Abstract: A photothermographic emulsion is prepared by chemically sensitizing silver halide grains formed by oxidative decomposition of a diphenylphosphine sulfide compound on or around the silver halide grains. This procedure uses a unique sequence of steps and provides increased photographic speed and manufacturing reproducibility.

Abstract: Novel silver compounds can include a primary core of a photosensitive silver halide and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. Other novel silver compounds are homogeneous silver salts of organic silver coordinating ligands throughout (non-core-shell). Still other silver compounds can include a primary core of a non-photosensitive metal salt and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. These types of silver compounds can be used as sources of reducible silver ions in thermally developable imaging materials including thermographic and photothermographic materials.

Abstract: Thermographic and photothermographic materials comprise a barrier layer to provide physical protection and to prevent migration of diffusible imaging components and by-products resulting from high temperature imaging and/or development. The barrier layer comprises a scavenger that is a metal hydroxide or ester. This barrier layer is capable of retarding diffusion of mobile chemicals such as organic carboxylic acids, developers, and toners.

Abstract: Novel silver compounds can include a primary core of a photo-sensitive silver halide and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. Other novel silver compounds are homogeneous silver salts of organic silver coordinating ligands throughout (non-core-shell). Still other silver compounds can include a primary core of a non-photosensitive metal salt and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. These types of silver compounds can be used as sources of reducible silver ions in thermally developable imaging materials including thermographic and photothermographic materials.

Abstract: Novel silver compounds can include a primary core of a photosensitive silver halide and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. Other novel silver compounds are homogeneous silver salts of organic silver coordinating ligands throughout (non-core-shell). Still other silver compounds can include a primary core of a non-photosensitive metal salt and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. These types of silver compounds can be used as sources of reducible silver ions in thermally developable imaging materials including thermographic and photothermographic materials.

Abstract: Novel silver compounds can include a primary core of a photosensitive silver halide and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. Other novel silver compounds are homogeneous silver salts of organic silver coordinating ligands throughout (non-core-shell). Still other silver compounds can include a primary core of a non-photosensitive metal salt and a shell covering the primary core. This shell includes one or more non-photosensitive silver salts, each silver salt including an organic silver coordinating ligand. These types of silver compounds can be used as sources of reducible silver ions in thermally developable imaging materials including thermographic and photothermographic materials.

Abstract: A non-photosensitive silver dimer compound comprises two different silver salts, provided that when the two different silver salts comprise straight-chain, saturated hydrocarbon groups as the silver coordinating ligands, those ligands differ by at least 6 carbon atoms. Many of these silver dimer compounds can be represented by the following Structure I: wherein each E is independently oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, selenium, or tellurium, R and R′ are different alkyl groups, aryl groups, aromatic heterocyclic groups, or halo atoms, provided that when E is oxygen, R and R′ are both straight-chain, saturated hydrocarbon groups, those hydrocarbon groups differ from each other by at least 6 carbon atoms. These silver dimer compounds are useful in thermally-developable imaging materials including thermographic and photothermographic materials.

Abstract: A non-photosensitive silver dimer compound comprises two different silver salts, provided that when the two different silver salts comprise straight-chain, saturated hydrocarbon groups as the silver coordinating ligands, those ligands differ by at least 6 carbon atoms. Many of these silver dimer compounds can be represented by the following Structure I: wherein each E is independently oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, selenium, or tellurium, R and R′ are different alkyl groups, aryl groups, aromatic heterocyclic groups, or halo atoms, provided that when E is oxygen, R and R′ are both straight-chain, saturated hydrocarbon groups, those hydrocarbon groups differ from each other by at least 6 carbon atoms. These silver dimer compounds are useful in thermally-developable imaging materials including thermographic and photothermographic materials.

Abstract: A non-photosensitive core-shell silver salt can be used in thermographic and photothermographic imaging compositions and materials. This core-shell silver salt includes one or more silver salts in the core, at least one of which is different from the one or more silver salts used in the shell. The molar ratio of the different silver salts in the core and shell is from about 0.01:1 to about 100:1.

Abstract: A non-photosensitive core-shell silver salt can be used in thermographic and photothermographic imaging compositions and materials. This core-shell silver salt includes one or more silver salts in the core, at least one of which is different from the one or more silver salts used in the shell. The molar ratio of the different silver salts in the core and shell is from about 0.01:1 to about 100:1.

Abstract: Photothermographic materials have increased photospeed provided by gold(III)-containing chemical sensitizers that are used combination with sulfur- and/or tellurium-containing chemical sensitizers. Increased photographic speed is achieved with minimal increase in Dmin. The gold(III)-containing chemical sensitizers are represented by the following Structure GOLD: Au(III)L′rYq GOLD wherein L′ represents the same or different ligands, each ligand comprising at least one heteroatom that is capable of forming a bond with gold, Y is an anion, r is an integer of from 1 to 8, and q is an integer of from 0 to 3.

Abstract: A non-photosensitive core-shell silver salt can be used in thermographic and photothermographic imaging compositions and materials. This core-shell silver salt includes one or more silver salts in the core, at least one of which is different from the one or more silver salts used in the shell. The molar ratio of the different silver salts in the core and shell is from about 0.01:1 to about 100:1.

Abstract: Silver carboxylates which can serve as the silver source in a black-and-white thermographic or photothermographic element or as the oxidizing agent for a dye-based thermographic or photothermographic color-imaging construction can be represented by the general formula;R.sup.3 --X--(CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --X).sub.n --L--CR.sup.1 R.sup.2 --COO.sup.-+ Agwherein:R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aromatic, or substituted aromatic;R.sup.3 is an alkyl group, an aryl group, or L--CR.sup.1 R.sup.2 --COO.sup.-+ Ag;L is a linking group that links CR.sup.1 R.sup.2 to X;X is selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR.sup.4, wherein R.sup.4 is chosen from alkyl, substituted alkyl, aromatic, or substituted aromatic; andn is an integer from 0 to 12.

Abstract: Novel silver-carboxylate/1,2-diazine compounds having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 represents either an alkyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, or alkenyl group of up to 29 carbon atoms; or an aryl group of up to 14 carbon atoms; andand R.sup.2 represents either hydrogen, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group fused to the 1,2-diazine ring, or the atoms necessary to complete a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring fused to the 1,2-diazine ring.The novel silver-carboxylate/1,2-diazine compounds are coordination compounds of two silver-carboxylate molecules and two molecules comprising a 1,2-diazine nucleus. These compounds can serve as the silver source in a black-and-white thermographic or photothermographic element or as the oxidizing agent for a dye-based thermographic or photothermographic color-imaging construction.

Abstract: Novel silver-carboxylate/1,2-diazine compounds having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 represents either an alkyl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, or alkenyl group of up to 29 carbon atoms; or an aryl group of up to 14 carbon atoms; andand R.sup.2 represents either hydrogen, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group fused to the 1,2-diazine ring, or the atoms necessary to complete a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring fused to the 1,2-diazine ring.The novel silver-carboxylate/1,2-diazine compounds are coordination compounds of two silver-carboxylate molecules and two molecules comprising a 1,2-diazine nucleus. These compounds can serve as the silver source in a black-and-white thermographic or photothermographic element or as the oxidizing agent for a dye-based thermographic or photothermographic color-imaging construction.

Abstract: A photothermographic composition is disclosed comprising a sensitizing dye and the salt of an oxidizing acid and a leuco dye, wherein said acid consists of a Group V, VI, or VII element and oxygen.

Abstract: The post-processing stability of silver halide photothermographic emulsions is enhanced by the presence of stabilizing amounts of certain azlactones.

Abstract: The post-processing stability of silver halide photothermographic emulsions is enhanced by the presence of stabilizing amounts of certain structurally defined amido compounds.

Abstract: Novel thermally sensitive imageable layers comprising a leuco dye oxidizing acid salt are disclosed, wherein said acid consists of a Group V, VI, or VII element and oxygen.

Abstract: Disclosed are photothermographic constructions containing at least a plurality of light-sensitive layers which are separated by barrier layers composed of a polymer, e.g., ethyl cellulose and polyethylene terephthalate, having an energy activation of permeability (E.sub.p) of less than about 30 kJ/mole. The barrier layers must be substantially insoluble in the light sensitive layers and vice versa. Each light sensitive layer contains a nitrate salt, leuco dye, binder, and optionally, a photoinitiator. The photothermographic construction is capable of effectively reproducing full color images.