addenda known in the art to be useful in bleaching compositions, such as sequestering agents, sulfites, and non-chelated salts of aminopolycarboxylic acids.
- compositions of this invention are bleaching solutions and not bleach-fixing solutions, and thus they are substantially free of fixing agents.
- bleaching solution as used herein is intended to exclude bleach-fixing solutions.
- the bleaching solutions of this invention are also substantially free of bromates such as are employed in U.S. patents 4,242,442 and 4,268,618.
- a particularly useful sequestering agent which can be included in the bleaching solution of this invention to avoid the unwanted precipitation of salts is 1,3-diamino-2-propanol tetraacetic acid.
- the bleaching solutions of this invention are especially useful in the color processing of photographic elements, including photographic films utilized in negative-positive processes or in color reversal processes.
- Useful processes include a three-step process -- comprising the steps of color developing, bleaching and fixing -- and a six step process -- in which the film is processed in a first developer, a reversal bath, a color developer, a conditioning bath, a bleach bath and a fixing bath.
- the processing is typically carried out using a color developing solution which contains a primary aromatic amino color developing agent.
- These color developing agents are well known and widely used in a variety of color photographic processes. They include aminophenols and p-phenylenediamines.
- aminophenol developing agents examples include o-aminophenol, p-aminophenol, 5-amino-2-hydroxytoluene, 2-amino-3-hydroxytoluene, 2-hydroxy-3-amino-1,4-dimethylbenzene, and the like.
- Particularly useful primary aromatic amino color developing agents are the p-phenylenediamines and especially the N-N-dialkyl-p-phenylenediamines in which the alkyl groups or the aromatic nucleus can be substituted or unsubstituted.
- Examples of useful p-phenylenediamine color developing agents include: N-N-diethyl-p-phenylenediaminemonohydrochloride, 4-N,N-diethyl-2-methylphenylenediamine monohydrochloride, 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-methanesulfonylaminoethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine sesquisulfate monohydrate, 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine sulfate, 4-N,N-diethyl-2,2'-methanesulfonylaminoethylphenylenediamine hydrochloride, and the like.
- color developing solutions typically contain a variety of other agents such as alkalies to control pH, bromides, iodides, benzyl alcohol, anti-oxidants, anti-foggants, solubilizing agents, brightening agents, and so forth.
- Photographic color developing compositions are employed in the form of aqueous alkaline working solutions having a pH of above 7 and most typically in the range of from about 9 to about 13. To provide the necessary pH, they contain one or more of the well known and widely used pH buffering agents, such as the alkali metal carbonates or phosphates. Potassium carbonate is especially useful as a pH buffering agent.
- the fixing bath converts all silver halide into soluble silver complexes which diffuse out of the emulsion layers.
- Fixing bath retained within the layers of the photographic element is removed in a subsequent water washing step.
- Thiosulfates including ammonium thiosulfate and alkali metal thiosulfates such as sodium thiosulfate and potassium thiosulfate, are particularly useful as fixing agents.
- Other components of the fixing bath include preservatives and sequestering agents.
- a commercially important process intended for use with color negative photographic elements which contain the couplers in the silver halide emulsion layers, or in layers contiguous thereto, utilizes, in order, the following processing baths: color developer, wash (optional), bleach, fix, wash and stabilizer.
- processing baths color developer, wash (optional), bleach, fix, wash and stabilizer.
- a commercially important process intended for use with color reversal photographic elements which contain the couplers in the silver halide emulsion layers, or in layers contiguous thereto utilizes, in order, the following processing baths: first developer, wash, reversal bath, color developer, bleach, fix, wash and stabilizer.
- the first developer reduces the exposed silver halide to metallic silver;
- the reversal bath nucleates the silver halide that remains after first development, the color developer converts the nucleated silver halide to metallic silver and forms the dye images,
- the bleach converts all metallic silver to silver halide, the fix converts the silver halide into soluble silver complexes that are washed from the element, and the stabilizing bath improves image dye stability.
- such a process is carried out using the novel bleaching solution described hereinabove.
- novel bleaching solutions of the present invention can be utilized with any of a wide variety of photographic elements.
- the photosensitive layers present in the photographic elements processed with the novel bleaching solutions of this invention can contain any of the conventional silver halides as the photosensitive material, for example, silver chloride, silver bromide, silver bromoiodide, silver chlorobromide, silver chloroiodide, silver chloro-bromoiodide, and mixtures thereof.
- These layers can contain conventional addenda and be coated on any of the photographic supports, such as, for example, cellulose nitrate film, cellulose acetate film, polyvinyl acetal film, polycarbonate film, polystyrene film, polyethylene terephthalate film, polymer-coated paper, and the like.
- ferric complex of the aminopolycarboxylic acid it is generally convenient for the ferric complex of the aminopolycarboxylic acid to be formed in situ in the bleaching solution by reaction of a ferric salt, such as ferric sulfate or ferric nitrate, with an aminopolycarboxylic acid or mixture of aminopolycarboxylic acids.
- a ferric salt such as ferric sulfate or ferric nitrate
- potassium hydroxide is advantageously incorporated in the bleaching solution for the purpose of providing the desired potassium ions and maintaining the pH within the desired range.
- the bleaching solution of this invention is free, or at least substantially free of ammonium salts, as the presence of ammonium ions in a photographic bleaching solution is environmentally disadvantageous.
- the bleaching solution of this invention have a total iron content of less than 10 grams per liter. For environmental reasons, it is preferred to keep the total iron content of photographic bleaching solutions as low as possible.
- Couplers having a low pKa tend to be completely ionized in water.
- the activity of a coupler refers to its ability to form dye by reaction with oxidized developing agent. High activity couplers tend to produce very high D max values and are especially beneficial for this reason.
- An aqueous acidic photographic bleaching solution was prepared in accordance with the following formulation:
- the above-described bleaching solution was employed in the processing of a photographic negative-positive color film utilizing a conventional process comprising the steps of color developing, bleaching, fixing, washing and stabilizing.
- the film contained a low pKa, high-activity yellow-dye-forming coupler of the formula: Contact with the bleaching solution was carried out at 33°C for 3 minutes.
- the content of acetic acid in the bleaching solution was varied as indicated below, while all other factors were held constant, and for each sample of bleaching solution tested the blue D min was measured. Adjustment of pH of the bleach solution, necessitated by change in the acetic acid content, was accomplished by addition of sulfuric acid or potassium carbonate to give in each case a pH of 4.75.
- the blue D min declines sharply as the acetic acid concentration is increased to a level of about 0.7 moles per liter of bleaching solution and then levels off. This results from the fact that, over the effective range, increasing the acetic acid level causes a corresponding decrease in bleach induced dye formation.
- amounts of acetic acid of at least 0.7 moles per liter are preferred and, to provide added assurance of maintaining optimum conditions, amounts of at least 0.9 moles per liter are particularly preferred.
- water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acids, such as acetic acid to provide this improved result is clearly unexpected on the basis of what was known heretofore in the prior art.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Silver Salt Photography Or Processing Solution Therefor (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates in general to photography and in particular to a novel bleaching solution for the bleaching of photographic elements. More specifically, this invention relates to an environmentally advantageous photographic bleaching solution which is useful in the color processing of photographic elements.
- In the production of color photographic images, it is necessary to remove the silver image which is formed coincident with the dye image. This can be done by oxidizing the silver by means of a suitable oxidizing agent, commonly referred to as a bleaching agent, in the presence of halide ion, followed by dissolving the silver halide so formed in a silver halide solvent, commonly referred to as a fixing agent. Alternatively, the bleaching agent and fixing agent can be combined in a bleach-fixing solution and the silver removed in one step by use of such solution.
- A wide variety of bleaching agents are known for use in photographic processing, for example, ferricyanide bleaching agents, persulfate bleaching agents, dichromate bleaching agents, permanganate bleaching agents, ferric chloride, and water-soluble quinones.
- It is particularly well known to use a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid as a bleaching agent in photographic color processing. Such complexes are used in both bleaching compositions and bleach-fixing compositions. A very large number of different compounds of the aminopolycarboxylic acid class are disclosed in the prior art as being useful photographic bleaching agents. However, the usual commercial practice is to use an ammonium or alkali metal salt of a ferric complex of ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) or of a ferric complex of propylenediaminetetraacetic acid (PDTA).
- Among the numerous patents describing the use of ferric complexes of aminopolycarboxylic acids in bleaching and/or bleach-fixing baths are United States patents 3,241,966, 3,615,508 and 3,767,401 and British patents 1,365,453, 1,392,163 and 1,394,357.
- Other patents of interest are U.S. patent 4,242,442 which describes a photographic bleaching bath containing a ferric ion complex, a bromate and a water-soluble chloride and optionally containing an aliphatic carboxylic acid, an aliphatic phosphonic acid or an aliphatic phosphonocarboxylic acid; U.S. patent 4,268,618 which describes a photographic bleaching bath containing an organic acid iron (III) complex salt, an alkali metal or ammonium salt of bromic acid, a water-soluble halogenide, a compound of the formula
X-(R')-n COOM or the formula
and a compound of the formula
and British patent 1,319,721 which describes a photographic bleaching bath which contains a complex ferric salt and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid. - The prior art indicates that ferric complexes of an aminopolycarboxylic acid can be employed in photographic bleaching solutions in the form of ammonium or alkali metal salts such as sodium or potassium salts. However, the use of ammonium salts is undesirable from an environmental standpoint and the use of sodium salts provides an undesirably sluggish bleaching action. Thus, it is especially advantageous to utilize photographic bleaching solutions which comprise a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid as the bleaching agent, since these solutions are both fast-acting and environmentally acceptable.
- A serious problem is encountered, however, in utilizing a photographic bleaching solution containing a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid. In particular, when such a bleaching solution is used to bleach a photographic element containing a low pKa, high-activity, yellow-dye-forming coupler, a significant and highly undesirable increase in blue Dmin results from bleach induced dye formation. The term "bleach induced dye formation" refers to reaction between the coupler and oxidized developing agent that takes place in the bleaching solution and leads to the generation of image dye and thus to stain formation. Formation of yellow image dye in this manner and resulting increase in blue Dmin is particularly acute with the low pKa, high-activity, yellow-dye-forming couplers that are used in many photographic films. The problem also occurs with the other image layers, but to a much lesser extent.
- It is toward the objective of providing an improved photographic bleaching solution that is fast-acting, and environmentally acceptable -- and sufficiently resistant to the phenomenon of bleach induced dye formation that it is highly useful with photographic elements containing a low pKa, high activity, yellow-dye-forming coupler -- that the present invention is directed.
- In accordance with this invention, an environmentally advantageous photographic bleaching solution for use in the color processing of photographic elements is an aqueous acidic solution which is substantially free of fixing agents, bromates and ammonium salts and comprises (1) as a bleaching agent, a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminpolycarboxylic acid, (2) as an agent which functions to convert silver to silver halide, a potassium halide, and (3) a sufficient amount of a water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid to inhibit bleach induced dye formation.
- The present invention is based, in major part, on the unexpected discovery that water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acids, when used in sufficient concentration, will effectively eliminate the problem of bleach induced dye formation and thus avoid unwanted staining that occurs in photographic processing. While water-soluble aliphatic carboyxlic acids have been commonly used in photographic bleach solutions heretofore, they have usually been used to adjust pH and use for this purpose does not require the high concentration of acid that is optimally used to effectively eliminate the problem of bleach induced dye formation.
- As indicated above, the essential components of the novel bleaching solution of this invention are a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid, a potassium halide, and a water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid.
- The potassium salt of the ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid can be employed in any effective amount, with useful amounts typically being at least 0.1 moles per liter of bleaching solution, and preferably at least 0.5 moles per liter. Examples of the many useful ferric complexes include complexes of:
nitrilotriacetic acid,
ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid,
propylenediamine tetraacetic acid,
diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid,
ortho-diamine cyclohexane tetraacetic acid,
ethylene glycol bis(aminoethyl ether) tetraacetic acid,
diaminopropanol tetraacetic acid,
N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine triacetic acid,
ethyliminodipropionic acid,
iminodiacetic acid,
methyliminodiacetic acid,
ethyliminodiacetic acid,
and the like. - In some instances the use of a mixture of bleaching agents is preferred over the use of individual bleaching agents, since a mixture can provide a desired level of bleaching power intermediate that of the individual bleaching agents of which it is composed. Examples of particularly useful mixtures include a mixture of the ferric complex of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and the ferric complex of propylenediaminetetraacetic acid, a mixture of the ferric complex of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and the ferric complex of methyliminodiacetic acid, and a mixture of the ferric complex of iminodiacetic acid and the ferric complex of methyliminodiacetic acid.
- Potassium halides useful in the bleaching solutions of this invention include potassium chloride and potassium bromide. The potassium halide can be employed in any effective amount, with useful amounts typically being at least 0.1 moles per liter, and preferably at least 0.25 moles per liter.
- Water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acids useful in the bleaching solutions of this invention include all of the many members of this well-known class of acids, such as, for example:
acetic acid
citric acid
propionic acid
hydroxyacetic acid
butyric acid
malonic acid
succinic acid, and the like. - The water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid is employed in an amount of at least 0.7 moles per liter of bleaching solution, and most preferably at least 0.9 moles per liter.
- The bleaching solutions of this invention are aqueous acidic solutions preferably having a pH in the range of from about 4 to about 6.8 and most preferably in the range of from 4.5 to 5.5.
- The bleaching solutions of this invention can contain other addenda known in the art to be useful in bleaching compositions, such as sequestering agents, sulfites, and non-chelated salts of aminopolycarboxylic acids.
- The compositions of this invention are bleaching solutions and not bleach-fixing solutions, and thus they are substantially free of fixing agents. The term "bleaching solution" as used herein is intended to exclude bleach-fixing solutions. The bleaching solutions of this invention are also substantially free of bromates such as are employed in U.S. patents 4,242,442 and 4,268,618.
- A particularly useful sequestering agent which can be included in the bleaching solution of this invention to avoid the unwanted precipitation of salts is 1,3-diamino-2-propanol tetraacetic acid.
- The bleaching solutions of this invention are especially useful in the color processing of photographic elements, including photographic films utilized in negative-positive processes or in color reversal processes. Useful processes include a three-step process -- comprising the steps of color developing, bleaching and fixing -- and a six step process -- in which the film is processed in a first developer, a reversal bath, a color developer, a conditioning bath, a bleach bath and a fixing bath. The processing is typically carried out using a color developing solution which contains a primary aromatic amino color developing agent. These color developing agents are well known and widely used in a variety of color photographic processes. They include aminophenols and p-phenylenediamines.
- Examples of aminophenol developing agents include o-aminophenol, p-aminophenol, 5-amino-2-hydroxytoluene, 2-amino-3-hydroxytoluene, 2-hydroxy-3-amino-1,4-dimethylbenzene, and the like.
- Particularly useful primary aromatic amino color developing agents are the p-phenylenediamines and especially the N-N-dialkyl-p-phenylenediamines in which the alkyl groups or the aromatic nucleus can be substituted or unsubstituted. Examples of useful p-phenylenediamine color developing agents include:
N-N-diethyl-p-phenylenediaminemonohydrochloride,
4-N,N-diethyl-2-methylphenylenediamine monohydrochloride,
4-(N-ethyl-N-2-methanesulfonylaminoethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine sesquisulfate monohydrate,
4-(N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine sulfate,
4-N,N-diethyl-2,2'-methanesulfonylaminoethylphenylenediamine hydrochloride,
and the like. - In addition to the primary aromatic amino color developing agent, color developing solutions typically contain a variety of other agents such as alkalies to control pH, bromides, iodides, benzyl alcohol, anti-oxidants, anti-foggants, solubilizing agents, brightening agents, and so forth.
- Photographic color developing compositions are employed in the form of aqueous alkaline working solutions having a pH of above 7 and most typically in the range of from about 9 to about 13. To provide the necessary pH, they contain one or more of the well known and widely used pH buffering agents, such as the alkali metal carbonates or phosphates. Potassium carbonate is especially useful as a pH buffering agent.
- In both the negative-positive process and the color reversal process, the fixing bath converts all silver halide into soluble silver complexes which diffuse out of the emulsion layers. Fixing bath retained within the layers of the photographic element is removed in a subsequent water washing step. Thiosulfates, including ammonium thiosulfate and alkali metal thiosulfates such as sodium thiosulfate and potassium thiosulfate, are particularly useful as fixing agents. Other components of the fixing bath include preservatives and sequestering agents.
- A commercially important process intended for use with color negative photographic elements which contain the couplers in the silver halide emulsion layers, or in layers contiguous thereto, utilizes, in order, the following processing baths: color developer, wash (optional), bleach, fix, wash and stabilizer. In accordance with this invention, such a process is carried out using the novel bleaching solution described hereinabove.
- A commercially important process intended for use with color reversal photographic elements which contain the couplers in the silver halide emulsion layers, or in layers contiguous thereto, utilizes, in order, the following processing baths: first developer, wash, reversal bath, color developer, bleach, fix, wash and stabilizer. In this process, the first developer reduces the exposed silver halide to metallic silver; the reversal bath nucleates the silver halide that remains after first development, the color developer converts the nucleated silver halide to metallic silver and forms the dye images, the bleach converts all metallic silver to silver halide, the fix converts the silver halide into soluble silver complexes that are washed from the element, and the stabilizing bath improves image dye stability. In accordance with this invention, such a process is carried out using the novel bleaching solution described hereinabove.
- The novel bleaching solutions of the present invention can be utilized with any of a wide variety of photographic elements. For a detailed description of useful photographic elements and methods for their manufacture, reference can be made to Research Disclosure, Item 17643, Vol. 176, December, 1978, published by Industrial Opportunities Ltd., Homewell, Havant Hampshire, P09 1EF, United Kingdom.
- The photosensitive layers present in the photographic elements processed with the novel bleaching solutions of this invention can contain any of the conventional silver halides as the photosensitive material, for example, silver chloride, silver bromide, silver bromoiodide, silver chlorobromide, silver chloroiodide, silver chloro-bromoiodide, and mixtures thereof. These layers can contain conventional addenda and be coated on any of the photographic supports, such as, for example, cellulose nitrate film, cellulose acetate film, polyvinyl acetal film, polycarbonate film, polystyrene film, polyethylene terephthalate film, polymer-coated paper, and the like.
- It is generally convenient for the ferric complex of the aminopolycarboxylic acid to be formed in situ in the bleaching solution by reaction of a ferric salt, such as ferric sulfate or ferric nitrate, with an aminopolycarboxylic acid or mixture of aminopolycarboxylic acids.
- In the present invention, potassium hydroxide is advantageously incorporated in the bleaching solution for the purpose of providing the desired potassium ions and maintaining the pH within the desired range.
- The bleaching solution of this invention is free, or at least substantially free of ammonium salts, as the presence of ammonium ions in a photographic bleaching solution is environmentally disadvantageous.
- It is especially desirable that the bleaching solution of this invention have a total iron content of less than 10 grams per liter. For environmental reasons, it is preferred to keep the total iron content of photographic bleaching solutions as low as possible.
- The problem of bleach induced dye formation is more severe with a bleaching solution containing potassium salts than with an otherwise comparable bleaching solution containing ammonium salts. Applicants are uncertain of the theoretical explanation for this, but it is believed that ammonium ions may act as an acid in the bleaching solution while potassium ions do not. The acidity imparted by the ammonium ions is believed to reduce the tendency for bleach induced dye formation to occur.
- As indicated hereinabove, a very serious problem exists in processing photographic films that contain low pKa, high-activity, yellow-dye-forming couplers since such films tend to undergo a highly undesirable increase in blue Dmin resulting from bleach induced dye formation. Acid strengths in water solutions are defined in terms of the equilibrium constant, Ka, for the reaction:
pKa is defined by the equation:
where - The greater the value of Ka, and smaller the value of pKa, the stronger the acid. Couplers having a low pKa tend to be completely ionized in water. The activity of a coupler refers to its ability to form dye by reaction with oxidized developing agent. High activity couplers tend to produce very high Dmax values and are especially beneficial for this reason.
- Low pKa, high-activity, yellow-dye-forming couplers are well known in the prior art and are described, for example, in U.S. patents 4,352,873, 4,476,219 and 4,522,916.
- The invention is further illustrated by the following examples of its practice.
-
- The above-described bleaching solution was employed in the processing of a photographic negative-positive color film utilizing a conventional process comprising the steps of color developing, bleaching, fixing, washing and stabilizing. The film contained a low pKa, high-activity yellow-dye-forming coupler of the formula:
Contact with the bleaching solution was carried out at 33°C for 3 minutes. - The content of acetic acid in the bleaching solution was varied as indicated below, while all other factors were held constant, and for each sample of bleaching solution tested the blue Dmin was measured. Adjustment of pH of the bleach solution, necessitated by change in the acetic acid content, was accomplished by addition of sulfuric acid or potassium carbonate to give in each case a pH of 4.75.
-
- As indicated by the above data, the blue Dmin declines sharply as the acetic acid concentration is increased to a level of about 0.7 moles per liter of bleaching solution and then levels off. This results from the fact that, over the effective range, increasing the acetic acid level causes a corresponding decrease in bleach induced dye formation. Thus, amounts of acetic acid of at least 0.7 moles per liter are preferred and, to provide added assurance of maintaining optimum conditions, amounts of at least 0.9 moles per liter are particularly preferred. The ability of water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acids, such as acetic acid, to provide this improved result is clearly unexpected on the basis of what was known heretofore in the prior art.
Claims (7)
- An aqueous acidic photographic bleaching solution which comprises a potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid, a potassium halide and a water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid and is substantially free of fixing agents, bromates and ammonium salts; characterized in that said water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid is present in said bleaching solution in an amount of at least 0.7 moles per liter.
- A bleaching solution as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pH is in the range of from about 4 to about 6.8, said potassium salt of a ferric complex of an aminopolycarboxylic acid is present in an amount of at least 0.1 moles per liter of bleaching solution, and said potassium halide is present in an amount of at least 0.25 moles per liter of bleaching solution.
- A bleaching solution as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said ferric complex is a ferric complex of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
- A bleaching solution as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said ferric complex is a ferric complex of propylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
- A bleaching solution as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said solution comprises ferric complexes of both ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and propylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
- A bleaching solution as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said potassium halide is potassium bromide.
- A bleaching solution as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein said water-soluble aliphatic carboxylic acid is acetic acid.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AT91904196T ATE95323T1 (en) | 1990-01-24 | 1991-01-18 | PHOTOGRAPHIC BLEACH SOLUTION AND COLOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING USING THE SAME. |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US469102 | 1983-02-23 | ||
US46910290A | 1990-01-24 | 1990-01-24 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP0514457A1 EP0514457A1 (en) | 1992-11-25 |
EP0514457B1 true EP0514457B1 (en) | 1993-09-29 |
Family
ID=23862425
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP91904196A Expired - Lifetime EP0514457B1 (en) | 1990-01-24 | 1991-01-18 | Photographic bleaching solution and use thereof in photographic color processing |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0514457B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH0693108B2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2073765A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69100446T2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1991011753A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPH04310950A (en) * | 1991-04-09 | 1992-11-02 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Treatment of silver halide photographic sensitive material |
DE69227297T2 (en) * | 1991-11-25 | 1999-06-02 | Eastman Kodak Co | Improved bleaching compositions and photographic processing methods |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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DE2021518A1 (en) * | 1970-05-02 | 1971-12-02 | Agfa Gevaert Ag | Photographic bleach and bleach-fix baths |
JPS5023824A (en) * | 1973-07-02 | 1975-03-14 | ||
JPS5644424B2 (en) * | 1973-07-13 | 1981-10-19 | ||
JPS5555337A (en) * | 1978-10-19 | 1980-04-23 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Processing method for silver halide color photographic material |
JPS569744A (en) * | 1979-07-05 | 1981-01-31 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Bleaching composition for photographic processing |
JPS58116538A (en) * | 1981-12-29 | 1983-07-11 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Color photographic processing method |
-
1991
- 1991-01-18 WO PCT/US1991/000377 patent/WO1991011753A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1991-01-18 JP JP3504413A patent/JPH0693108B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-01-18 DE DE91904196T patent/DE69100446T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-01-18 EP EP91904196A patent/EP0514457B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-01-18 CA CA002073765A patent/CA2073765A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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JPH05503791A (en) | 1993-06-17 |
DE69100446T2 (en) | 1994-05-11 |
DE69100446D1 (en) | 1993-11-04 |
JPH0693108B2 (en) | 1994-11-16 |
EP0514457A1 (en) | 1992-11-25 |
CA2073765A1 (en) | 1991-07-25 |
WO1991011753A1 (en) | 1991-08-08 |
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