Abstract: This invention relates to a poly(ethylene terephthalate)-based photographic film base having improved properties with regard to slitting, perforating, and other finishing or cutting operations. The film base comprises a polyester material in which a specified amount of monomer units derived from 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM), such that the film base has a specified cutting-related property. The level of CHDM can be adjusted in the PET-based polyester material either by physical blending of polyesters containing CHDM monomer units or by synthetic incorporation of CHDM monomer units into a PET-based polyester backbone.

Abstract: This invention concerns the developing of silver halide photographic products. Silver-laden slurries accumulate in developing baths. It is possible to eliminate these silver-laden slurries by placing the developing baths in contact with aluminosilicate polymers modified by sulfur groups. For example, a tank 12 is fitted with a loop to feed the bath through a cartridge 16 that contains the elements 18 that are permeable to the developing bath, and which contain the aluminosilicate polymer modified by the sulfur groups.

Abstract: Blocked photographically useful groups decompose thermally via a Lossen rearrangement reaction, including, for example, compounds represented by the following structure: In the above structure, the substituents are as defined in the application. Such compounds have good reactivity and can by used to block photographically useful compounds such as developing agents until thermally activated under preselected conditions. Compounds according to the present invention are especially useful in color photothermographic imaging elements.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photothermographic element comprising silver halide, a blocked developer, a coupler, and core/shell particles, each such particle comprising a mixture of at least two non-photosensitive organic silver salts, which particle comprises a center portion comprising a non-photosensitive first organic silver salt and at least one shell portion covering the center portion, the shell comprising a non-photosensitive second organic silver salt. The organic silver salt in the shell has a higher pKsp relative to the organic silver salt in the core. This invention also provides a composition comprising core/shell non-photosensitive organic silver salt particles, and a method of making the particles.

Abstract: A self-contained photohardenable imaging assembly comprising in order: a first transparent support, an imaging layer comprising a developer material and a plurality of photohardenable microcapsules encapsulating a color precursor, and a second support, wherein at least one support comprises a ceramic barrier layer that exhibits a low water vapor transmission rate. The imaging assembly has been found to provide better image quality and more consistence sensitometric response to pressure development.

Abstract: This invention relates to a color photothermographic element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: wherein DEV, LINK, TIME, n, T, t, C*, R12, D, p, X, q, W, and w are defined in the application. Such compounds have good reactivity as developing agents when thermally activated under preselected conditions. The invention is also directed to a method of developing a color photothermographic element, including dry development systems.

Abstract: A self-contained photohardenable imaging assembly comprising in order: a first transparent support; an imaging layer comprising a developer material and a plurality of photohardenable microcapsules encapsulating a photohardenable composition and a color precursor, and a second support, wherein the at least one support is covered by a removably adherent barrier sheet, so that the combined support and barrier sheet exhibits a low water vapor transmission rate before printing, but which barrier sheet may be removed after printing. The imaging assembly has been found to provide better image quality and more consistence sensitometric response to pressure development.

Abstract: A light sensitive silver halide color photographic element having a common chromogenic coupler and a distinct developer associated with each color forming layer unit is disclosed. In a first embodiment, the light sensitive silver halide color photographic element has a red light sensitive silver halide layer unit and a first blocked coupling developer, a green light sensitive silver halide layer unit and a second blocked coupling developer and a blue light sensitive silver halide layer unit having a third blocked coupling developer and wherein each layer unit has the same chromogenic coupler. In a second embodiment, the light sensitive silver halide color photographic element has a red light sensitive silver halide layer unit and a first blocked coupling developer, a green light sensitive silver halide layer unit and a second blocked coupling developer and a blue light sensitive silver halide layer unit having a third blocked coupling developer.

Abstract: This invention comprises an imaging element comprising an imaging layer having associated therewith a compound of Structure I: In the above Structure I, the substituents are as defined in the application. Such compounds have good reactivity and can by used to block photographically useful compounds such as developing agents until thermally activated under preselected conditions. Compounds according to the present invention are especially useful in color photothermographic imaging elements.

Abstract: This invention involves the use of ionic liquids as coupler solvents in a color or monochrome photothermographic system. The presence of an ionic liquid can increase the amount of density or dye formed. The ionic liquid may be combined with other coupler solvents.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver-halide color photographic element comprising at least two different chromogenic couplers including, in reactive association, a multifunctional coupler and a developer precursor that liberates a developing agent enabling cyan color from the multifunctional coupler on development, wherein the multifunctional coupler has the property that it is capable of forming a distinctly colored dye with an oxidized form of the developer 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine. In one embodiment, the multifunctional coupler has the property that it is capable of forming a distinctly colored magenta dye with an oxidized form of the developer 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine. By means of the present invention, light-sensitive color photothermographic elements can form yellow, magenta and cyan dye records of consistent density forming ability and consistent stability in all three color records.

Abstract: This invention involves dispersions comprising ionic liquids and a non-ionic surfactant, optionally further comprising a photographically useful compound such as a dye-forming coupler. Such dispersions form coatings that are relatively free of physical defects, and show reduced problems such as crystallization of components like the couplers or ion pairs.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver-halide color photographic element comprising a multifunctional coupler enabling formation of an infrared dye on development, wherein the multifunctional coupler has the property that it is capable of forming a distinctly colored cyan dye with an oxidized form of the developer 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of forming a protective overcoat on a photographic element which element includes a processing-solution-permeable overcoat that becomes water-resistant in the final product without lamination or fusing. The method involves the incorporation of a small amount of a water-soluble organic solvent in the last step of the photographic process, i.e., during the washing step. This method allows the use of durable water-resistant protective overcoat materials with relatively high glass transition temperatures, that normally do not convert to impermeable films at low temperature, or without fusing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making an aqueous dispersion of particles comprising epoxy-functional and acid-functional materials. Coating compositions made from such a dispersion can be used to protect various substrates, including imaging layers, so that the coated product resists fingerprints, common stains, and spills.

Abstract: The incorporation of coupler chemistry into the fluorescent element results in a greatly improved fluorescence imaging element, displaying higher photographic speed, higher contrast, and improved image discrimination. The coupler chemistry comprises the combination of a developing agent that generates an oxidized form on reaction with exposed silver halide, together with a molecule capable of forming a stable reaction product, preferably a dye, by reaction with the oxidized form of the developer. This will have the effect of a sink for oxidized developer formed during development. In a preferred embodiment, dye-forming chemistry is combined with fluorescent imaging to provide dramatic improvements in performance of the fluorescent system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photothermographic element in which the density formed in a thermally processed photothermographic element is limited for the purpose of scanning the element prior to removal of silver halide, metallic silver, and/or any organic silver salts. In one embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by employing limited quantities of sensitized silver halide in a photothermographic element.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver-halide color photothermographic element comprises a typically magenta dye-forming pyrazolone coupler in the cyan record by rendering the hue of the resultant dye a cyan hue. The use of certain para-phenylenediamine developers, for example, containing a substituent group in both the 2- and 6-positions (ortho, ortho') relative to the coupling nitrogen, along with selected magenta dye-forming couplers, when oxidized, yield cyan dyes with certain couplers, resulting in the superior non-hue characteristics of magenta couplers in the cyan layer. By means of the present invention, light sensitive color photothermographic elements can form image dye records of consistent density forming ability and consistent stability in all three color records. Also disclosed is a method of processing such a color photographic element.

Abstract: A color photographic element comprising at least three light-sensitive units which have their individual sensitivities in different wavelength regions, at least one of units comprising a light-sensitive silver-halide emulsion, binder, and a coupler represented by formula I: COUP—(T)m—L—DYE′  (I) wherein COUP is a coupler parent group capable of reacting with an oxidized developer to form a first cyan dye and is bonded at a coupling position to a releasable group that forms a second dye of the same hue, as described in the specification.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photothermographic imaging element comprising at least one silver halide imaging layer containing a fluorophore. The imaging element can be exposed and then processed by heating to form an image in which the intensity of the fluorescence from the element is modulated imagewise to yield a fluorescent image of the light intensities to which the element was exposed. The present invention is also directed to a method of processing photothermographic film that has been imagewise exposed in a camera, which method in order comprises thermally developing the film step without any externally applied developing agent, comprising heating said film to a temperature greater than 80° C.