EP0922995B1 - Photothermographisches Aufzeichnungsmaterial, das sowohl ex-situ als auch in-situ hergestelltes photoempfindliches Silberhalogenid und ein im wesentlichen lichtunempfindliches organisches Silbersalz enthält - Google Patents

Photothermographisches Aufzeichnungsmaterial, das sowohl ex-situ als auch in-situ hergestelltes photoempfindliches Silberhalogenid und ein im wesentlichen lichtunempfindliches organisches Silbersalz enthält Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0922995B1
EP0922995B1 EP19980204091 EP98204091A EP0922995B1 EP 0922995 B1 EP0922995 B1 EP 0922995B1 EP 19980204091 EP19980204091 EP 19980204091 EP 98204091 A EP98204091 A EP 98204091A EP 0922995 B1 EP0922995 B1 EP 0922995B1
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European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
situ
recording material
silver
silver halide
silver salt
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EP19980204091
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French (fr)
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EP0922995A1 (de
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Herman Uytterhoeven
Luc Bastiaens
Luc Vissers
Yvan Gilliams
Chris Van Roost
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Agfa Gevaert NV
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Agfa Gevaert NV
Agfa Gevaert AG
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    • 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
    • G03C1/00—Photosensitive materials
    • G03C1/494—Silver salt compositions other than silver halide emulsions; Photothermographic systems ; Thermographic systems using noble metal compounds
    • G03C1/498—Photothermographic systems, e.g. dry silver
    • G03C1/49818—Silver halides

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a photothermographic recording material with improved sensitivity and contrast.
  • US-P 3,457,075 discloses a sheet material useful in imaging by a process involving exposure to a light-image followed by uniform heating and including a stratum containing (a) photosensitive silver halide catalyst-forming means and (b) heat-sensitive reactant image-forming means including (1) a water-insoluble silver salt of a long chain fatty acid as an oxidizing agent, and (2) a reducing agent for silver ion, the oxidation-reduction reaction of which to produce a visible change is accelerated by the catalyst; the stratum being further characterized in that a sufficient quantity, of at least about one-fourth mol percent based on the fatty acid silver salt, of the photosensitive means is in catalytic proximity with a sufficient proportion of the heat-sensitive means to provide a gamma infinity value of at least about 0.5 when the stratum is exposed image-wise to the light-image and the image is then developed by uniform heating and wherein the manufacture method for the sheet material comprises mixing with the fatty acid silver salt a source of halide
  • halogen-containing metal complexes for example quaternary ammonium halides, quaternary phosphonium halides and ternary sulfonium halides
  • onium halides for example quaternary ammonium halides, quaternary phosphonium halides and ternary sulfonium halides
  • halogenated hydrocarbons for example quaternary ammonium halides, quaternary phosphonium halides and ternary sulfonium halides
  • N-halo compounds for example quaternary ammonium halides, quaternary phosphonium halides and ternary sulfonium halides
  • WO 97/48014 discloses a production method for a photothermographic recording material comprising the steps of: (i) providing a support; (ii) coating the support with a photo-addressable thermally developable element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, characterized in that the photosensitive silver halide is formed by reacting an aqueous emulsion of particles of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt with at least one onium salt with halide or polyhalide anion(s) and that the photo-addressable thermally developable element is coated from an aqueous dispersion medium.
  • WO 97/48015 discloses a photothermographic recording material comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element coatable from aqueous media comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, characterized in that the binder comprises a water soluble polymer, a water-dispersible polymer or a mixture of a water soluble polymer and a water-dispersible polymer and particles of the photosensitive silver halide are non-aggregating in the photo-addressable thermally developable element and are uniformly distributed over and between particles of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, at least 80% by number of the particles having a diameter, determined by transmission electron microscopy, of ⁇ 40nm.
  • US 3,871,887 discloses a method of preparing a photothermographic composition comprising: A) preparing a dispersion of: a) an oxidation-reduction image-forming combination comprising: i) a silver salt oxidizing agent and ii) an organic reducing agent with: b) ex-situ synthetic polymer-peptized photosensitive silver halide, and c) a cyclic imide toner in d) a non-gelatin polymeric binder and B) mixing with the dispersion a sensitizing concentration of a non-silver iodide salt, the iodide salt having the property of increasing the photosensitvity of the photothermographic composition.
  • a reduction in the amount of silver halide would increase the intrinsic stability of such materials and hence their photosensitivity (or the amount of silver halide necessary to attain the same photosensitivity), since this reduces the amount of stabilizer necessary to achieve acceptable pre- and post-exposure stability and hence the degree of stabilizer-induced photosensitivity loss.
  • It is therefore a first object of the invention to provide a process for producing a photothermographic recording material comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element based on a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the organic silver salt and a reducing agent for the organic silver salt with increased photosensitivity by coating from an aqueous medium.
  • It is a second object of the invention to provide a photothermographic recording material comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element based on a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the organic silver salt and a reducing agent for the organic silver salt having an increased photosensitivity.
  • thermographic recording material It is a still further object of the invention to provide a recording process for a thermographic recording material with the above improved characteristics.
  • a production process for a photothermographic recording material thermally developable under substantially water-free conditions comprising the steps of: (i) providing a support; (ii) producing one or more aqueous dispersions or solutions containing together a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive ex-situ silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder; (iii) coating the one or more aqueous dispersions or solutions onto the support to form layers which upon drying become a photo-addressable thermally developable element; and (iv) drying the layers, characterized in that the photo-addressable thermally developable element contains between 0.2 and 2.5 moles of in-situ photosensitive silver iodide per mole of ex-situ photosensitive silver halide produced by reacting particles of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver
  • a photothermographic recording material thermally developable under substantially water-free conditions comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, characterized in that part of the photosensitive silver halide is ex situ and part of the silver halide is in situ and the ex-situ and in-situ photosensitive silver halide is to be found in separate layers and wherein said substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt is a silver salt of an organic carboxylic acid.
  • a recording process is further provided according to the present invention comprising the steps of: (i) providing a photothermographic recording material as described above; (ii) bringing the recording material into the proximity of a source of actinic radiation to which it is sensitive; (iii) image-wise exposing the recording material to the actinic radiation; (iv) bringing the image-wise exposed recording material into proximity with a heat source; (v) thermally developing the image-wise exposed recording material under substantially water-free conditions; and (vi) removing the thermally developed image-wise exposed recording material from the heat source, wherein said substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt is a silver salt of an organic carboxylic acid, wherein said substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt is a silver salt of an organic carboxylic acid.
  • aqueous for the purposes of the present invention includes mixtures of water with water-miscible organic solvents such as alcohols e.g. methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, butanol, iso-amyl alcohol, octanol, cetyl alcohol etc.; glycols e.g. ethylene glycol; glycerine; N-methyl pyrrolidone; methoxypropanol; and ketones e.g. 2-propanone and 2-butanone etc.
  • alcohols e.g. methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, butanol, iso-amyl alcohol, octanol, cetyl alcohol etc.
  • glycols e.g. ethylene glycol
  • glycerine N-methyl pyrrolidone
  • methoxypropanol and ketones e.g. 2-propanone and 2-butanone etc.
  • substantially light-insensitive is meant not intentionally light sensitive.
  • thermally developable under substantially water-free conditions means heating at a temperature of 80° to 250°C under conditions in which the reaction system is approximately in equilibrium with water in the air, and water for inducing or promoting the reaction is not particularly or positively supplied from the exterior of the thermographic recording material.
  • a condition is described in T. H. James, "The Theory of the Photographic Process, Fourth Edition, Macmillan 1977, page 374.
  • the ex-situ photosensitive silver halide and the in-situ photosensitive silver iodide are in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt in separate layers.
  • the in-situ formed photosensitive silver iodide is formed in the presence of the ex-situ photosensitive silver halide.
  • the poorly distributed and agglomerated ex-situ photosensitive silver halide particles are deagglomerated and epitaxial growth takes place by Ostwald ripening upon in-situ formation of photosensitive silver iodide.
  • the photosensitive silver halide is preferably present in a concentration with respect to the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt of between 0.1 and 50mol%, with quantities between 3 and 35mol% being particularly preferred and quantities between 5 and 20mol% being especially preferred.
  • the ex-situ photosensitive silver halide is silver bromide, silver chloride, silver iodide or a mixed crystal consisting of silver chloride and/or silver bromide and/or silver iodide.
  • the ex-situ photosensitive silver halide is present in a concentration with respect to the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt of between 0.1 and 35mol%.
  • At least 80% by volume of the particles of the ex-situ silver halide have a diameter determined by electron microscopy between 50 and 150nm.
  • Ex-situ photosensitive silver halide may be produced according to any conventional process for example those described in Research Disclosure number 17029, published in June 1978, in section I.
  • In-situ photosensitive silver iodide is produced, as used in the photothermographic recording material of the present invention, by the reaction of organic silver salt particles with an iodide ion source in an aqueous medium.
  • Suitable iodide ion sources are:
  • Preferred oniums according to the present invention are organo-phosphonium, organo-sulphonium and organo-nitrogen onium cations, with heterocyclic nitrogen onium (e.g. pyridinium), quaternary phosphonium and ternary sulphonium cations being preferred.
  • heterocyclic nitrogen onium e.g. pyridinium
  • quaternary phosphonium and ternary sulphonium cations being preferred.
  • Onium cations may be polymeric or non-polymeric.
  • Preferred non-polymeric onium salts for partial conversion of particles of substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt into photo-sensitive silver halides according to the present invention are:
  • the photo-addressable thermally developable element further contains a source of bromine or chorine radicals.
  • Suitable sources of bromine or chlorine radicals are disclosed in JP 50-089018, JP 50-137126, GB 2,006,976, US 3,707,377, EP-A 631 176, EP-A 605 981, EP-A 600,587, US 4,459,350, US 5,340,712, US 4,756,999, US 4,546,075, US 4,452,885 and EP-B 223 606.
  • a particularly preferred source of bromine or chlorine radicals is an aryl haloalkylsulfone or heterocyclic haloalkylsulfone, with phenyl tribromomethyl sulfone being especially preferred.
  • the photo-addressable thermally developable element contains a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a water soluble or water-dispersible binder.
  • the element may comprise a layer system with the silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt ingredients, spectral sensitizer optionally together with a supersensitizer in sensitizing association with the silver halide particles and the other ingredients active in the thermal development process or pre- or post-development stabilization of the element being in the same layer or in other layers with the proviso that the organic reducing agent and the toning agent, if present, are in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt i.e. during the thermal development process the reducing agent and the toning agent, if present, are able to diffuse to the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt.
  • Preferred substantially light-insensitive organic silver salts for use in the photothermographic recording materials of the present invention, are silver salts of organic carboxylic acids e.g. silver salts of aromatic carboxylic acids, such as silver benzoate, and silver salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids known as fatty acids, wherein the aliphatic carbon chain has preferably at least 12 C-atoms, e.g. silver laurate, silver palmitate, silver stearate, silver hydroxystearate, silver oleate and silver behenate, which silver salts are also called "silver soaps".
  • the use of silver salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids is particularly preferred in the photothermographic recording materials of the present invention. Combinations of different organic silver salts can also be used in the photothermographic materials of the present invention.
  • Particles of the silver salts of organic carboxylic acids are prepared by the reaction of a soluble silver salt with the organic carboxylic acid or a salt thereof.
  • Research Disclosure number 17029 published in June 1978, in section II gives a survey of different methods of preparing organic heavy metal salts.
  • the synthesis has to be carried out in an organic solvent medium as disclosed, for example, in US-P 3,700,458 or in a mixture of water and a substantially water insoluble organic solvent as disclosed, for example, in US-P 3,960,908 for silver carboxylates.
  • a suspension of particles containing a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt may be obtained by using a process, comprising simultaneous metered addition of a solution or suspension of an organic compound with at least one ionizable hydrogen atom or its salt; and a solution of a silver salt to a liquid, as described in EP-A 754 969. Should dispersion be necessary any conventional dispersion techniques may be used, for example ball milling, microfluidization, pearl mills etc.
  • a preferred production process for a dispersion of particles of substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt including silver behenate in an aqueous medium for use in the photothermographic recording material of the present invention comprises the steps of: i) producing an aqueous dispersion of one or more organic acids including behenic acid and an anionic surfactant; ii) substantially neutralizing the organic acids with aqueous alkali thereby forming organic acid salts including a behenic acid salt; (iii) adding an aqueous solution of a silver salt to completely convert the organic acid salts into their silver salts including silver behenate, characterized in that the anionic surfactant is present in a molar ratio with respect to organic acid greater than 0.15 and the silver salt is added at a rate between 0.025mol/mol organic silver salt ⁇ min and 2.25mol/mol organic silver salt ⁇ min.
  • Suitable anionic surfactants for use in the production process for a dispersion of particles of substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt in an aqueous medium are:
  • Suitable organic reducing agents for the reduction of the substantially light-insensitive organic heavy metal salts are organic compounds containing at least one active hydrogen atom linked to O, N or C.
  • Particularly suitable organic reducing agents for the reduction of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent for the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt are non-sulfo-substituted 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring compounds with at least three substituents one of which is a hydroxy group at a first carbon atom and a second of which is a hydroxy or amino-group substituted on a second carbon atom one, three or five ring atoms removed in a system of conjugated double bonds from the first carbon atom in the compound, in which (i) the third substituent may be part of an annulated carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system; (ii) the third substituent or a further substituent is not an aryl- or oxo-aryl-group whose aryl group is substituted with hydroxy-
  • Particularly preferred reducing agents are substituted catechols or substituted hydroquinones with 3-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid, 3',4'-dihydroxy-butyrophenone, methyl gallate, ethyl gallate and 1,5-dihydroxy-naphthalene being especially preferred.
  • Suitable reducing agents are sterically hindered phenols, bisphenols and sulfonamidophenols.
  • Combinations of reducing agents may also be used that on heating become reactive partners in the reduction of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt comprising silver behenate.
  • combinations of reducing agents with sulfonamidophenols are described in the periodical Research Disclosure, February 1979, item 17842, in US-P 4,360,581 and 4,782,004, and in EP-A 423 891 and combinations of sterically hindered phenols with sulfonyl hydrazide reducing agents such as disclosed in US-P 5,464,738; trityl hydrazides and formyl-phenyl-hydrazides such as disclosed in US-P 5,496,695; trityl hydrazides and formyl-phenyl-hydrazides with diverse auxiliary reducing agents such as disclosed in US-P 5,545,505, US-P 5.545.507 and US-P 5,558,983; acrylonitrile compounds as disclosed in US-P 5,545,515 and US-P 5,63
  • Organic reducing metal salts e.g. stannous stearate
  • stannous stearate have also been used in such reducing agent combinations, as disclosed in US-P 3,460,946 and 3,547,648.
  • Sterically hindered phenols and bisphenols have themselves been used in such reducing agent combinations, such as described in US-P 4,001,026 and US-P 3,547,648 respectively.
  • the silver image density depends on the coverage of the above defined reducing agent(s) and organic silver salt(s) and has to be preferably such that, on heating above 100 °C, an optical density of at least 2.5 can be obtained. Preferably at least 0.10 moles of reducing agent per mole of organic silver salt is used.
  • the reducing agent must be present in such a way that it is able to diffuse to the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt particles so that reduction of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt can take place.
  • the photo-addressable thermally developable element of the photothermographic recording material may contain a spectral sensitizer, optionally together with a supersensitizer, for the silver halide appropriate for the wavelength of the light source which may in the near UV, visible, e.g. 630nm, 670nm etc., or IR, parts of spectrum.
  • the silver halide may be spectrally sensitized with various known dyes including cyanine, merocyanine, styryl, hemicyanine, oxonol, hemioxonol and xanthene dyes optionally, particularly in the case of sensitization to infra-red radiation, in the presence of a so-called supersensitizer.
  • various known dyes including cyanine, merocyanine, styryl, hemicyanine, oxonol, hemioxonol and xanthene dyes optionally, particularly in the case of sensitization to infra-red radiation, in the presence of a so-called supersensitizer.
  • Useful cyanine dyes include those having a basic nucleus, such as a thiazoline nucleus, an oxazoline nucleus, a pyrroline nucleus, a pyridine nucleus, an oxazole nucleus, a thiazole nucleus, a selenazole nucleus and an imidazole nucleus.
  • a basic nucleus such as a thiazoline nucleus, an oxazoline nucleus, a pyrroline nucleus, a pyridine nucleus, an oxazole nucleus, a thiazole nucleus, a selenazole nucleus and an imidazole nucleus.
  • Useful merocyanine dyes which are preferred include those having not only the above described basic nuclei but also acid nuclei, such as a thiohydantoin nucleus, a rhodanine nucleus, an oxazolidinedione nucleus, a thiazolidinedione nucleus, a barbituric acid nucleus, a thiazolinone nucleus, a malononitrile nucleus and a pyrazolone nucleus.
  • acid nuclei such as a thiohydantoin nucleus, a rhodanine nucleus, an oxazolidinedione nucleus, a thiazolidinedione nucleus, a barbituric acid nucleus, a thiazolinone nucleus, a malononitrile nucleus and a pyrazolone nucleus.
  • imino groups or carboxyl groups are particularly effective.
  • the photothermographic recording material may further includes a supersensitizer.
  • Preferred supersensitzers are selected from the group of compounds consisting of: mercapto-compounds, disulfide-compounds, stilbene compounds, organoborate compounds and styryl compounds.
  • the film-forming binder of the photo-addressable thermally developable element may be all kinds of natural, modified natural or synthetic resins or mixtures of such resins: e.g. cellulose derivatives such as ethylcellulose, cellulose esters, e.g.
  • cellulose nitrate carboxymethylcellulose, starch ethers, galactomannan
  • polymers derived from ⁇ , ⁇ -ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as polyvinyl chloride, after-chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, polyvinyl acetate and partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetals that are made from polyvinyl alcohol as starting material in which only a part of the repeating vinyl alcohol units may have reacted with an aldehyde, preferably polyvinyl butyral, copolymers of acrylonitrile and acrylamide, polyacrylic acid esters, polymethacrylic acid esters, polystyrene and polyethylene or mixtures thereof.
  • a particularly suitable polyvinyl butyral containing a minor amount of vinyl alcohol units is marketed under the trade name BUTVARTM B79 of Monsanto USA and provides a good adhesion to paper and properly subbed polyester supports.
  • the layer containing the organic silver salt is commonly coated onto a support in sheet- or web-form from an organic solvent containing the binder dissolved therein, but may also be applied from an aqueous medium containing a water-dispersible binder and/or a water dispersible binder.
  • Suitable water-soluble film-forming binders for use in thermographic and photothermographic recording materials according to the present invention are: polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polymethacrylamide, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneglycol, proteinaceous binders such as gelatin, modified gelatins such as phthaloyl gelatin, polysaccharides, such as starch, gum arabic and dextran and water-soluble cellulose derivatives.
  • a preferred water-soluble binder for use in the thermographic and photothermographic recording materials of the present invention is gelatin.
  • Suitable water-dispersible binders for use in the thermographic and photothermographic recording materials of the present invention may be any water-insoluble polymer e.g. water-insoluble cellulose derivatives, polyurethanes, polyesters polycarbonates and polymers derived from ⁇ , ⁇ -ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as after-chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetals preferably polyvinyl butyral, and homopolymers and copolymers produced using monomers selected from the group consisting of: vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, acrylonitrile, acrylamides, methacrylamides.
  • water-insoluble polymer e.g. water-insoluble cellulose derivatives, polyurethanes, polyesters polycarbonates and polymers derived from ⁇ , ⁇ -ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as after-chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, partially hydro
  • Preferred water-dispersible binders for use according to the present invention are water-dispersible film-forming polymers with covalently bonded ionic groups selected from the group consisting of sulfonate, sulfinate, carboxylate, phosphate, quaternary ammonium, tertiary sulfonium and quaternary phosphonium groups.
  • Further preferred water-dispersible binders for use according the present invention are water-dispersible film-forming polymers with covalently bonded moieties with one or more acid groups.
  • Water-dispersible binders with crosslinkable groups e.g. epoxy groups, aceto-acetoxy groups and crosslinkable double bonds are also preferred.
  • Preferred water-dispersible binders for use in the thermographic and photothermographic recording materials of the present invention are polymer latexes.
  • the dispersible polymer has preferably some hydrophilic functionality.
  • the binder to organic silver salt weight ratio is preferably in the range of 0.2 to 6, and the thickness of the recording layer is preferably in the range of 5 to 50 ⁇ m.
  • binders or mixtures thereof may be used in conjunction with waxes or "heat solvents” also called “thermal solvents” or “thermosolvents” improving the reaction speed of the redox-reaction at elevated temperature.
  • heat solvent in this invention is meant a non-hydrolyzable organic material which is in solid state in the recording layer at temperatures below 50°C but becomes a plasticizer for the recording layer in the heated region and/or liquid solvent for at least one of the redox-reactants, e.g. the reducing agent for the organic heavy metal salt, at a temperature above 60°C.
  • the recording layer contains preferably in admixture with the organic heavy metal salts and reducing agents a so-called toning agent known from thermography or photothermography.
  • Suitable toning agents are the phthalimides and phthalazinones within the scope of the general formulae described in US-P 4,082,901. Further reference is made to the toning agents described in US-P 3,074,809, 3,446,648 and 3,844,797.
  • heterocyclic toner compounds of the benzoxazine dione or naphthoxazine dione type as disclosed in GB-P 1,439,478, US-P 3,951,660 and US-P 5,599,647 are particularly useful toning agents.
  • a toner compound particularly suited for use in combination with polyhydroxy benzene reducing agents is 3,4-dihydro-2,4-dioxo-1,3,2H-benzoxazine described in US-P 3,951,660.
  • the photothermographic recording material of the present invention may contain antihalation or acutance dyes which absorb light which has passed through the photosensitive layer which may in the near UV, visible, e.g. 630nm, 670nm etc., or IR, parts of spectrum, thereby preventing its reflection.
  • antihalation or acutance dyes which absorb light which has passed through the photosensitive layer which may in the near UV, visible, e.g. 630nm, 670nm etc., or IR, parts of spectrum, thereby preventing its reflection.
  • Such dyes may be incorporated into the photo-addressable thermally developable element or in any other layer comprising the photothermographic recording material of the present invention.
  • Non-ionic, cationic or anionic surfactants may be used, according to the present invention, to produce dispersions of particles of the substantially light-insensitive silver salt of an organic carboxylic acid in aqueous media and to disperse water-dispersible binders, such as polymer latexes, in aqueous media.
  • a mixture of non-ionic and anionic surfactants, of non-ionic and cationic surfactants, of cationic and anionic surfactants or of non-ionic, cationic and anionic surfactants may also be used, according to the present invention.
  • the surfactant is an anionic surfactant.
  • the anionic surfactant is a sulfonate e.g. alkyl, aryl, alkaryl or aralkyl sulfonate, with alkyl and alkaryl sulfonates being particularly preferred.
  • the ionic surfactant is a non-ionic surfactant for example alkyl, aryl, alkaryl or aralkyl polyethoxy ethanols.
  • Preferred non-ionic surfactants, according to the present invention are alkoxy-polyethoxy ethanols and alkaryloxy-polyethoxy ethanols.
  • the photo-addressable thermally developable element may contain other additives such as free fatty acids, surface-active agents, antistatic agents, e.g. non-ionic antistatic agents including a fluorocarbon group as e.g. in F 3 C(CF 2 ) 6 CONH(CH 2 CH 2 O)-H, silicone oil, e.g. BAYSILONE ⁇ l A (tradename of.BAYER AG - GERMANY), ultraviolet light absorbing compounds, white light reflecting and/or ultraviolet radiation reflecting pigments, silica, colloidal silica, fine polymeric particles [e.g. of poly(methylmethacrylate)] and/or optical brightening agents.
  • antistatic agents e.g. non-ionic antistatic agents including a fluorocarbon group as e.g. in F 3 C(CF 2 ) 6 CONH(CH 2 CH 2 O)-H
  • silicone oil e.g. BAYSILONE ⁇ l A (tradename of.BAYER AG - GERMANY)
  • the support for the photothermographic recording material according to the present invention may be transparent, translucent or opaque, e.g. having a white light reflecting aspect and is preferably a thin flexible carrier made e.g. from paper, polyethylene coated paper or transparent resin film, e.g. made of a cellulose ester, e.g. cellulose triacetate, polypropylene, polycarbonate or polyester, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate.
  • a paper base substrate is present which may contain white reflecting pigments, optionally also applied in an interlayer between the recording material and the paper base substrate.
  • the support may be in sheet, ribbon or web form and subbed if need be to improve the adherence to the thereon coated thermosensitive recording layer.
  • the support may be made of an opacified resin composition, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate opacified by means of pigments and/or micro-voids and/or coated with an opaque pigment-binder layer, and may be called synthetic paper, or paperlike film; information about such supports can be found in EP's 194 106 and 234 563 and US-P's 3,944,699, 4,187,113, 4,780,402 and 5,059,579. Should a transparent base be used, the base may be colourless or coloured, e.g. having a blue colour.
  • One or more backing layers may be provided to control physical properties such as curl or static.
  • the outermost layer of the recording material may in different embodiments of the present invention be the outermost layer of the thermosensitive element, a protective layer applied to the thermosensitive element or a layer on the opposite side of the support to the thermosensitive element.
  • the photo-addressable thermally developable element is provided with a protective layer to avoid local deformation of the photo-addressable thermally developable element, to improve its resistance against abrasion and to prevent its direct contact with components of the apparatus used for thermal development.
  • the protective layer preferably comprises a binder, which may be solvent-soluble, solvent-dispersible, water-soluble or water-dispersible.
  • a binder which may be solvent-soluble, solvent-dispersible, water-soluble or water-dispersible.
  • solvent-soluble binders polycarbonates as described in EP-A 614 769 are particularly preferred.
  • water-soluble or water-dispersible binders are preferred for the protective layer, as coating can be performed from an aqueous composition and mixing of the protective layer with the immediate underlayer can be avoided by using a solvent-soluble or solvent-dispersible binder in the immediate underlayer.
  • a protective layer according to the present invention may comprise in addition a thermomeltable particle optionally with a lubricant present on top of the protective layer as described in WO 94/11199.
  • a thermomeltable particle optionally with a lubricant present on top of the protective layer as described in WO 94/11199.
  • at least one solid lubricant having a melting point below 150°C and at least one liquid lubricant in a binder is present, wherein at least one of the lubricants is a phosphoric acid derivative.
  • the outermost layer of the recording material may comprise a water-soluble binder, a water-dispersible binder or a mixture of a water-soluble and a water-soluble binder.
  • Suitable water-soluble binders for the outermost layer are, for example, gelatin, polyvinylalcohol, cellulose derivatives or other polysaccharides, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose etc., with hardenable binders being preferred and polyvinylalcohol being particularly preferred.
  • Suitable water-dispersible binders are polymeric latexes.
  • the outermost layer according to the present invention may be crosslinked.
  • Crosslinking can be achieved by using crosslinking agents such as described in WO 95/12495 for protective layers, e.g. tetra-alkoxysilanes, polyisocyanates, zirconates, titanates, melamine resins etc., with tetraalkoxysilanes such as tetramethylorthosilicate and tetraethylorthosilicate being preferred.
  • the outermost layer of the recording material according to the present invention may comprise a matting agent.
  • Suitable matting agents are described in WO 94/11198 and include e.g. talc particles and optionally protrude from the outermost layer.
  • Solid or liquid lubricants or combinations thereof are suitable for improving the slip characteristics of the recording materials according to the present invention.
  • Solid lubricants which can be used according to the present invention are polyolefin waxes, ester waxes, polyolefin-polyether block copolymers, amide waxes, polyglycols, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, natural waxes and solid phosphoric acid derivatives.
  • Preferred solid lubricants are thermomeltable particles such as those described in WO 94/11199.
  • Liquid lubricants which can be used according to the present invention according to the present invention are fatty acid esters such as glycerine trioleate, sorbitan monooleate and sorbitan trioleate, silicone oil derivatives and phosphoric acid derivatives.
  • an antistatic layer is applied to the outermost layer on the side of the support not coated with the photo-addressable thermally developable element.
  • Suitable antistatic layers therefor are described in EP-A's 444 326, 534 006 and 644 456, US-P's 5,364,752 and 5,472,832 and DOS 4125758.
  • any layer of the recording material of the present invention may proceed by any coating technique e.g. such as described in Modern Coating and Drying Technology, edited by Edward D. Cohen and Edgar B. Gutoff, (1992) VCH Publishers Inc. 220 East 23rd Street, Suite 909 New York, NY 10010, U.S.A.
  • Photothermographic materials may be exposed with radiation of wavelength between an X-ray wavelength and a 5 microns wavelength with the image either being obtained by pixel-wise exposure with a finely focused light source, such as a CRT light source; a UV, visible or IR wavelength laser, such as a He/Ne-laser or an IR-laser diode, e.g. emitting at 780nm, 830nm or 850nm; or a light emitting diode, for example one emitting at 659nm; or by direct exposure to the object itself or an image therefrom with appropriate illumination e.g. with UV, visible or IR light.
  • a finely focused light source such as a CRT light source
  • a UV, visible or IR wavelength laser such as a He/Ne-laser or an IR-laser diode, e.g. emitting at 780nm, 830nm or 850nm
  • a light emitting diode for example one emit
  • any sort of heat source can be used that enables the recording materials to be uniformly heated to the development temperature in a time acceptable for the application concerned e.g. contact heating, radiative heating, microwave heating etc.
  • the photothermographic recording materials of the present invention can be used for both the production of transparencies and reflection type prints.
  • the support will be transparent or opaque, e.g. having a white light reflecting aspect.
  • a paper base substrate is present which may contain white reflecting pigments, optionally also applied in an interlayer between the recording material and the paper base substrate. Should a transparent base be used, the base may be colourless or coloured, e.g. has a blue colour.
  • the aqueous silver behenate dispersion obtained contained 8.15% by weight of silver behenate and 2.78% by weight of Surfactant 1.
  • the type 01 silver halide emulsion consisting of 3.11% by weight of silver halide particles consisting of 97mol% silver bromide and 3mol% silver iodide with a weight average particle size of 50nm, 0.47% of R16875 as dispersing agent in deionized water was prepared using conventional silver halide preparation techniques such as described, for example, in T.H. James, "The Theory of the Photographic Process", Fourth Edition, Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., New York (1977), Chapter 3, pages 88-104 and at least 80% of the particles by number had a diameter determined by electron microscopy between 40 and 100nm.
  • the coating dispersions for the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2 were produced with stirring by optionally mixing silver halide dispersion type 01 with silver behenate dispersion type I in the quantity specified in table 1, then optionally adding potassium iodide as a 3.63% by weight aqueous solution in the molar quantity specified in table 1, then adding LATEX 01 as a 30% by weight aqueous dispersion in an equal weight to the quantity of silver behenate present, then adding TA01 as a 5.6% by weight aqueous solution in a quantity of 20mol% of the silver behenate present and finally adding R01 as a 5.6% by weight aqueous solution in a quantity of 45mol% of the silver behenate present.
  • a subbed polyethylene terephthalate support having a thickness of 100 ⁇ m was doctor blade-coated with the particular silver behenate/silver halide dispersion for the photothermographic recording material of the particular EXAMPLE at a blade setting of 120 ⁇ m.
  • the resulting photothermographic recording material was first allowed to dry on the coating bed for several minutes at 40°C and then was dried in a hot air oven at 40°C for 1h to produce a photo-addressable thermally developable element with a ca. 5g/m 2 coating weight of silver behenate.
  • Example AgB dispersion type ex-situ AgX dispersion in-situ AgI Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX I - source mol% I - -source vs AgB mol AgI per mole ex-situ AgX Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 1 I 01 0 KI 8 - 0.63 1.92 Comparative 2 I 01 8 - - - 0.58 1.54 Invention 1 I 01 8 KI 4 0.5 0.16 2.24 Invention 2 I 01 8 KI 8 1.0 0.089 1.82
  • Example AgB dispersion type ex-situ AgX dispersion in-situ AgI Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX vs AgB I - source mol% I - -source vs AgB mol AgI/ mole ex-situ AgX Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 3 I - - PC01 7.9 - 1.0 2.14 Invention 3 I 01 8 PC01 8 1.0 0.063 2.06 Invention 4 I 01 4.6 PC01 3.9 0.85 0.32 1.74 Invention 5 I 01 10.2 PC01 3.9 0.38 0.16 2.50 Invention 6 I 01 12 PC01 3.9 0.325 0.10 2.56 Invention 7 I 01 19.5 PC01 3.9 0.2 0.079 2.36
  • the type II aqueous dispersion of silver behenate/silver halide used in INVENTION EXAMPLES 8 to 10 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4 was produced as described above for the type I aqueous dispersion of silver behenate except that 45.43g of silver halide dispersion type 01 was added to the solution consisting substantially of sodium behenate (between steps ii) and iii)].
  • the aqueous silver behenate dispersion obtained contained 8.03% by weight of silver behenate, 2.74% by weight of Surfactant 1, 0.27% by weight of AgBr 0.97 I 0.03 and 0.04% of R16875.
  • the coating dispersions were prepared and coated as described for the preparation of the photothermographic recording material of INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2 except as mentioned in table 3.
  • Example AgB dispersion type ex-situ AgX dispersion in-situ AgI Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX vs AgB I - source mol% I - -source vs AgB mol AgI/ mole ex-situ AgX Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 4 II - 8 - - - 0.58 1.19 Invention 8 II 01 8 PC01 2 0.25 0.28 1.44 Invention 9 II 01 8 KI 4.7 0.59 0.19 1.60 Invention 10 II 01 8 PC01 8 1.0 0.13 1.44
  • the photosensitivities of the photothermographic materials of INVENTION EXAMPLE 8 to 10 increase with increasing concentration of in-situ produced silver iodide per mole ex-situ silver halide from 0.28J/m 2 for the photothermographic material of INVENTION EXAMPLE 8 with 0.25 moles in-situ silver halide per mole ex-situ silver halide to 0.13J/m 2 for the photothermographic material of INVENTION EXAMPLE 10 with 1.0 moles in-situ silver halide per mole ex-situ silver halide.
  • the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 11 to 20 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 5 were prepared as described for the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2 except as given in table 4 below.
  • the BMPS was added as an aqueous dispersion unless otherwise mentioned.
  • Example AgB dispersion type ex-situ AgX dispersion in-situ AgI concentration of BMPS [mol% vs AgB] Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX vs AgB I - source mol% I - -source vs AgB mol AgI/mole ex-situ AgX Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 5 I 01 6.7 - - - 7.1 0.63 2.25 Invention 11 I 01 6.7 KI 3.8 0.57 0 0.13 2.22 Invention 12 I 01 6.7 KI 3.8 0.57 7.1 0.045 2.46 Invention 13 I 01 6.7 KI 3.8 0.57 3.2 0.040 2.98 Invention 14 I 01 6.7 KI 3.8 0.57 11.2 0.050 2.68 Invention 1 I 01 9 KI 3.8 0.42 0 0.16 2.24 Invention 15 I 01 9 KI 3.8 0.42 3.7 0.063 2.92 Invention 16 I 01 9 KI 3.8 0.42
  • the types 02 to 05 silver halide emulsions were prepared as described for the type 01 silver halide emulsion used in the preparation of the photothermographic materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2 except for the differences in composition, silver halide concentration and R16875 concentration given in table 5
  • the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 21 to 27 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 6 were prepared as described for the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2 except as given in table 4 below.
  • the BMPS was added as an aqueous dispersion. Transmission electron micrographs showing the influence of in-situ silver iodide formation and the additional influence of BMPS on a silver behenate/ex-situ silver halide dispersion
  • Example AgB dispersion type ex-situ AgX dispersion in-situ AgI concentration of BMPS [mol% vs AgB] Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX vs AgB I - source mol% I - -source vs AgB mol AgI/ mole ex-situ AgX Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 6 I 02 8 - - - 0 0.79 1.30 Invention 21 I 02 8 KI 3.7 0.46 0 0.11 2.40 Invention 22 I 02 8.6 KI 4.0 0.47 8.20 0.063 3.08 Invention 23 I 03 9.2 KI 4.0 0.43 0 0.11 2.32 Invention 24 I 03 9.2 KI 4.0 0.43 7.5 0.045 3.36 Invention 25 I 04 8.5 KI 3.5 0.41 0 0.079 2.41 Invention 26 I 04 8.5 KI 3.8 0.45 7.5 0.063 3.38 Invention 27 I 05 3.9 KI 8.9 2.
  • Silver behenate for the type III silver behenate dispersion was prepared by dissolving 34g (0.1 moles) of behenic acid in 340mL of 2-propanol at 65°C, converting the behenic acid to sodium behenate by adding 400mL of 0.25M aqueous sodium hydroxide to the stirred behenic acid solution and finally adding 250mL of 0.4M aqueous silver nitrate the silver behenate precipitating out. This was filtered off and then washed with a mixture of 10% by volume of 2-propanol and 90% by volume of deionized water to remove residual sodium nitrate. The silver behenate was then dried at 45°C for 12h.
  • the type III silver behenate dispersion used in producing the photothermographic recording materials of COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 7 and INVENTION EXAMPLE 28 was obtained by dispersing the dried silver behenate powder in deionized water with the anionic dispersion agent Surfactant Nr 1 to produce, after rapid mixing to a predispersion and homogenization with a microfluidizer, a finely divided and stable dispersion containing 20% by weight of silver behenate, 2.0% by weight of Surfactant Nr 1. The pH of the resulting dispersion was adjusted to about 6.5.
  • the silver behenate for the type IV dispersion was prepared by dissolving the required quantity of behenic acid in 2-butanone at 60°C with vigorous stirring followed by adding demineralized water while maintaining the reactor at a temperature of between 56 and 60°C, converting the behenic acid into 110.9 moles of sodium behenate, at the concentration of 0.1M, by adding an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide with vigorous stirring while maintaining the temperature of the reactor at a temperature between 56 and 60°C and finally converting the sodium behenate into silver behenate by adding 55.45 moles of silver nitrate as a 1.67M aqueous solution in 3 minutes and then 55.45 moles of silver nitrate as a 1.67M aqueous solution in 15 minutes with vigorous stirring while maintaining the reactor temperature at a temperature of 55°C.
  • the final percentage by weight of 2-butanone in the suspending mixture of 2-butanone and water was 45%.
  • the type IV silver behenate dispersion used in COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 8 and INVENTION EXAMPLE 29 was obtained by dispersing the dried silver behenate with Surfactant Nr 1 in deionized water to produce, after rapid mixing to a predispersion and homogenization with a microfluidizer, a finely divided and stable dispersion containing 20% by weight of silver behenate and 2.0% by weight of Surfactant Nr 1. The pH of the resulting dispersion was adjusted to about 6.5.
  • the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 28 & 29 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 7 & 8 were prepared as described for the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2 except as given in table 7 below.
  • the photothermographic processing of the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 28 & 29 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 7 & 8 was also carried out as described above for INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2. The results are summarized in table 7 below.
  • Example AgB dispersion type ex-situ AgX dispersion in-situ AgI concentration of BMPS [mol% vs AgB] Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX vs AgB I - source mol% I - -source vs AgB mol AgI/ mole ex-situ AgX Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 7 III 02 8.8 - - - 0 1.12 1.75 Invention 28 III 02 8.8 PC01 4.0 0.45 0 0.20 3.33 Compartive 8 IV 02 8.6 - - - 0 1.26 1.51 Invention 29 IV 02 8.6 PC01 4.0 0.465 0 0.079 2.77
  • the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLE 30 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 9 were prepared as described for the photothermographic recording materials of INVENTION EXAMPLES 1 & 2 and COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 & 2 except as given in table 8 below and that the photo-addressable thermally developable element of the photothermographic recording material of INVENTION EXAMPLE 30 consisted of two layers one with in-situ formed silver halide with PC01 and the other with ex-situ silver halide.
  • Example AgB dispersion type AgX dispersion in-situ AgX Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX vs AgB X - source mol% X - -source vs AgB Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 9 layer 1 I - - PC01 8 1.66 1.57 Comparative 4 layer 1 I 01 8 - - 0.58 1.19 Invention 30 layer 1 I - - PC01 8 0.24 1.96 layer 2 I 01 8 - - -
  • the photothermographic recording materials of COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 10 to 12 and INVENTION EXAMPLES 31 and 32 were prepared as. described for the photothermographic recording materials of COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 7 and INVENTION EXAMPLE 28 except that phthalazine was omitted from the formulation and as given in table 9.
  • Example AgB dispersion type ex-situ AgX dispersion in-situ AgI Imaging characteristics type mol% AgX vs AgB I - source mol% I - -source vs AgB mol AgI/ mole ex-situ AgX Sensitivity at D D min +1 [J/m 2 ] D max -D min Comparative 10 III 05 12.3 PC01 1 0.08 >1.5 0.77 Comparative 11 III 05 12.3 PC01 2 0.16 1.5 1.70 Comparative 12 III 05 8.2 PC01 1 0.12 >1.5 0.60 Invention 31 III 05 4.1 PC01 8 1.95 0.25 2.34 Invention 32 III 05 9.2 PC01 8 0.87 0.25 1.86

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Claims (11)

  1. Ein durch die nachstehenden Schritte gekennzeichnetes Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials, das unter wesentlichen wasserfreien Bedingungen wärmeentwickelbar ist : (i) Bereitstellen eines Trägers, (ii) Anfertigung einer oder mehrerer wässriger Dispersionen oder Lösungen, die zusammen ein wesentlich lichtunempfindliches organisches Silbersalz, ex situ gebildetes strahlungsempfindliches Silberhalogenid in katalytischer Beziehung zum wesentlich lichtunempfindlichen organischen Silbersalz, ein Reduktionsmittel in thermischer wirksamer Beziehung zum wesentlich lichtunempfindlichen organischen Silbersalz und ein Bindemittel enthalten, (iii) Auftrag der einen oder mehreren wässrigen Dispersionen oder Lösungen auf den Träger zur Bildung von Schichten, die nach Trocknung ein fotoadressierbares wärmeentwickelbares Element bilden, und (iv) Trocknung der Schichten, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das fotoadressierbare wärmeentwickelbare Element zwischen 0,2 und 2,5 Mol in situ gebildetes strahlungsempfindliches Silberiodid pro Mol ex situ gebildetes strahlungsempfindliches Silberhalogenid enthält, wobei man bei der Ex-Situ-Anfertigung Teilchen des wesentlich lichtunempfindlichen organischen Silbersalzes in einer wässrigen Dispersion mit einer Iodidionenquelle reagieren lässt und als wesentlich lichtunempfindliches organisches Silbersalz ein Silbersalz einer organischen Carbonsäure verwendet wird.
  2. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das ex situ gebildete strahlungsempfindliche Silberhalogenid und das in situ gebildete strahlungsempfindliche Silberiodid in gesonderten Schichten in katalytischer Beziehung zum wesentlich lichtunempfindlichen organischen Silbersalz stehen.
  3. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das in situ gebildete strahlungsempfindliche Silberiodid in Gegenwart des ex situ gebildeten strahlungsempfindlichen Silberhalogenids gebildet wird.
  4. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das ex situ gebildete strahlungsempfindliche Silberhalogenid Silberbromid, Silberchlorid, Silberiodid oder ein aus Silberchlorid und/oder Silberbromid und/oder Silberiodid zusammengesetztes Mischkristall ist.
  5. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das fotoadressierbare wärmeentwickelbare Element des weiteren eine Brom- oder Chlorradikale liefernde Quelle enthält.
  6. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Brom- oder Chlorradikale liefernde Quelle Phenyltribrommethylsulfon ist.
  7. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das strahlungsempfindliche Silberhalogenid in einem Verhältnis zwischen 0,1 und 50 mol-%, bezogen auf das wesentlich lichtunempfindliche organische Silbersalz, im fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterial enthalten ist.
  8. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das ex situ gebildete strahlungsempfindliche Silberhalogenid in einem Verhältnis zwischen 0,1 und 35 mol-%, bezogen auf das wesentlich lichtunempfindliche organische Silbersalz, im fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterial enthalten ist.
  9. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bromradikale liefernde Quelle in einem Verhältnis zwischen 1 und 50 mol-%, bezogen auf das wesentlich lichtunempfindliche organische Silbersalz, im fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterial enthalten ist.
  10. Fotothermografisches Aufzeichnungsmaterial, das unter wesentlichen wasserfreien Bedingungen wärmeentwickelbar ist und ein fotoadressierbares wärmeentwickelbares Element enthält, das ein wesentlich lichtunempfindliches organisches Silbersalz, strahlungsempfindliches Silberhalogenid in katalytischer Beziehung zum wesentlich lichtunempfindlichen organischen Silbersalz, ein Reduktionsmittel in thermischer wirksamer Beziehung zum wesentlich lichtunempfindlichen organischen Silbersalz und ein Bindemittel enthält, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein Teil des strahlungsempfindlichen Silberhalogenids ex situ und ein Teil des strahlungsempfindlichen Silberhalogenids in situ gebildet wird und beide Teile in gesonderten Schichten enthalten sind, wobei das wesentlich lichtunempfindliche organische Silbersalz ein Silbersalz einer organischen Carbonsäure ist.
  11. Ein durch die nachstehenden Schritte gekennzeichnetes Aufzeichnungsverfahren : (i) Bereitstellen eines fotothermografischen Aufzeichnungsmaterials nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 10, (ii) Anordnen des Aufzeichnungsmaterials in der Nähe einer aktinischen Strahlungsquelle, gegenüber der das Material empfindlich ist, (iii) bildmäßige Belichtung des Aufzeichnungsmaterials mit der aktinischen Strahlung, (iv) Anordnen des bildmäßig belichteten Aufzeichnungsmaterials in der Nähe einer Heizquelle, (v) Wärmeentwicklung des bildmäßig belichteten Aufzeichnungsmaterials unter wesentlich wasserfreien Bedingungen und (vi) Entfernung des wärmeentwickelten bildmäßig belichteten Aufzeichnungsmaterials von der Heizquelle, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das wesentlich lichtunempfindliche organische Silbersalz ein Silbersalz einer organischen Carbonsäure ist.
EP19980204091 1997-12-12 1998-12-04 Photothermographisches Aufzeichnungsmaterial, das sowohl ex-situ als auch in-situ hergestelltes photoempfindliches Silberhalogenid und ein im wesentlichen lichtunempfindliches organisches Silbersalz enthält Expired - Lifetime EP0922995B1 (de)

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EP19980204091 EP0922995B1 (de) 1997-12-12 1998-12-04 Photothermographisches Aufzeichnungsmaterial, das sowohl ex-situ als auch in-situ hergestelltes photoempfindliches Silberhalogenid und ein im wesentlichen lichtunempfindliches organisches Silbersalz enthält

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JP4037090B2 (ja) 2001-07-12 2008-01-23 富士フイルム株式会社 熱現像感光材料への画像形成方法
US7083908B2 (en) 2002-04-17 2006-08-01 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Photothermographic material
US7235352B2 (en) 2002-06-28 2007-06-26 Fujifilm Corporation Photothermographic material
JP4031310B2 (ja) 2002-07-23 2008-01-09 富士フイルム株式会社 熱現像感光材料、およびそれに用いられる感光性ハロゲン化銀の製造方法
EP1484641A1 (de) * 2003-06-06 2004-12-08 Agfa-Gevaert Bindemittel zur Verwendung in wärmeempfindlichen Elementen von thermographischen Aufzeichnungsmaterialien, die im wesentlichen lichtunempfindlich sind

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CA2202017A1 (en) * 1996-05-22 1997-11-22 Alfred J. Alton Photothermographic and thermographic films containing low levels of formate to prevent fog

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