JP2001174964A - Processing method for photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a processing method which ensures a slight dimensional slippage as a processing method for a photosensitive material in which heat drum drying is carried out. SOLUTION: In the processing method, a photosensitive material with a substrate subjected to heat relaxation treatment is dried with a heat drum.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for processing a silver halide photographic material for printing plate making, and more particularly to a method for processing a photographic material for printing plate making having excellent dimensional stability.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the printing and plate making industries, the output of original films is currently generally provided by an image setter. An image setter is an exposure device that stores a roll film in a film magazine, draws out the film to an arbitrary length, and performs exposure.As a feature, digital data is sent directly to the exposure device from a computer or the like, and characters,
The ability to draw images at once. This eliminates the cumbersome work of cutting and pasting a character document or an image document and trimming the hair, which has been conventionally performed, and allows anyone to create a document that was once a craftsmanship, thereby greatly increasing productivity.

[0003] A heat drum drying device is another device that greatly contributes to productivity. This is a device that dries a wet-processed photosensitive material, but is characterized in that it is dried by bringing it into contact with a heated cylindrical heat drum, as opposed to a hot air drying method in which hot air is usually blown and dried. There is. This heat drum drying device can raise the drying temperature as compared with the hot air drying device, and thus can perform more rapid drying. Further, the size can be reduced as compared with a hot-air drying device having a plurality of rollers, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the automatic developing machine.

However, this heat drum drying device includes:
There are major drawbacks. It is a phenomenon called dimensional deviation, which is called dimensional stability. As to how this dimensional deviation occurs, a major cause is a temperature during drying of the heat drum.

In general, when a photosensitive material is dried using a heat drum, the photosensitive material is usually brought into contact with a heat drum at 60 ° C. or higher. Under these conditions, the plastic film generally expands and contracts in size. When the processed material is used for printing plate making, this expansion and contraction becomes a serious problem when performing precision multicolor printing. Further, the expansion and contraction are not always constant, and may cause distortion, undulation and the like of the photosensitive material, which may be a serious problem.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a processing method for a photosensitive material in which heat drum drying is performed, particularly with a small dimensional deviation.

[0007]

The above object of the present invention is attained by using a heat-relaxed support as defined in claim 1. The term "thermal relaxation treatment" as used herein refers to a treatment for reducing internal strain remaining in a film during stretching by temporarily increasing the temperature of a support before coating a photosensitive material. It was found that the photosensitive material using the heat-relaxed support had a small dimensional change even after the heat drum drying, and good results were obtained.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail. Although the support is a heat-relaxed support in the present invention, basically various supports can be used. Typical supports are preferably polyester film, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and those having a high glass transition point, such as syndiotactic polystyrene, polyether ethyl ketone, polystyrene, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyarylate, and polycarbonate. Can be used, of course, but not limited to these. Among them, biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate of about 75 to 200 μm is particularly preferred.
The temperature at the time of the heat relaxation treatment is preferably 100 to 270 ° C, more preferably 100 to 220 ° C.

The support may contain inorganic fine particles, an antioxidant, a UV absorber, an antistatic agent, a dye, a pigment, a dye, etc. for imparting functionality within a range not to impair the object of the present invention. It is possible.

As a method of extruding at the time of film formation, a known method can be applied. For example, it is preferable to extrude with a T-die. Melt and extrude pellets to be the material of the support,
It is cooled and solidified while applying static electricity on a casting roll to prepare an unstretched film. Next, the unstretched film is biaxially stretched and biaxially oriented. As the stretching method, in addition to a known method, for example, a sequential biaxial stretching method in which longitudinal stretching and transverse stretching are sequentially performed, a transverse biaxial stretching method of transverse stretching and longitudinal stretching, and a transverse / horizontal stretching method.
Vertical / longitudinal stretching method, vertical / horizontal / longitudinal stretching method, vertical / longitudinal / horizontal stretching method,
Alternatively, a simultaneous biaxial stretching method or the like can be adopted, and can be appropriately selected according to various properties such as required mechanical strength and dimensional stability.

In general, a sequential biaxial stretching method in which stretching is performed first in the longitudinal direction and then in the width direction is preferable. In this case, the stretching ratio in the longitudinal and transverse directions is 2.5 to 6 times, and the longitudinal stretching temperature is the same as that of the polymer. Although it depends on the glass transition temperature (Tg), it is usually stretched in a temperature range of (Tg + 10) ° C. to (Tg + 50) ° C. The stretching temperature in the width direction is preferably slightly higher than that in the longitudinal direction. Next, the biaxially stretched film is subjected to a heat relaxation treatment. In this case, the heat relaxation treatment temperature can be appropriately changed depending on the application. For photographic, printing, and medical applications that require dimensional stability, 100-
A temperature of 270 ° C. is employed. The heat treatment time is not particularly limited, but is usually about 1 second to 2 minutes.

It goes without saying that a longitudinal heat relaxation treatment and a horizontal heat relaxation treatment may be performed as required. After this, the film may be rapidly cooled and wound up, but it is gradually cooled between Tg and the heat treatment temperature for 0.1 minute to 1500 hours and wound up into a core having a large diameter. 01 to -20 ° C /
Cooling at an average cooling rate of minutes is preferable because it has an effect of making it difficult to form a curl on the support. Of course 40
It is preferable that the heat treatment at a temperature between ° C and Tg is carried out after winding the support, coating the emulsion, and placing the emulsion in a constant temperature chamber for 0.1 minute to 1500 hours before cutting the product.

In order to provide various properties such as slipperiness, adhesion and antistatic performance in addition to the above-mentioned film forming method, a support having the above-mentioned properties and the like is laminated on at least one surface of the support. Films can also be made. The method of lamination is laminating in a laminar flow in a state where the resin is melted, or extruded from a die, cooled, solidified unstretched support or uniaxially stretched support, extrusion-laminated the molten support raw material, and then It is obtained by stretching in both vertical and horizontal directions or in a direction perpendicular to the uniaxial stretching direction and heat relaxation treatment. The resin extrusion conditions, stretching temperature, stretching ratio, heat setting temperature, and the like are slightly different depending on the combination of the laminated supports, but may be finely adjusted so as to select the optimal conditions, and do not significantly change. Needless to say, the lamination is composed of two or more layers and may be a combination of the same type of polymer (including a combination of copolymers) or a different type of polymer.

The above-mentioned film forming method can be appropriately changed depending on the use and purpose, and the present invention is not limited to these methods for any reason.

The thickness of the stretched film thus obtained varies depending on the application, but is 0.3 μm for ultra-thin capacitors, 6 μm for ordinary capacitors,
12 μm thickness, 100 μm for medical and printing materials, 250 μm thickness for electrical insulation materials (slot liners, etc.)
The above-mentioned film forming conditions are effective for those having a thickness of 0.3 to 500 μm.

In addition, various treatments can be applied to give a strong adhesive force. For example, the surface may be subjected to surface treatment such as chemical treatment, mechanical treatment, corona discharge treatment, flame treatment, ultraviolet treatment, high frequency treatment, glow discharge treatment, active plasma treatment, laser treatment, mixed acid treatment, ozone oxidation treatment, and acid treatment. Component, hydroxyl group component, epoxy group component, N-alkanol group component, diolefin monomer component, polymer latex component, etc. is there.

In the present invention, an antistatic layer is preferably provided below the hydrophilic colloid layer. As the antistatic layer, a layer containing an ionic polymer substance is preferably used. More specifically, the ionic polymer compound used in the present invention is described in JP-B-49-238.
No. 28, 49-23827 and 47-28937: an anionic polymer compound: Japanese Patent Publication No. 55
-734, JP-A-50-54672, JP-B-59-
Nos. 14735, 57-18175, 57-181
Nos. 76 and 57-56059, etc.
Ionene-type polymer having a dissociating group in the main chain: Shoko 5
Nos. 3-13223 and 57-15376;
No. 45231, No. 55-145783, No. 55-6
No. 5950, No. 55-67746, No. 57-1134
No.2, No.57-19735, JP-B-58-56858
And cationic pendant polymers having a cationic dissociating group in the side chain, such as those described in No. The antistatic layer is preferably made of a reaction product of a water-soluble conductive polymer, a hydrophobic latex, and an epoxy-based curing agent.

Examples of the water-soluble conductive polymer include polymers having at least one conductive group selected from sulfonic acid groups, sulfate groups, quaternary ammonium salts, tertiary ammonium salts, and carboxyl groups. The conductive group requires 5% by mass or more per polymer molecule. In the water-soluble conductive polymer, hydroxy group, amino group, epoxy group, aziridine group, active methylene group,
It may contain a sulfinic acid group, an aldehyde group and a vinyl sulfone group.

The molecular weight of the polymer is 3000 to 1000
00, preferably 3500 to 50,000.

The following are examples of compounds of the water-soluble conductive polymer used in the present invention, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0021]

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[0022]

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[0023]

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In the above P-1 to P-10, Mn
Represents a number average molecular weight and is a value measured by GPC in terms of polyethylene glycol.

Further, A-1 to A-21 in the upper right column on page 10 to the upper right column on page 11 in JP-A-4-107444 are also used.

The hydrophobic polymer particles contained in the water-soluble conductive polymer layer of the present invention are composed of a so-called latex which is substantially insoluble in water. This hydrophobic polymer is obtained by polymerizing a monomer selected in any combination from styrene, a styrene derivative, an alkyl acrylate, an alkyl methacrylate, an olefin derivative, a halogenated ethylene derivative, a vinyl ester derivative, and acrylonitrile. In particular, it is preferable that at least 30 mol% of a styrene derivative, an alkyl acrylate, or an alkyl methacrylate is contained. In particular, 50 mol% or more is preferable. Hereinafter, specific examples of the latex of the present invention will be described.

[0027]

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[0028]

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[0029]

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Further, B-1 to B-26 described in JP-A-4-107444, page 13, lower left column to page 15, upper left column can also be used. Next, the epoxy-based curing agent in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it has an epoxy group, and can be used in combination with a plurality of curing agents such as aldehyde-based and vinylsulfone-based curing agents.

Preferred epoxy compounds are those containing a hydroxy group or an ether condensation. In the present invention, the epoxy equivalent is a value represented by the following general formula.

Epoxy equivalent = molecular weight / the number of epoxy groups in one molecule This value is, for example, the new experimental chemistry course 13 (1) Organic structure P5
Colorimetry is also possible by the method of 8 (published by Maruzen).

The epoxy equivalent is preferably from 50 to 300,
More preferably, it is 80 to 210. If it is more than 300, the curing is weak, and if the amount is increased, the coating property is deteriorated. If the curing is weak, scratches are likely to occur. When the epoxy equivalent is 50 or less, curing is strong, but haze and residual color deteriorate, and even if the amount is reduced, it does not improve. Specific examples of the epoxy compound of the present invention will be given.
The numbers in parentheses indicate epoxy equivalents.

[0034]

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[0035]

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The amount of the epoxy curing agent added is 5 mg / m ² to
1 g / m ² is preferred. Next, a method for forming a conductive layer using a metal oxide will be described.

Preferred as the metal oxide are crystalline metal oxide particles, and those containing oxygen vacancies and those containing a small amount of heteroatoms forming donors for the metal oxide used are generally used. In particular, those having a small amount of hetero atoms forming a donor for the latter metal oxide are particularly preferable because they do not give fog to the silver halide emulsion.

Examples of metal oxides include ZnO ₂ , Ti
O ₂ , SnO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , In ₂ O ₃ , SiO ₂ , Mg
O, BaO, MoO ₃ , V ₂ O _{5 and the} like or a composite oxide thereof are preferable, and ZnO ₂ , TiO ₂ and SnO ₂ are particularly preferable.

As an example containing a hetero atom, for example, SnO ₂
N for adding or TiO ₂ and Sb or the like to
The addition of b, Ta, etc. is effective. The addition amount of these different atoms is preferably in the range of 0.01 to 30 mol%,
It is particularly preferable that it is in the range of 1 to 10 mol%.

The metal oxide particles used in the present invention are:
It has conductivity and its volume resistivity is 10 ⁷ Ω
cm or less, particularly preferably 10 ⁵ Ωcm or less.

This oxide is disclosed in JP-A-56-143.
No. 431, No. 56-120519, No. 58-6264
No. 7. The metal oxide particles are used by being dispersed or dissolved in a binder. The binder that can be used is not particularly limited as long as it has a film forming ability.

In particular, gelatin (lime-treated gelatin, acid-treated gelatin, oxygen-decomposed gelatin, phthalated gelatin, acetylated gelatin, etc.), acetylcellulose, diacetylcellulose, triacetylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polybutyl acrylate, Polyacrylamide and dextran are preferred.

In order to use the metal oxide more effectively and reduce the resistance of the conductive layer, it is preferable that the volume content of the metal oxide in the conductive layer is higher, but the strength of the layer is not sufficiently increased. Since at least about 5% of a binder is required to have the metal oxide, the volume percentage of the metal oxide is preferably in the range of 5 to 95%.

The amount of the metal oxide used is 0.05 to 10 g /
m ² is preferable, and more preferably 0.01 to 5 g / m ² . Thereby, an antistatic property is obtained.

[0045]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be specifically described below, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Example 1 A sample was prepared as follows.

(Support A: Preparation of Support without Heat Relaxation Treatment) Polyethylene terephthalate pellets were melt-extruded from a T-die at 330 ° C. into a film, quenched and solidified on a cooling drum, and unstretched to a thickness of 1265 μm. A film was obtained. This unstretched film is preheated at 135 ° C., longitudinally stretched (3.1 times), and then transversely stretched at 130 ° C. (3.4 times).
Then, heat setting was performed at 250 ° C. As a result, a 100 μm thick biaxially stretched film having a flexural modulus of 450 kg / mm ² was obtained as a support.

(Support B: Preparation of Support with Heat Relaxation Treatment) Polyethylene terephthalate pellets were melt-extruded from a T-die at 330 ° C. into a film form, quenched and solidified on a cooling drum, and unstretched to a thickness of 1265 μm. A film was obtained. This unstretched film is preheated at 135 ° C., longitudinally stretched (3.1 times), and then transversely stretched at 130 ° C. (3.4 times).
Then, heat setting was performed at 250 ° C. During this heat fixation,
As a result, a 100 μm-thick biaxially stretched film having a flexural modulus of 450 kg / mm ² was obtained as a support.

On the surface of the support, 10 W / (m ² · m
After applying a corona discharge in in), the composition was applied using a roll-fit coating pan and an air knife with the following composition. The drying was 90 ° C and the overall heat transfer coefficient was 2.9k.
The drying was performed for 30 seconds under the condition of parallel flow drying of W / (m ² · ° C.), and then performed at 140 ° C. for 90 seconds. The thickness of this layer after drying is 1 μm, and the surface resistivity of this layer is 1 × 10 5 at 23 ° C. and 55%.
⁸ Ω.

[0050]

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Ammonium sulfate 0.5 g / l Polyethylene oxide compound (average molecular weight 600) 6 g / l Hardener 12 g / l

[0052]

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(Preparation of Silver Halide Emulsion A) A silver chlorobromide core particle having an average diameter of 0.09 μm, comprising 70 mol% of silver chloride and the remainder of silver bromide, was prepared by a double jet method. At the time of mixing the core particles, K ₃ Rh (NO) ₄ (H ₂ O) ₂ was added in an amount of 7 × 10 ⁻⁸ per mol of silver per mol of silver at the end of grain formation.
In the presence of molar addition, 40 ° C., pH 2.0, 1 EAg
The silver nitrate aqueous solution and the water-soluble halide solution were simultaneously mixed while maintaining the temperature at 65 mV. The EAg was reduced to 100 mV with NaCl and the core particles were shelled using a double jet method. At that time, per mole of silver 3 × 10 ^-7 mol of K ₂ IrCl ₆ in halide solution, the K ₃ RhCl ₆ 9 × 10 ^-8 mol was added. The emulsion thus obtained was a cubic silver chlorobromide emulsion having a core / shell type monodispersion (coefficient of variation: 10%) having an average particle size of 0.16 μm. Next, desalting was performed using a modified gelatin described in JP-A-2-280139 (exemplified compound G8 in which the amino group in gelatin was substituted with phenylcarbamyl). The EAg after desalting was 190 mV at 50 ° C. 4-Hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3 was added to the resulting emulsion.
a, 7-tetrazaindene in an amount of 1.5 × 1 per mole of silver
0 ^-3 mol, 8.5 × 10 ^-4 mol of potassium bromide and citric acid were added to adjust the pH to 5.6 and the EAg to 123 mV, and then the inorganic sulfur compound (S8) PM12 dispersed in the solid was dispersed.
00 (manufactured by Seishin Enterprise Co., Ltd.) and chloroauric acid 1.5 ×
After adding 10 ^-5 mol and performing chemical ripening at 55 ° C. for 120 minutes, 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3
a, 7-tetrazaindene was added in an amount of 2.0 × 1 per mole of silver.
After adding 0 ^-3 mol, 3 × 10 ^-4 mol of 1-phenyl-5-mercaptotetrazole and 5 × 10 ^-3 mol of potassium iodide, the pH was adjusted to 5.1 with citric acid, and then 4 mol.
After cooling to 0 ° C., sensitizing dye D was added at 2 × 1 per mole of silver.
0 ^-4 mol was added, allowed to spectral sensitization, which was used as a silver halide emulsion A.

[0054]

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(Preparation of a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material for printing plate making containing a hydrazine derivative) Using the obtained emulsion, one side of a subbed support was adjusted so that the coating weight per m ² was as follows. From the support side, the following first and second layers were simultaneously coated in layers and cooled and set (emulsion formulation A). Then, the following backing layer was applied on the undercoating layer having the antistatic layer on the opposite side at a coating speed of 200 m / min.
A sample was obtained by cooling and setting at 1 ° C. and drying both sides simultaneously.

(Support, Undercoat Layer) After a corona discharge of 30 W / (m ² · min) was applied to both sides of a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate support (thickness: 100 μm), an undercoat layer having the following composition was applied to both sides. And dried at 100 ° C. for 1 minute.

Copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (25) -butyl acrylate (30) -t-butyl acrylate (25) -styrene (20) (numbers are mass ratio) 0.5 g / m ² Surfactant A 3.6 mg / m ² Hexamethylene-1,6-bis (ethylene urea) 10 mg / m ² (Antistatic layer) A corona discharge of 10 W / (m ² · min) was applied to a polyethylene terephthalate support provided with an undercoat layer. After that, an antistatic layer having the following composition was coated on one side at 70 m / min.
Apply using a roll-fit coating pan and air knife at a speed of 90 ° C., dry at 90 ° C. for 2 minutes,
Heat treated at 90 ° C. for 90 seconds.

Water-soluble conductive polymer B 0.6 g / m ² Hydrophobic polymer particles C 0.4 g / m ² Polyethylene oxide compound (MW 600) 0.1 g / m ² Curing agent E 0.1 g / m ² First layer (Emulsion layer) Gelatin 1.0 g Silver halide emulsion A 3.3 g as silver amount Hydrazine derivative Hy-1 0.015 g Hydrazine derivative Hy-2 0.020 g 5-Nitroindazole 0.01 g 2-Mercaptohypoxanthine 0.02 g Suspended polymer of colloidal silica 75% by mass, vinyl acetate 12.5% by mass, and vinyl pivalinate 12.5% by mass 1.4 g Dextran (average molecular weight 60,000) 0.2 g 4-mercapto-3,5 6-fluorophthalic acid 0.05 g Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (average molecular weight 500,000) 0.015 g Coating solution pH 5 It was 2.

Second layer (protective layer) Gelatin 0.9 g Dextran (average molecular weight 60,000) 0.2 g Nucleation promoter Na 0.15 g Colloidal silica 0.10 g Fungicide Z 0.005 g Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether sulfonic acid Sodium 0.001 g Sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate 0.015 g Silica (average particle size 5 μm) 0.015 g Silica (average particle size 8 μm) 0.15 g Hardener (1) 0.15 g Backing layer Gelatin 1.8 g F-10 0.01 g F-2 0.03 g F-3 0.10 g Suspension polymer of colloidal silica 75 mass%, vinyl acetate 12.5 mass%, and vinyl pivalinate 12.5 mass% 0.7 g sodium polystyrene sulfonate 0.010 g Matting agent: monodispersed polymethyl methacrylate having an average particle size of 3 μm 0 045 g Hardener (2) 0.05 g Backing protective layer Gelatin 1.8 g Matting agent: Monodispersed polymethyl methacrylate having an average particle diameter of 3 μm 0.045 g Sodium polyoxyethylene lauryl ether sulfonate 0.005 g Sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate 0.05 g 005 g Hardener (1) 0.15 g

[0060]

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[0061]

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[0062]

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Samples 1 and 2 were obtained by coating the supports A and B, respectively. The following processing was performed for each sample.

(Development Start Solution: 1 L) Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid 1 g Sodium sulfite 30 g Potassium hydrogen carbonate 17 g 1-phenyl-4-methyl-4′-hydroxymethyl-3-pyrazolidone 1.5 g Sodium erythorbate monohydrate 40 g 1-phenyl-5-mercaptotetrazole 0.025 g potassium bromide 4 g 5-methylbenzotriazole 0.21 g 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid 5 g 8-mercaptoadenine 0.07 g KOH was used to adjust the amount of the used solution to pH 9.8. In addition, it was finished to 1L.

(Development replenisher: 2-fold concentrated solution) Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid 1 g Sodium sulfite 30 g Potassium carbonate 70 g Potassium hydrogen carbonate 17 g 1-phenyl-4-methyl-4′-hydroxymethyl-3-pyrazolidone 1.5 g 1-phenyl -5-mercaptotetrazole 0.03 g potassium bromide 1 g 5-methylbenzotriazole 0.30 g 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid 5 g 8-mercaptoadenine 0.10 g KOH was added in such an amount that the pH of the used solution became 10.15. ,
Finished to 0.5L.

(Fixing starter solution: 1 L) Sodium thiosulfate 200 g Sodium sulfite 22 g Na gluconate 5 g Citric acid 3Na · 2H ₂ O 12 g Citric acid 12 g Adjust the pH of the working solution to 5.4 with sulfuric acid. , 1
L finished.

(Washing Water) To 1 L of tap water, 8.8 ml of the following purifying agent was added and placed in a washing tank to prepare washing water.

(Preparation of Purifying Agent) Pure water 800 g Salicylic acid 0.1 g 35 mass% hydrogen peroxide water 171 g Pluronic F-68 3.1 g Hoksite F-150 15 g DTPA · 5Na 10 g Finished to 1 L with pure water.

[0069] Drying Heat drum drying, drum temperature: 120 ° C. (blackening ratio of photosensitive material) 8% (replenishment amount of processing solution) Developer solution, fixing replenisher solution, purifying agent, and tap water for dilution described above are each supplied to a developing tank. , Fixing tank,
The washing tank was replenished directly under the following conditions.

Replenishing amount of developer Working solution 65 ml / m ² Dilution water 65 ml / m ² Fixing agent replenishment rate Concentrate 65 ml / m ² Dilution water 65 ml / m ² Replenishing amount of washing water Tap water 2.3 L / m ² Purifying agent 20 ml The following evaluation was performed on the samples 1 and ² obtained.

(Evaluation 1: Dimensional deviation in the vertical and horizontal directions) Exposure and processing were carried out at 23 ° C. and 50% RH under the following conditions.

Exposure machine: Simple exposure machine (exposure size: 10 cm
X50cm) Processor: LDM-1060 (manufactured by Dainippon Screen, connected to the heat drum dryer of the present invention) The exposure pattern was a 1 cm x 1 cm lattice pattern.

(Evaluation 2: Evaluation of Warpage and Rippling) Using the film used in Evaluation 1, evaluation of warpage and waving was performed. In this method, the processed film was visually evaluated to evaluate the flatness and smoothness. The flatness was warped and the smoothness was equivalent to waving.

Each evaluation rank is as follows. Rank 1 (poor): Extremely strong, unusable Rank 2: Strongly strong, unusable Rank 3: Occurred, but somehow usable Rank 4: Slightly generated, but usable Rank 5 (excellent): Not at all Table 1 shows the results.

[0075]

[Table 1]

Sample 1 using the comparative support A was as follows:
It can be seen that Sample 2 using the support B of the present invention has a small shrinkage width and is excellent, while the shrinkage width of the dimension is considerably large. From this fact, the film using the support A undergoes thermal contraction when it is brought into contact with a high-temperature heat drum for drying, whereas the film using the support B of the present invention has a dimensional deviation. Was small and good.

It can be seen that the support A, which is a comparative product, is inferior in warping and waving, while the support B of the present invention is excellent in warping and waving.

The film using the support A of the present invention was warped or wavy when the heat drum was dried, whereas the film using the support B of the present invention was warped. It can be seen that distortion and waving are small and good.

[0079]

According to the present invention, in a process using a heat drum drying automatic developing machine, by using a heat relaxation treatment support,
An excellent processed film with less dimensional deviation, warpage and waving was obtained.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method for processing a photosensitive material, comprising drying a photosensitive material having a support subjected to a thermal relaxation treatment with a heat drum. 2. Development time: 5 to 25 seconds, processing temperature: 30 seconds
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of from 38 to 38 [deg.] C.