Abstract: Certain mercapto heterocyclic compounds in certain photothermographic and thermographic elements and compositions containing silver salts of certain heterocyclic thione compounds and an organic reducing agent for the silver salts provide improved developed image tone. In the photothermographic element comprising photographic silver halide in association with the silver salt of heterocyclic thione, a developed and stabilized image, in the absence of a separate stabilizer or stabilizer precursor, with improved tone, is provided by heating the element. The photothermographic element and composition can contain a binder.

Abstract: A photographic speed-increasing concentration of a certain organic photographic speed-increasing electron acceptor provides increased photographic speed in a charge-sensitive recording composite material having an ohmic resistivity of at least about 1.times.10.sup.10 ohm-cm. The charge-sensitive recording material can comprise (a) a first electrically conducting layer in association with (b) a photoconductor layer, (c) an electrically activated recording layer comprising an image-forming combination of (i) an organic, heavy metal salt oxidizing agent with (ii) a reducing agent and (iii) the described speed-increasing electron acceptor, and a binder, and (d) a second electrical conducting layer. This recording material can be room light handleable and can provide a developed image with increased speed by dry development subsequent to electrical exposure.

Abstract: A photothermographic element can comprise a support and on the support or in the support an antihalation or filter component that comprises a heat bleachable material comprising (i) at least one hexaarylbiimidazole with (ii) at least one dye, especially an antihalation or filter dye, that is reactive with the product of the hexaarylbiimidazole formed upon heating the material to a temperature above about 90.degree. C. This provides an antihalation or filter material that becomes at least 40% colorless within about 20 minutes, typically within about 30 seconds, upon heating to a temperature as described. The antihalation or filter material can be a heat bleachable dye layer of a photothermographic element.

Abstract: A Te(II) complex represented by the formula: RTeM(R').sub.3 wherein M is lead, tin, germanium or silicon; R and R' are alkyl or aryl is useful in an imaging material to provide a non-silver image. The imaging material can be a photographic material, especially a heat-developable photographic material containing, for example, a photosensitive metal salt other than the Te(II) material or other sources of developable nuclei.

Abstract: In a heat developable photographic material and process for providing a dye enhanced silver image, an element comprising a support having thereon in reactive association: (A) at least one heat developable photographic layer comprising (i) photosensitive silver halide, (ii) at least one active silver halide developing agent, (iii) an activating concentration of a development activator precursor, and (iv) a polymeric binder and (B) at least one layer comprising an azoaniline dye that is bleached in the non-image areas of the described element upon development of a latent image in the layer (A) by uniformly heating, can provide an improved image. After imagewise exposure of the described heat developable material, a dye enhanced silver image can be provided by heating the element containing the described combination of layers and materials.

Abstract: A covering power, heat developable photographic material comprising, in binder, and in reactive association (a) negative-working photosensitive silver halide, (b) an image-forming combination comprising (i) an organic silver salt oxidizing agent containing a heterocyclic thione ligand or 1,2,4-mercaptotriazole ligand with (ii) an organic reducing agent and (c) a nucleating concentration of a hydrazino thiourea nucleating agent, enables a positive image to be developed and, in most cases, stabilized even though the photothermographic material contains no separate post-processing image stabilizer. The heat developable silver halide photographic material also enables development efficiency that is better than in those photothermographic silver halide materials not based on covering power imaging. A positive image can be developed in the heat developable photographic material after imagewise exposure by merely heating the material to moderately elevated temperatures.

Abstract: Certain azo compounds are useful as spectral sensitizing dyes in photographic silver halide materials, and particularly in photothermographic materials. These azo compounds comprise moieties capable of forming substantially insoluble silver salts thereby substantially improving sensitization of silver halides.

Abstract: A heat developable photographic material comprising, in reactive association, (a) photosensitive silver halide, with (b) an image-forming combination comprising (i) a silver imidazoline-2-thione wherein the imidazoline-2-thione portion is a 1-methyl, 1-ethyl or 1-phenyl-4-imidazoline-2-thione, with (ii) an organic, silver halide developing agent and (c) a binder, can provide developed and stabilized images without the need for processing solutions or baths. An image can be developed and stabilized in this material by merely heating the material to moderately elevated temperatures after imagewise exposure. Other addenda employed in heat developable photographic silver halide materials can be employed with the heat developable photographic materials described.

Abstract: Benzopinacol compounds can be prepared by an improved process comprising irradiating a diarylketone with UV radiation in a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent mixed with an alcohol. The volume ratio of the non-polar hydrocarbon solvent to alcohol is between 3:1 and 8:1. The benzopinacols are useful, for example, in imaging materials, such as with certain dyes that are reactive with the ketyl radicals that can be released from the benzopinacols upon heating.

Abstract: A dry, activator sheet for a dry, thermal silver dye bleach process comprises a support having thereon a non-volatile, diffusible acid, a substituted heterocyclic thiazoline, oxazoline, imidazoline or imidazolidine silver halide complexing agent and a non-hydrolyzable polymer vehicle having an effective pH up to 6.0 and a melting point lower than 200.degree. C. The activating sheet is useful to bleach a silver image containing a bleachable dye.

Abstract: A dry, activator sheet for a dry, thermal silver dye-bleach process, in the absence of a silver dye-bleach catalyst, comprises a support having thereon a nonvolatile, diffusible acid and a non-hydrolyzable polymeric vehicle having an effective pH up to 4.0 and a melting point lower than 200.degree. C. The activator sheet is useful to bleach a silver image containing a bleachable dye.

Abstract: A non-silver, charge-sensitive recording composite element having an ohmic resistivity of at least about 1.times.10.sup.10 ohm-cm comprising (a) a first electrically conducting layer in association with (b) a photoconductor layer, (c) a non-silver, electrically activated recording layer comprising an image-forming combination of (i) a certain tellurium (II) coordination complex with (ii) a reducing agent, and a binder and (d) a second electrical conducting layer can provide a non-silver image having a density equal to silver images. Silica, especially colloidal silica, is also very useful in the recording layer. The recording element can be room light handleable and can provide a developed image by dry development processes.

Abstract: A non-silver, charge-sensitive recording composite element having an ohmic resistivity of at least about 1.times.10.sup.10 ohm-cm comprising (a) a first electrically conducting layer in association with (b) a photoconductor layer, (c) a non-silver, electrically activated recording layer comprising an image-forming combination of (i) a certain tellurium (II) coordination complex with (ii) a reducing agent, and a binder and (d) a second electrical conducting layer can provide a non-silver image having a density equal to silver images. Silica, especially colloidal silica, is also very useful in the recording layer. The recording element can be room light handleable and can provide a developed image by dry development processes.

Abstract: An imaging combination comprising (i) a tellurium (II) or (IV) compound as an oxidizing agent and (ii) a reducing agent provides an improved amplified image. This imaging combination is useful in heat-developable materials containing sources of physically developable nuclei. A developed image can be provided in the material containing the developable nuclei and can be provided by heating the element to moderately elevated temperatures.

Abstract: Benzopinacols represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen, alkyl or aryl;R.sup.2 and R.sup.6 independently are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen or trifluoromethyl;R.sup.3 and R.sup.5 independently, are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen and alkyl or, when taken together with R.sup.4, represent a tetramethylene group; andR.sup.4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy and phenoxy;With the proviso that when both of the ortho positions of the phenyl groups to which R.sup.2 and R.sup.6 are attached are substituted, the substituent is fluorine. These benzopinacol compounds can be prepared by an improved process comprising irradiating a diarylketone with UV radiation in a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent mixed with an alcohol. The volume ratio of the non-polar hydrocarbon solvent to alcohol is between 3:1 and 8:1.

Abstract: A heat developable, photographic material comprising (a) a photographic metal compound with (b) an oxidation-reduction image-forming combination comprising (i) a tellurium (II) or (IV) compound as an oxidizing agent and (ii) a reducing agent provides an improved amplified image. The photographic metal compound can be, for example, photograhic silver halide. A developed image can be provided in the material after imagewise exposure by heating the element to moderately elevated temperatures.

Abstract: Certain azo compounds are useful as spectral sensitizing dyes in photographic silver halide materials, and particularly in photothermographic materials. These azo compounds comprise moieties capable of forming substantially insoluble silver salts thereby substantially improving sensitization of silver halides.

Abstract: A photographic material, especially a photothermographic material, for producing a dye-enhanced silver image comprising, in reactive association, (a) photosensitive silver halide, (b) an image-forming combination comprising (i) a silver salt of a certain 3-amino-1,2,4-mercaptotriazole derivative with (ii) a phenylenediamine or aminophenol silver halide developing agent, (c) a compound that contains a coupling moiety and which forms a dye upon reaction with the oxidized form of the developing agent, such as upon heating the element to a temperature above about 80.degree. C., (d) a binder, and (e) an antifoggant concentration of a thiazoline thione antifoggant, provides developed dye-enhanced silver images without the need for processing solutions or baths and provides reduced fog upon processing. An image can be developed in this material by merely heating the material to moderately elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A photographic element is disclosed having coated on a support a hydrophilic colloid layer containing an activator precursor and loaded polymer particles of from 0.02 to 0.2 micron in average diameter. The polymer particles consist essentially of a hydrophobic polymer of which at least 2 percent by weight is comprised of ionizable repeating units, at least half being cationically ionizable, and a hydrophobic developing agent present in a weight ratio to the polymer of from about 1:4 to 3:1. Silver halide is present in the hydrophilic colloid layer or in an adjacent layer, and the activator precursor is present in a concentration of from 1 to 4 equivalent for each mole of silver halide. The photographic element is capable of being thermally processed.

Abstract: A photothermographic material comprising in reactive association (a) photosensitive silver halide, (b) an image-forming combination comprising (i) a silver salt of certain 1,2,4-mercaptotriazole derivatives with (ii) a silver halide developing agent, and (c) a polymeric binder, provides developed images without the need for processing solutions or baths. An image can be developed in this material by merely heating the material to moderately elevated temperatures. The silver salts of certain 3-amino-1,2,4-mercaptotriazole derivatives are particularly preferred compounds. Other addenda employed in heat developable photothermographic materials, such as sensitizing dyes, can be employed with the photothermographic materials described.