Abstract: Growth and clustering of halftone dots is a drawback in the reproduction of halftoned continuous tone images on prior art recording materials. Certain thermographic materials show a local microdot shrink effect called negative cross-talk upon neighboring microdots when exposing a microdot. Exposing these materials according to the frequency modulated halftone data of an image results in better tone rendering and lower noise due to lower dot clustering or negative cross-talk characteristics.

Abstract: A substantially light-insensitive black and white monosheet thermographic recording material comprising a support and a thermosensitive element containing a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, a 1,2-dihydroxyphenyl-compound in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, wherein the 1,2-dihydroxyphenyl-compound is represented by formula (I): where n is 0 or 1; R is —(C═O)R1, —(C═O)NR1R2, —CN, —SO3R2, —SO2R2, —SOR2, —SO2NR2R3 or —PO3R2R3; R1 is H or an alkyl group with 12 or less carbon atoms; and R2 and R3 are independently H or an alkyl or an aryl group; and R1 and R2 together can provide the atoms to close a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; and R2 and R3 together can represent the atoms to close a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; and a recording process therefor.

Abstract: A thermal image forming process comprising the steps of: (i) bringing an outermost layer of a recording material comprising at least one thermosensitive element, comprising a substantially light-insensitive silver salt and a reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith, on a support into contact with a heat source; (ii) applying heat from the heat source imagewise to the recording material while maintaining mutual contact to but with relative movement between the recording material and the heat source; and (iii) separating the recording material from the heat source, characterized in that the dynamic frictional coefficient during the contact between the outermost surface of the recording material and the heat source has a maximum value of less than 0.3.

Abstract: A (photo)thermographic recording material comprising a (photo-addressable) thermosensitive element, a support and an outermost antistatic layer, the thermosensitive element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent for the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, characterized in that the outermost antistatic layer is an organic layer with a resistivity of <10.sup.10 .OMEGA./.quadrature. at a relative humidity of 30%. The outermost antistatic layer may comprise a polythiophene with conjugated polymer backbone in the presence of a polymeric polyanion compound and a hydrophobic organic polymer having a glass transition value (T.sub.g) of at least 40.degree. C., the polythiophene being present at a coverage of at least 0.001 g/m.sup.2 and the weight ratio of the polythiophene to the hydrophobic organic polymer being in the range of 1/10 to 1/1000.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reproducing continuous tone images by means of a thermal head. The method involves the image-wise heat transfer of a reducing agent from a donor element to a receiving layer of a receiving element. The receiving element contains a thermoreducible silver source such as e.g. silver behenate. The process of the present invention provides high density images with multiple intermediate density levels.