Thermographic recording element

Details Thermographic recording element Thermographic recording element

1999-05-11

2001-08-21

Chea, Thorl (Department: 1752)

Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th

Radiation sensitive product

Silver compound sensitizer containing

C430S264000, C430S607000, C430S613000, C430S614000, C430S615000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06277554

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to a thermographic recording element, and more particularly, to a photothermographic element suitable for use in a photomechanical process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Photothermographic elements for forming photographic images through heat development are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,152,904 and 3,457,075, D. Morgan and B. Shely, “Thermally Processed Silver Systems” in “Imaging Processes and Materials,” Neblette, 8th Ed., Sturge, V. Walworth and A. Shepp Ed., page 2, 1969.
These photothermographic elements generally contain a reducible silver source (e.g., organic silver salt), a catalytic amount of a photocatalyst (e.g., silver halide), a toner for controlling the silver tone, and a reducing agent, typically dispersed in a binder matrix. Photothermographic elements are stable at room temperature. When they are heated at an elevated temperature (e.g., 80° C. or higher) after exposure, redox reaction takes place between the reducible silver source (functioning as an oxidizing agent) and the reducing agent to form silver. This redox reaction is promoted by the catalysis of a latent image produced by exposure. Silver formed by reaction of the organic silver salt in exposed regions provides black images in contrast to unexposed regions, forming an image.
Such photothermographic materials have been used as microphotographic and medical photosensitive materials. However, only a few have been used as a graphic printing photosensitive material because the image quality is poor for the printing purpose as demonstrated by low maximum density (Dmax) and soft gradation.
With the recent advance of lasers and light-emitting diodes, scanners and image setters having an oscillation wavelength of 600 to 800 nm find widespread use. There is a strong desire to have a high contrast photosensitive material which has a high enough sensitivity and Dmax that it may comply with such output devices.
From the contemporary standpoints of environmental protection and space saving, it is strongly desired in the graphic printing field to reduce the quantity of spent solution. Needed in this regard is a technology relating to photothermographic materials for use in the graphic printing field which can be effectively exposed by means of laser image setters and produce clear black images having a high resolution and sharpness. These photothermographic materials offer to the customer a simple thermographic system which eliminates a need for solution type chemical agents and is not detrimental to the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,958 discloses that a photothermographic element comprising a polyhydroxybenzene combined with a hydroxylamine, reductone or hydrazine has high image quality discrimination and resolution. This combination of reducing agents, however, was found to incur an increase of fog.
For producing a thermographic recording element having high Dmax and high contrast, it is effective to add to the element the hydrazine derivatives described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,695. Although this results in a thermographic recording element having high Dmax and high contrast, all of sensitivity, contrast, Dmax, Dmin, and storage stability of compounds are not fully satisfied.
Improvements in contrast and storage stability of compounds are achieved by using the hydrazine derivatives described in EP 762196A1, but the fully satisfactory level has not been reached.
Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,545,515 and 5,635,339 disclose the use of acrylonitriles as the co-developer. With these acrylonitrile compounds, a fully satisfactory high contrast is not achieved, fog rises, and the photographic properties largely depend on the developing time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a—thermographic recording element featuring an ultrahigh contrast and especially a photomechanical recording element exhibiting excellent photographic properties, for example, maximum density (Dmax) and fog, which are least dependent on developing temperature and processable on a fully dry basis without a need for wet processing.
According to the invention, there is provided a thermographic recording element having at least one image forming layer and comprising an organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a hydrazine derivative, and at least one compound selected from compounds of the following formulas (A) and (B).
In formula (A), Z
1
is a group of non-metallic atoms completing a 5- to 7-membered cyclic structure, Y
1
is —C(═O)— or —SO
2
— and X
1
is a hydroxyl group or salt thereof, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, heterocyclic oxy group, mercapto group or salt thereof, alkylthio group, arylthio group, heterocyclic thio group, acylamino group, sulfonamide group or heterocyclic group, the compound of formula (A) having at least 6 carbon atoms in total.
In formula (B), Z
2
is a group of non-metallic atoms completing a 5- to 7-membered cyclic structure, Y
2
is —C(═O)— or —SO
2
—, X
2
is a hydroxyl group or salt thereof, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, heterocyclic oxy group, mercapto group or salt thereof, alkylthio group, arylthio group, heterocyclic thio group, acylamino group, sulfonamide group or heterocyclic group, and Y
3
is hydrogen or a substituent, the compound of formula (B) having at least 12 carbon atoms in total.
In formula (A), Z
1
preferably has at least 3 carbon atoms in total. Y
1
is preferably a carbonyl group and Z
1
is a group of atoms capable of forming a 5- or 6-membered cyclic structure; more preferably, Y
1
is a carbonyl group and Z
1
forms an indanedione, pyrrolidinedione, or pyrazolidinedione ring with —Y
1
—C(═CH—X
1
)—C(═O)—.
Further preferably, X
1
represents a hydroxy group or a salt thereof, an alkoxy group, a mercapto group or a salt thereof, an alkylthio group, or a heterocyclic group; Z
1
represents a group of atoms capable of forming a pyrazolidinedione ring.
In formula (B), Z
2
and Y
3
preferably have at least 8 carbon atoms in total; more preferably, Y
2
is a carbonyl group and Z
2
is an oxygen or nitrogen atom capable of forming a 5-membered cyclic structure.
The hydrazine derivative is preferably of the following formula (2).
R
11
—NHNH—CO—C(R
22
)(R
33
)—X  (2)
In formula (2), R
11
represents an aromatic group; R
22
and R
33
independently represent hydrogen or a substituent; X represents —OH, —OR, —OCOR, —SH, —SR, —NHCOR, —NHSO
2
R, —NHCON(R
N
)R
N
′, —NHSO
2
N(R
N
)R
N
′, —NHCO
2
R, —NHCOCON(R
N
)R
N
′, —NHCOCO
2
R, —NHCON(R
N
)SO
2
R or —N(R
N
)R
N
′; R represents an alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic group; and R
N
and R
N
′ independently represent hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic group. Preferably, X represents —OH, —OR, —NHCOR, —NHSO
2
R or —N(R
N
)R
N
′.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5496695 (1996-03-01), Simpson et al.
patent: 5545515 (1996-08-01), Murray et al.
patent: 0713131 (1996-05-01), None
patent: 0762196A1 (1997-03-01), None
patent: 0803764 (1997-10-01), None
patent: 0897130A1 (1999-02-01), None
patent: 0921433 (1999-06-01), None

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