Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element including a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, in a quantity of 0.1 to 35 mol % relative to the organic silver salt and spectrally sensitized to infra-red light with a dye, a supersensitizer for the dye, a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, wherein the binder comprises a water soluble polymer, a water-dispersible polymer or a water soluble polymer and a water-dispersible polymer and the dye is represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 independently represent S, O or Se; R.sup.1 and R.sup.

Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a support and a photo-addressable thermally developable element containing a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith, photosensitive silver halide spectrally sensitized to wavelengths >700 nm with a dye and in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a water-soluble binder, a water-dispersible binder or a mixture of a water-soluble and a water-dispersible binder, characterized in that the photothermographic recording material has an infra-red sensitivity of less than 80 J/m.sup.2 and the dye satisfies the following test: an exposure required by a photothermographic recording material A, consisting of a polyester 100 .mu.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an infra-red laser sensitive thermographic material and to a process for forming a heat mode image using such a material.

Abstract: A process for producing a suspension of particles containing a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt of an organic carboxylic acid, comprising simultaneous metered addition of an aqueous solution or suspension of an organic carboxylic acid or its salt; and an aqueous solution of a silver salt to an aqueous liquid, wherein the metered addition of the aqueous solution or suspension of the organic carboxylic acid or its salt; and/or the aqueous solution of the silver salt is regulated by the concentration of silver ions or the concentration of anions of the silver salt in the aqueous liquid; for use in the production of (photo)thermographic materials.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive recording material suited for use in direct thermal imaging, wherein said recording material comprises: (i) a layer (1) containing uniformly distributed in a film-forming water-insoluble resin binder a substantially light-insensitive organic metal salt, preferably a silver salt, and (ii) a layer (2) in direct contact with said layer (1) or in thermal working relationship therewith through the intermediary of a spacer layer (3), characterized in that said layer (2) contains, uniformly distributed in a film-forming water-soluble hydrophilic binder at least one organic reducing agent that is capable of diffusing out of said layer (2) into said layer (1) on heating said recording material, and is coated from an aqueous solution.

Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element containing a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and spectrally sensitized to infra-red light with a dye, a supersensitizer for the dye, a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, wherein the binder includes a water soluble polymer, a water-dispersible polymer or a water soluble polymer and a water-dispersible polymer; the dye absorbs electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range from 700 to 1100 nm; and the supersensitizer is a stilbene compound represented by general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently hydrogen or alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, alkoxy or aryloxy groups; and R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11 and R.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method comprising the steps of:(1) image-wise projecting liquid, called ink, in the form of droplets onto a receiving material containing a substance that by chemically reacting with another substance contained in said droplets is capable of forming a visually detectable product, characterized in that according to a first mode said receiving material contains at least one substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and said ink contains a reducing agent for said silver salt, and according to a second mode said receiving material contains said reducing agent and the ink contains said silver salt, and optionally(2) heating said receiving material during and/or after the deposition of said ink on said receiving material to start or enhance reduction of said silver salt(s) forming thereby image-wise a deposit of silver metal in said receiving material.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the formation of a heat mode image comprising the steps of (i) bringing in close contact a donor element, containing a reducing agent and an radiation to heat converting compound, and an acceptor element, containing a reducible organic silver salt, (ii) exposing this assemblage information-wise by intense infra-red laser radiation, (iii) peeling apart the elements and (iiii) optionally overall heating the separated acceptor element.In a preferred embodiment the laser is an infra-red laser and the radiation to heat converting compound is an infra-red absorbing compound.In an alternative embodiment the radiation to heat converting compound is incorporated in the acceptor.

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.

Abstract: A direct thermal recording process wherein a direct thermal recording material is heated dot-wise and said direct thermal recording material comprises on a substrate an imaging layer containing uniformly distributed in a film-forming polymeric binder (i) one or more substantially light-insensitive organic silver salts being no double salts, said silver salt(s) being in thermal working relationship with (ii) an organic reducing agent therefor, characterized in that said reducing agent is a benzene compound the benzene nucleus of which is substituted by no more than two hydroxy groups which are present in 3,4-position on said nucleus and have in the 1-position of said nucleus a substituent linked to said nucleus by means of a carbonyl group.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a thermal imaging process using (i) a donor element comprising on a support a donor layer containing a binder and a thermotransferable reducing agent capable of reducing a silver source to metallic silver upon heating and (ii) a receiving element comprising on a support in the order given a receiving layer and a curable layer, said receiving layer comprising a silver source capable of being reduced by means of heat in the presence of a reducing agent for said silver source and a binder, said thermal imaging process comprising the steps ofbringing said donor layer of said donor element into face to face relationship with said receiving layer of said receiving element,image-wise heating a thus obtained assemblage, thereby causing image-wise transfer of an amount of said thermotransferable reducing agent to said receiving element in accordance with the amount of heat supplied,separating said donor element from said receiving element,curing said release layer andoverall heating sai

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing process using a donor element and a receiving element. The donor element comprises on a support a donor layer comprising a binder and a thermotransferable strong reducing agent capable of reducing a silver source to metallic silver upon heating.The donor element is image-wise heated while being in contact with an image receiving material comprising a thermoreducible silver source and a weak reducing agent, only being capable of reducing a silver source to metallic silver in the presence of metallic silver formed by said strong reducing agent. Image density is increased and stability of the reductor donor element can be improved.

Abstract: A direct thermal imaging process wherein a non-photosensitive direct thermal recording material is heated dot-wise, and said direct thermal recording material comprises an imaging layer containing uniformly distributed in a film-forming polymeric binder (i) one or more substantially light-insensitive organic silver salts, said silver salt(s) being uniformly in thermal working relationship with (ii) one or more organic reducing agents therefor, however neither including 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid as acidic reagent nor di-tert-butyl-p-cresol as a sole reducing agent, characterized in that said imaging layer contains at least one polycarboxylic acid and/or anhydride thereof in a molar percentage of at least 20 with respect to said silver salt(s).

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording material contains a mono-, oligo- or polysaccharide and a catalyst in one or more binder layers arranged on a transparent support. A black-and-white image with high optical density, good grey step reproduction, great sharpness and good stability is formed when the material is heated imagewise, e.g. by means of a thermohead.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element comprising a support, a porous layer, a photosensitive layer containing a photopolymerizable composition and optionally a stripping layer characterized in that there is provided a barrier layer between said photosensitive layer and said porous layer said barrier layer being impermeable for the photopolymerizable composition at ambient temperature and capable of increasing its permeability with increasing temperature.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording material suited for use in direct thermal imaging by means of an information-wise energized heating element, said recording material containing a thermosensitive recording layer of which the optical density is changed by heat, characterized in that said recording layer is coated with a protective transparent layer essentially consisting of a cellulose nitrate having a substitution degree (DS) in the range of 2.2 to 2.32.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat recording material comprising on a support in the order given a porous layer of an image forming substance, a substance capable of converting radiation into heat, a thermoplastic layer containing a photocurable composition and a stripping layer. The present invention further provides a method for obtaining an image with such an heat recording material. Images of high quality and good wear and scratch resistance are obtained.

Abstract: Transfer images with high resolution are obtained with an image producing element containing a layer of a photopolymerisable composition with a monomer of Formula I by imagewise exposure and transfer of the unhardened parts of the photopolymerisable composition to an acceptor material. ##STR1## In Formula I A denotes a double-bonded or triple-bonded condensed urea group;X denotes O or NR in which R=C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl;R.sup.1 denotes a double-bonded hydrocarbon group having 2 to 25 carbon atoms;R.sup.2 denotes a double-bonded to six-bonded linear or branched hydrocarbon group with 2 to 18 carbon atoms optionally interrupted by up to 3 O atoms;R.sup.3 denotes H or methyl;n denotes an integer from 1 to 5 andm stands for 2 or 3.

Abstract: A dye acceptor element for thermosublimation printing comprising a support and a dye acceptor layer containing a vinyl copolymer having a glass transition temperature of 50 to 100.degree. C. and a plasticizer having a molecular weight MW of 150 to 1,000 is distinguished by high color density, high sharpness, good image stability and a minimal tendency towards adhesion.

Abstract: Dye transfers of high color density, excellent sharpness and good stability are obtained in thermosublimation printing using a dye acceptor layer consisting essentially of a polyurethane formed by crosslinking and characterized in that the polyurethane contains at least 5% by weight urethane groups (--O--CO--NH--).