Abstract: The present invention relates to a porous membrane wherein said porous membrane comprises a cured coating composition that comprised prior to curing at least one curable compound and a solvent, and wherein the surface of said porous membrane is characterised by a total surface pore area of between 0.3 and 18% with respect to the surface area of said porous membrane and an average surface pore diameter of between 0.02 and 1.0 ?m. The invention further relates to image recording materials, in which these porous membranes are used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a microporous membrane comprising the step of impregnating said microporous membrane with a solution, wherein said solution comprises cationic compounds for modifying the chemical and/or physical properties of said microporous membrane. The invention further relates to image recording materials, in which these microporous membranes are used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making microporous membranes by curing compounds through radiation. The invention further relates to image recording materials, in which these microporous membranes are used. According to the present invention a microporous membrane is prepared by the steps of providing a curable compound solvent mixture, wherein the concentration of said curable compound is between 20 and 80 weight percent and wherein at least 30 weight percent of said solvent is water; applying said mixture to a support; curing said curable compound mixture by exposing to radiation, thereby causing phase separation between the crosslinked curable compound and the solvent; subjecting the resulting microporous membrane to a drying or washing step to remove said solvent; and optionally separating the support and the microporous membrane.

Abstract: A color photographic material is disclosed comprising a black image forming coupler substituted in the 2, 4 and/or 6 position shown by formula (I) or formula (II), where in LINK represents a divalent linking group, BALL represents a group that prevents the coupler from diffusing away from the layer containing it. X and Y each represent a hydrogen atom or a coupling-off group capable of being released upon an oxidative coupling reaction with a developing agent. The material has a good color reproduction and excellent light stability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent lightfastness. According to the present invention an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support and an ink-receiving layer adhered to said support, wherein the ink-receiving layer is a multilayer comprising a top layer, which top layer comprises a modified gelatin, and at least one intermediate layer in between said support and said top layer, wherein said intermediate layer comprises a mixture of a PVA-based polymer and a water soluble polymer. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent color stability while keeping good ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied, wherein one layer comprising an optical brightener is further away from said support than another layer which comprises a UV absorbing agent. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied in which the overlayer contains at least one type of modified gelatin and the IEP of the overlayer is different from the IEP of the underlayer. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention, an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied in which the underlayer is a multilayer of sublayers, comprising a mixture of gelatin and at least one type of water soluble polymer, wherein the sublayer farthest away from said support comprises a lower ratio of gelatin/water soluble polymer, compared to the ratio in the sublayer(s) nearer to the support. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention, an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support to which at least an underlayer and an overlayer is supplied in which the overlayer contains at least one specific type of modified gelatin. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining and using such a medium.

Abstract: A colour photographic material is disclosed comprising a black image forming coupler substituted in the 2, 4 and/or 6 position shown by formula (I) or formula (II), where in LINK represents a divalent linking group, BALL represents a group that prevents the coupler from diffusing away from the layer containing it. X and Y each represent a hydrogen atom or a coupling-off group capable of being released upon an oxidative coupling reaction with a developing agent. The material has a good colour reproduction and excellent light stability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, in particular to a multilayer material which comprises a support provided with blue, green and red sensitive silver halide emulsion layers containing a yellow, a magenta and a cyan dye forming coupler, respectively. According to the present invention, a paper having characteristic curves of gamma as a function of the density is obtained by a color development of a light-sensitive material after digital exposure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium, in particular an ink-jet recording medium of photographic quality that has excellent ink absorption speed, good drying characteristics, and a good image printing quality. According to the present invention, an ink-jet recording medium is provided, comprising a support in which a water-swellable layer is adhered, comprising gelatin and a hydrophilic polymer. The present invention is further directed to methods for obtaining such a medium.

Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery is disclosed, comprising a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode having a negative electrode material, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode active material is a transition metal oxide capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium, and the negative electrode material comprises at least one silicic material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium selected from silicon, a silicon alloy and a silicide, and a process for producing the nonaqueous secondary battery is disclosed.

Abstract: A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material which comprises a support having thereon photographic constituting layers comprising blue, green and red sensitive silver halide emulsion layers, and a light-insensitive hydrophilic colloidal layer, wherein the photographic constituting layers contain, in combination or separately, at least one compound represented by the following formula(1): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 represent specific groups, and L.sup.1, L.sup.2, and L.sup.3 each independently represents methine; andat least one compound selected from the group consisting of the compounds represented by the following formulas (2) and (3):A.sup.1 .dbd.L--Q (2)A.sup.1 .dbd.L--A.sup.2 (3)wherein A.sup.1 or A.sup.2 each independently represents an acidic nucleus, Q represents aryl or a heterocyclic ring, and L represents methine. The light-insensitive hydrophlic colloidal layer exhibits antihalation effect.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic material having at least one light-sensitive emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion on a support, in which at least one silver halide emulsion layer contains silver halide grains of silver chloride or silver chlorobromide having a silver chloride content of 90 mol % or more, the silver halide grains being tellurium-sensitized, and at least one of light-sensitive emulsion layers or non-light-sensitive emulsion layers on the support contains at least one specific compound represented by formula (I), (II) or (III) herein. The material has excellent rapid processability and a high sensitivity. It involves little photographic fluctuation before and after continuous processing thereof and little photographic fluctuation due to variation of the ambient humidity during exposure thereof. The image sharpness of the material may be noticeably improved without appreciably detracting from the sensitivity thereof.

Abstract: A color photographic light-sensitive material has excellent smoothness and glossiness on the surface of the light-sensitive material and provides good color developing performance and excellent color reproduction performance as well as less pressure fog in aging and storage.

Abstract: A silver halide color photographic material which contains a silver chlorobromide emulsion having a silver chloride content of 90 mol% or more or a silver chloride emulsion in at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, said emulsion layer containing a 5-bromo-substituted simple cyanine dye. An image forming method comprising processing said photographic material with a processing solution containing a diaminostilbene compound having four or more strongly-hydrophilic substituents.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic material comprises at least one light-sensitive emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion on a support. The light-sensitive emulsion layer comprises (a) a silver halide emulsion containing silver halide grains having a silver chloride content of 90 mol % or more, in some cases 95 mol % or more, and (b) at least one compound represented by formula (I), (II) or (III): ##STR1## in which the variables are as defined in the specification. In some embodiments of the invention, the silver halide emulsion (a) may be sensitized with a selenium, gold or iridium compound. Also, in some embodiments of the invention, the silver halide grains are substantially iodide-free and have a localized phase with a silver bromide content of 10% or more in the vicinity of the grain surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a silver halide color photographic material which comprises a hydrophilic colloid layer, on a paper base, containing a compound selected from the group consisting of sparingly water-soluble epoxy compounds represented by formula (I), (II), or (III) given below and a dye-forming coupler in a layer on a base wherein the pH of raw paper is 5 to 9. ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 each represent an alkyl group or a halogen atom, L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 each represent a divalent aliphatic organic group, M represents an oxygen or nitrogen atom, A represents a polyvalent linking group, a, b, and c each are an integer of 0 to 4, x and y each are a real number of 0 to 20, l is 1 or 2, and m is an integer of 2 to 4.

Abstract: Disclosed is (1) a silver halide photographic material having at least one light-sensitive emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion on a support, wherein the light-sensitive emulsion layer comprises silver halide grains which contain at least one complex selected from the group consisting of Ir and Pt metal complexes having at least two cyan ligands which have a silver chloride content of 80 mol % or more and do not substantially contain silver iodide and which have a silver bromide-rich localized phase with a silver bromide content of 10 mol % or more, and (2) a silver halide photographic material having at least one light-sensitive emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion on a support, wherein the light-sensitive emulsion layer comprises silver halide grains which contain at least one complex selected from the group consisting of Ir and Pt metal complexes having at least two cyan ligands, which have a silver chloride content of 80 mol % or more and which are gold-sensitized.