Abstract: A recording material comprising a support, a thermosensitive element and a protective layer therefor, the thermosensitive element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, wherein the thermosensitive element further comprises in reactive association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and the organic reducing agent a substituted, exclusive of groups having an exclusively electron withdrawing character, or unsubstituted compound with an unsaturated 5-membered heterocyclic ring annulated with an aromatic ring system, the ring consisting of nitrogen and carbon atoms with at least one of the nitrogen atoms having a hydrogen atom and none of the carbon atoms being directly linked to a sulfur atom or being part of a carbonyl-group; a production process therefor and a thermal image recording process utilizing the recording material.

Abstract: A recording material including a support and a thermosensitive element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith, a hydrophobic polymer, a binder and optionally photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light insensitive organic silver salt, wherein the thermosensitive element includes a non-heat-responsive separate organic phase containing the hydrophobic polymer and the organic reducing agent; a process for producing the recording material; and a (photo)thermographic recording process therefor.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a heat mode imaging element comprising in the order given:i) a lithographic base,ii) a heat ablatable recording layer andiii) a top layer having an opposite affinity for ink or an ink abhesive fluid than the lithographic base,characterized in that the top layer comprises as main substance an inorganic-organic composite material wherein the inorganic phase is formed by controlled hydrolysis and polycondensation of a metal alkoxide and the organic phase is an organic polymer or copolymer linked to at least one inorganic atom.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a photothermographic material comprising on a support a photo-addressable thermally developable element containing a substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with said substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt, a reductor for said substantially light-insensitive organic heavy-metal salt and a binder, said photothermographic material having on the same side of the support as said photo-addressable thermally developable element an outermost layer having two phases at least one of which being a dispersion phase of thermoplastic particles, characterized in that said two phases exhibit different affinities for at least one printing liquid selected from the group consisting of ink and an abhesive fluid for ink.

Abstract: A (photo)thermographic material is provided, capable of being used to produce a lithographic printing plate, comprising a support, a hydrophobic thermosensitive layer and a hydrophilic surface adjoining the hydrophobic thermosensitive layer, the thermosensitive layer containing an ingredient A, for example a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, which upon negative or positive image-wise heating reacts with at least one other ingredient B, for example a reducing agent therefor, in thermal working relationship therewith, producing a moiety which changes the adhesion between the thermosensitive layer and an adjoining hydrophilic surface to an extent such that negative or positive image-wise separation of the hydrophobic thermosensitive layer from the adjoining hydrophilic surface is enabled.

Abstract: A recording process comprising the steps of: information-wise exposing to radiation a photosensitive thermally developable photographic material, thereby producing a latent image; and heating the photosensitive thermally developable photographic material, characterized in that the photosensitive thermally developable photographic material is on one and the same holding or guiding means during both the information-wise exposure step and the heating step; and the information-wise exposure step is carried out during the heating step; and a method of increasing the photosensitivity of a photosensitive thermally developable photographic material.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preparation of a heat mode recording element comprising (A) laminating a layer pack (1) containing a temporary support, a release layer, a protective layer, an optional intermediate layer, a subbing layer and a thin metal layer, preferably a bismuth layer, to a layer pack (2) comprising a (thermo)adhesive layer and a permanent support, and (B) peeling off the temporary support and the release layer. In an alternative embodiment, when the protective layer contains a radiation-curable composition, the intermediate layer and the subbing layer can be omitted. A heat mode image is obtained by exposing information-wise a thus defined recording element by means of intense laser radiation, preferably produced by an infra-red laser.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, and a corresponding thermal imaging medium for use with it, for the formation of an improved heat mode image comprising (A) exposing information-wise to laser radiation a thermal imaging medium comprising (1) a transparent support, (2) an image recording layer containing a hydrophilic binder, a substance capable of converting laser radiation into heat, and a dispersion of a hydrophobic polymer capable of undergoing thermocoagulation by the action of heat and having a built-in UV-absorber. A heat mode image with high density and improved resistance to physical damage is obtained.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a heat mode imaging element comprising in the order given:i) a lithographic base having a hydrophilic surface,ii) a layer comprising a metal and/or a metallic derivative capable of being ablated by actinic radiation andiii) a hydrophobic layercharacterized in that the hydrophobic layer is a cross-linked layer.

Abstract: A photosensitive element is disclosed, and a process of forming an image with it, comprising, in order, a support with an optional subbing layer (1), a metal image forming layer, a photosensitive layer, and a transparent cover sheet with an optional subbing layer (2).After exposure a delamination step is performed thereby giving rise to a positive and a negative metal image. In a most preferred embodiment the metal layer is a bismuth layer.

Abstract: A photosensitive element, and a process for forming a high density photo mode image with it, is disclosed comprising a support, an image forming layer comprising an image forming substance, preferably carbon black, a photopolymerisable layer and a cover sheet. Optionally a release layer can be present between the image forming layer and the photopolymerisable layer.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a thermosensitive imaging element for obtaining a lithographic printing plate comprising on a hydrophilic surface of a support a layer comprising an organic metallic salt and in the same or an adjacent layer an organic reducing agent and a compound capable of converting light into heat, said organic metallic salt being reducible on heating by said reducing agent to an ink-accepting compound or to a compound which can react with a hydrophobizing agent to an ink-accepting compound, characterized in that said layer comprising an organic metallic salt comprises a hydrophobic binder in an amount between 0.00 g/m.sup.2 and 0.25 g/m.sup.2 and a hydrophilic binder in an amount between 0.00 g/m.sup.2 and 5.00 g/m.sup.2.

Abstract: A substantially non-photosensitive recording material comprising a thermosensitive element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith, a compound with an unsaturated 5-membered heterocyclic ring consisting of nitrogen and carbon atoms with at least one of the nitrogen atoms having a hydrogen atom and none of the carbon atoms being part of a thione-group, the ring not being annulated with an aromatic ring system and the compound being exclusive of 1,2,4-triazole and substituted 1,2,4-triazole compounds, in reactive association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and the organic reducing agent and a binder, on a support; and a thermal image recording process therefor.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the formation of a heat mode image with good differentiation between Dmin and Dmax. The method essentially comprises information-wise laser exposure of a layer pack comprising a layer containing a reducing agent, a barrier layer, and a layer containing a reducible organic metal salt, preferably silver behenate. The barrier layer is destructible by laser radiation and allows transfer of reducing agent in the exposed parts while no such transfer occurs in the unexposed parts. Preferably, an overall heat post-treatment is given. A mono-sheet and a two-sheet version of the invention are described.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive image recording material contains on a support material1. at least one binder layer with a heat-sensitive imaging combination of an organic silver salt and an organic reducing agent for the organic silver salt, and2. at least one binder layer or a sequence of binder layers with a heat-sensitive imaging combination of an acid-sensitive leuco dye and an acidically reacting compound which acts as a developer for the leuco dye,wherein the leuco dye and developer are in thermal interaction with each other either in different layers or separately from each other in the same layer, characterised in that a layer with a water- or alcohol-soluble polymer is arranged between the combination of organic silver salt and organic reducing agent for the organic silver salt, on the one hand, and the combination of leuco dye and acidically reacting compound, on the other.

Abstract: A substantially non-photosensitive recording material comprising a thermosensitive element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, an organic reducing agent therefor in thermal working relationship therewith and a binder, on a support, characterized in that the thermosensitive element further comprises in reactive association with the light-insensitive organic silver salt and the organic reducing agent a 1,2,4-triazole compound with at least one of the nitrogen atoms having a hydrogen atom and none of the carbon atoms being part of a thione-group, said compound not being annulated with an aromatic ring system; and a thermal image recording process therefor.

Abstract: An ink jet printing process comprising the steps of image-wise projecting droplets of liquid onto a receiving material thus bringing into working relationship on said receiving material a reducible metal compound (A), a reducing agent (B) for said metal compound and physical development nuclei (C) that catalyze the reduction of said metal compound to metal.

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: A method is disclosed for the the formation of a photo mode image based on a the introduction on exposure of a difference of tackiness in a photosensitive layer which contains a reducible silver salt such as silver behenate. After exposure the still tacky parts selectively take up a reactive toner containing a reducing agent. By means of a heat post-treatment density is built up by reduction of the organic silver salt. This density can be increased by the presence in the toner of a pigment, preferable carbon black. In this way high maximal densities can be obtained. In a preferred embodiment the difference in tackiness is introduced by image-wise photopolymerization of a monomer also present in the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: A method for applying an ink-receiving layer to any given substrate comprising the steps of laminating a sheet or web material comprising at least three layers which include a temporary support having a thickness between 40 and 100 .mu.m, an ink-receiving layer and an adhesive layer onto said given substrate, and stripping the temporary support away to free the ink-receiving layer. The ink-receiving layer, according to the present invention, is adapted to be used with water-based inks and enables the end-user of said image-recording member to transfer that ink-receiving layer to any one of the substrates of his choice.