Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Radiation sensitive product – Silver compound sensitizer containing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2002-10-22
Chea, Thorl (Department: 1752)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Radiation sensitive product
Silver compound sensitizer containing
C430S600000, C430S607000, C430S613000, C430S614000, C430S617000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06468730
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image recording material and, more particularly, to an image recording material having excellent storage stability before processing for image formation and ensuring excellent storage stability for the image formed therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Photothermographic materials which form photographic images by the use of a heat-development processing method are disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,152,904 and 3,457,075, and Thermally Processed Silver System written by D. Morgan and B. Shely in the book entitled “Imaging Processes and Materials”, edited by Sturge, V. Walworth & A. Shepp, 8th ed., p. 2 (1969).
In such photothermographic light-sensitive materials are contained a silver source capable of being reduced (e.g., an organic silver salt), a catalytic amount of photo-catalyst and a reducing agent, generally in a condition that they are dispersed in an organic binder matrix. Although they are stable at ordinary temperature, the photothermographic light-sensitive materials produce silver by the redox reaction between the silver source (functioning as oxidant) and the reducing agent when heated at a high temperature (e.g., 80° C. or above) after exposure. This redox reaction is accelerated by the catalytic action of latent image produced by exposure. Therefore, the organic silver salt in the exposed area undergoes the accelerated reaction to provide a visible silver image, which presents contrast to the unexposed area. Thus, image formation is attained.
As another material utilizing the image formation to which the similar principle to the above is applied, there is known a heat-sensitive recording material containing a silver source capable of being reduced (e.g., an organic silver salt) and a reducing agent, generally in a condition that they are dispersed in an organic binder matrix. Such a material is heated imagewise by means of a thermal head, high-power laser or the like, and the redox reaction between the silver source (functioning as oxidant) and the reducing agent proceeds in proportion to the quantity of heat applied, thereby producing silver as visible image.
The recent progress of image recording arts have been made mainly aiming at simplification and speedup of the process and development of environment-friendly technology, particularly in the fields of clinical photography and reproduction photography. For instance, the clinical image-recording systems or graphic arts block copy materials suitable for laser exposure and heat development have begun to be developed, and the dry systems free of discharge of waste processing solutions have begun to spread.
In those photothermographic light-sensitive materials and heat-sensitive recording materials, the silver source capable of being reduced (e.g., an organic silver salt) and the reducing agent still remain, even after processing. Accordingly, a rise in the minimum density has frequently been observed during the long-term storage after image formation. In order to control the rise in the minimum density upon storage and, in the case of photothermographic light-sensitive materials, the minimum density rise during the heat development also, it is well-known to incorporate mercury compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, halogen-containing compounds or the like in the sensitive materials. Of these compounds, mercury compounds have an advantage of great effect, but also has a disadvantage of hardly avoiding potential danger of environmental pollution. In view of less adverse influence on the natural environment, sulfur-containing compounds and halogen-containing compounds are favorable. However, those compounds are not fully effective in controlling the minimum density rise upon long-term storage although they are on the whole effective for the control of the minimum density rise ascribed to the heat development of photothermographic light-sensitive materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an image recording material, especially a photothermographic light-sensitive image-recording material, which has excellent stability to ensure a reduced rise in the minimum density even at the time the image recording material is stored for a long time after image formation.
The aforesaid object is-attained with image recording materials according to the following embodiments (1) to (4):
(1) An image recording material comprising a support and a constituent layer(s) comprising at least (a) a heat-sensitive imaging layer containing a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent of the light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder or (b) a light-sensitive imaging layer containing a light-sensitive silver halide, light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent of the light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, wherein the image recording material comprises a compound represented by formula (1) in at least one constituent layer:
wherein X
1
and X
2
each represent a halogen atom; X
3
represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a univalent substituent group; L represents a divalent organic group; Y represents a divalent organic group containing a hetero atom, or a single bond; and Z represents an acidic functional group or a salt thereof.
(2) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein the constituent layer(s) comprises at least (b) a light-sensitive imaging layer.
(3) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein X
1
and X
2
each represents a bromine atom.
(4) The image recording material according to item (1) wherein X
3
represents a bromine atom.
(5) The image recording material according to item (1) wherein Y represents —O—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —COONR—, —NRCO—, —NRCOONR—, —OCONR—, —NRCOO—, —OCOO—, —S—, —SO—, —SO
2
— or a phosphorus-containing divalent group, wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a univalent substituent group.
(6) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein Y represents —SO
2
—.
(7) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein L an alkylene group, an arylene group, an alkenylene group, an alkynylene group, a divalent heterocyclic group, a divalent group formed by combining two or more of the above groups, and a divalent group formed by combining any of the above-recited groups with one or more of divalent groups selected from —O—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —COONR—, —NRCO—, NRCOONR—, —OCONR—, —NRCOO—, —OCOO—, —S—, —SO—, —SO
2
— and a phosphorus-containing divalent group, wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a univalent substituent group.
(8) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein Z represents a carboxyl group or a sulfo group.
(9) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein the compound represented by formula (1-a):
wherein X
1
, X
2
and X
3
have the same meanings as in formula (I) respectively, L
1
represents a 6-30C arylene group or a 1-30C divalent aromatic heterocyclic group, and Z
1
represents a carboxyl group or a sulfo group.
(10) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein the compound is contained of 10 mg/M
2
to 10 g/m
2
.
(11) The image recording material according to item (1), wherein the heat-sensitive imaging layer or the light-sensitive imaging layer was provided by coating and drying a coating composition which contains the binder in the state of aqueous latex or polymer dissolved or dispersed in a water-base solvent.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present image recording material is a heat-sensitive image-recording material comprising a light-insensitive organic silver salt and a compound capable of reducing the organic silver salt (hereinafter referred to as “reducing agent”), or a photothermographic light-sensitive image-recording material comprising a light-sensitive silver halide and a binder, preferably further containing a light-insensitive organic silver salt and a reducing agent. In particular, the photothermographic light-sensitive image-recording material is preferred as the present image
Fujiwara Toshiki
Inoue Rikio
Chea Thorl
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
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