Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising in the order given on a hydrophilic surface of a support (i) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei, (ii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer and (iii) an intermediate layer between said image receiving layer and said photosensitive layer, characterized in that said intermediate layer comprises particles of an alkali insoluble polymeric organic compound obtainable by polycondensation, said particles having a number average size between 0.02 .mu.m and 10 .mu.m.According to the present invention there is also provided a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process by using said imaging element.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for diagnosing the cause of bad performance of a printing plate obtained using the silver salt diffusion transfer process. According to the method a problem table is used to relate a problem to one or more possible causes. A test table is used to identify tests to verify a possible cause of the problem and a toolkit is provided including equipment needed for carrying out tests. Using the method a technician can identify possible causes for a problem, identify the tests capable of verifying one or more causes and perform the tests to confirm the cause of the problem. In the event a cause is not confirmed the technician can investigate other possible causes.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising in the order given (i) a hydrophilic base, (ii) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei, (iii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer and (iv) an intermediate layer between said image receiving layer and said photosensitive layer, characterized in that said intermediate layer comprises particles of a water insoluble inorganic compound having a number average size not lower than 0.02 .mu.m and lower than 3 .mu.m.According to the present invention there is also provided a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process by using said imaging element.sup.+.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithographic base comprising on a hydrophobic support a packet of subbing layers contiguous to a hydrophilic layer containing a hydrophilic (co)polymer or (co)polymer mixture and being hardened with a hydrolysed tetraalkyl orthosilicate crosslinking agent characterized in that said packet of subbing layers contains as undermost layer a layer comprising, a polymer latex having hydrophilic functionality and as uppermost layer a layer comprising a hydrophilic binder and silica in a weight ratio of the hydrophilic binder to silica of less than 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process comprising the steps of exposing and developing an imaging element comprising in the order given on a hydrophilic surface of a support (i) an image receiving layer and (ii) a photosensitive layer comprising a photosensitive silver halide emulsion, removing the layer(s) on top of the image receiving layer thereby exposing the imaged surface of the support and treating said exposed imaged surface of the support with a finisher having a temperature between 30.degree. C. and 60.degree. C.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising in the order given on a hydrophilic surface of a support (i) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei, (ii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer and (iii) an antistress composition in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer, said antistress composition comprising unhardened gelatin in an amount ranging from 0.60 to 1.75 g/m.sup.2, characterized in that at least 50% by weight of said unhardened gelatin belongs to one or more gelatin species whereof a 10% by weight aqueous solution at 36.degree. C. and pH 6 has a viscosity lower than 35 mPa.s at a shearing rate of 1000 s.sup.-1.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising in the order given on a hydrophilic surface of a support (i) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei, (ii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer and (iii) an intermediate layer between said image receiving layer and said photosensitive layer, characterized in that said intermediate layer comprises particles of an alkali insoluble non-polymeric organic compound having a melting point of at least 50.degree. C, said particles having a number average size between 0.1 .mu.m and 10 .mu.m.According to the present invention there is also provided a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process by using said imaging element+.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for obtaining an imaging element suitable for use in a silver salt diffusion transfer process by the steps of:preparing an image receiving element by coating the anodized surface of an aluminum foil with an image-receiving layer comprising physical development nuclei,preparing a photosensitive layer packet by coating a temporary base with at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer,pressing the thus formed photosensitive layer packet with its photosensitive silver halide emulsion coated side against said image receiving layer, which has been wet with an aqueous moistening liquid, andoptionally removing said temporary base, characterized in that between said temporary base and said at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer a barrier layer is present which is substantially free of developing agents, is substantially unhardened, comprises one or more hydrophilic binders in an amount of at least 0.25 g/m.sup.

Abstract: The present invention provides a finisher comprising (a) hydrophobizing agent(s) in a total concentration between 0.1 g/l and 10 g/l, (a) surface-active compound(s) and (a) polyglycol(s), characterized in that said polyglycol(s) comprise(s) at least 50% by weight ethyleneoxide groups and/or propyleneoxide groups whose total sum is at least 7 and is (are) present in said finisher in a total amount of at least 10 g/l and there is further provided a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process therewith.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising in the order given (i) a hydrophilic base, (ii) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei and (iii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer, characterized in that said photosensitive layer or another optional layer being in water permeable relationship therewith contains at least one gelatin species whereof a 10% by weight aqueous solution at 36.degree. C. and pH 6 has a viscosity lower than 20 mPa.s at a shearing rate of 1000 s.sup.-1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photographic material with a pH at 25.degree. C. of at most 7, containing on a support at least one layer, comprising a prefogged direct-positive silver halide emulsion spectrally sensitized with one or more electron-accepting sensitizing dyes in a total amount of at least 0.15 mmole/mole silver halide, the silver halide crystals of said prefogged direct-positive silver halide emulsion containing silver chloride for at least 60 mole %, silver bromide in a range from 0.5 mole % to 39.98 mole % and silver iodide in a range from 0.02 mole % to 2 mole %, characterized in that said silver halide cristals contain silver iodide for at least 0.20 mmole/mole AgX in the outer 10% by weight of said cristals and said layer contains a gelatin species containing Ca.sup.2+ in an amount ranging from 0.2% to 1% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising on a flexible hydrophobic support (i) a hardened hydrophilic layer, containing a hydrophilic synthetic homocopolymer or copolymer and being hardened with a hydrolyzed tetraalkyl orthosilicate crosslinking agent, (ii) a receiving layer containing physical development nuclei contiguous to said hydrophilic layer, (iii) an intermediate layer comprising a non-proteinic hydrophilic film-forming polymer or hydrophobic polymer beads having an average diameter not lower than 0.2 .mu.m and having been prepared by polymerization of a ethylenically unsaturated monomer and (iv) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said receiving layer. The invention also relates to a method for making lithographic plates with said imaging element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithographic base comprising on a hydrophobic support a subbing layer and a hydrophilic layer containing a hydrophilic (co)polymer or (co)polymer mixture and being hardened with a hydrolyzed tetraalkyl orthosilicate crosslinking agent characterized in that said subbing layer contains a hydrophilic binder and silica, the surface area of the silica being at least 300 m.sup.2 per gram.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process having improved printing properties comprising the step of developing an imaging element comprising in the order given (i) a hydrophilic base, (ii) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei and (iii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion in the presence of a 1-phenyl-5-mercapto-tetrazole, being substituted by one or two substituents from the group consisting of:(i) a --COOM group with M representing hydrogen, a metal cation, or an ammonium group,(ii) a --SO.sub.3 M.sup.1 group, M.sup.1 representing hydrogen, a metal cation, or an ammonium group,(iii) an acylamido group,(iv) and a substituent containing at least one of the aforementioned substituents (i)-(iv).

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithographic base comprising on a hydrophobic support a subbing layer contiguous to a hydrophilic layer containing a hydrophilic (co)polymer or (co)polymer mixture and being hardened with a hydrolyzed tetraalkyl orthosilicate crosslinking agent characterized in that said subbing layer contains a hydrophilic binder and silica and is applied at a solids content of more than 200 mg per m.sup.2 but less than 750 mg per m.sup.2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process using rinsing water, characterized in that alkali is added to said rinsing water before washing at most 20 m.sup.2 of said exposed and developed imaging element and/or before being in use for more than 24 hours in such an amount that a pH in said washing water between 10.5 and 13 is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising in the order given (i) a hydrophilic grained and anodized aluminum support with an aluminum oxide barrier layer of at least 10 nm thickness, (ii) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei in an amount of at least 0.7 mg/m.sup.2 and (iii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer. The invention also relates to a method for making lithographic plates with said imaging element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making an offset printing plate according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process using rinsing water, characterized in that said rinsing water before washing at most 20 m.sup.2 of said exposed and developed imaging element and/or before being in use for more than 24 hours is brought in contact with (i) a metal of the group IB or IIB or VIII of the periodic table or (ii) with an alloy containing at least one of said metals or (iii) with a salt containing an ion of at least one of said metals.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising in the order given (i) a hydrophilic grained and anodized aluminum support, (ii) an image receiving layer containing physical development nuclei and (iii) a photosensitive layer containing a silver halide emulsion being in water permeable relationship with said image receiving layer characterized in that the sum of the surface areas of subsidences amounts to at least 50% of the total surface area area of the grained and anodized side of said support.