Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a photo-addressable thermally developable element coatable from aqueous media comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, characterized in that the binder comprises a water-soluble polymer, a water-dispersible polymer or a mixture of a water-soluble polymer and a water-dispersible polymer and particles of the photosensitive silver halide are non-aggregating in the photo-addressable thermally developable element and are uniformly distributed over and between particles of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, at least 80% by number of the particles having a diameter, determined by transmission electron microscopy, of ≦40 nm; and a recording process therefor.

Abstract: A production method for a photothermographic recording material comprising the steps of: (i) providing a support; (ii) coating the support with a photo-addressable thermally developable element comprising a substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic association with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent in thermal working relationship with the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt and a binder, characterized in that the photosensitive silver halide is formed by reacting an aqueous emulsion of particles of the substantially light-insensitive organic silver salt with at least one onium salt with halide or polyhalide anion(s) and that the photo-addressable thermally developable element is coated from an aqueous dispersion medium; and a recording process therefor.

Abstract: Silver halide photographic material comprising finely divided solid spherical polymer beads having an average particle size between about 0.1 and about 10 .mu.m and having a glass transition temperature of at least 40.degree. C. The polymer beads are prepared by a one step reaction in an aqueous reaction medium whereby the polymer beads are formed by the simultaneous reaction of1) a silane monomer comprising an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated group,2) at least one .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated monomer, different from the silane monomer, capable of forming a polymer that is soluble in the monomer(s) present in the aqueous solvent mixture but which is insoluble in water,3) a free radical-forming polymerization initiator that is soluble in the aqueous solvent mixture, and4) a graft-polymerizable polymer containing hydrophilic groups, and capable of forming a graft polymer that remains soluble in the aqueous reaction mixture.

Abstract: Toner particles are provided, having an average volume diameter d.sub.vt and comprising a binder resin with melting point TSM.sub.t, and comprising polymeric beads incorporated in the bulk of the toner particles, characterized in that the polymeric beads have i) a melting point TSM.sub.p in .degree.C., such that TSM.sub.p .gtoreq.TSM.sub.t +10.degree. C. and ii) an average volume diameter d.sub.vp such that 0.20.ltoreq.d.sub.vp /d.sub.vt .ltoreq.0.75.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic material is provided comprising at least one silver halide emulsion layer and an outermost layer comprising an hydrophillic binder and polymeric spacing particles characterized in that(i) the outermost layer has a thickness between 0.3 to 0.9 pm and(ii) the polymeric spacing particles comprise at the surface alkali metal carboxylate or sulphonate groups equivalent to an acid value greater than 1.0 mg KOH per 1 g of polymeric spacing particles. In a preferred embodiment the said spacing particles have a volume average diameter (d.sub.v50) that is 5 to 30 times larger than the thickness of the outermost layer.

Abstract: Silver halide photographic material comprising finely divided solid spherical polymer beads having an average particle size between about 0.1 and about 10 .mu.m and having a glass transition temperature of at least 40.degree. C. The polymer beads are prepared by a one step reaction in an aqueous reaction medium whereby the polymer beads are formed by the simultaneous reaction of1) a silane monomer comprising an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated group,2) at least one .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated monomer, different from the silane monomer, capable of forming a polymer that is soluble in the monomer(s) present in the aqueous solvent mixture but which is insoluble in water3) a free radical-forming polymerization initiator that is soluble in the aqueous solvent mixture, and4) a graft-polymerizable polymer containing hydrophilic groups, and capable of forming a graft polymer that remains soluble in the aqueous reaction mixture.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method is provided for preparing physical development nuclei for use in silver salt diffusion transfer processing, said physical development nuclei comprising a heavy metal sulphide, said method comprising the steps of:precipitating said heavy metal sulphide by bringing a water soluble heavy metal compound in reactive association with a water soluble sulphide in an aqueous liquid andsaid precipitation being carried out in the presence of a hydrophilic polymer so as to disperse said heavy metal sulphide, said hydrophilic polymer comprising a heterocyclic group, characterized in that said heterocyclic group is present in a recurring unit of said hydrophilic polymer, said recurring unit being comprised in said polymer in an amount between 0.1 mol % and 5 mol %.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element for making a lithographic printing plate according to silver salt diffusion transfer processing, said imaging element comprising on a support a silver halide emulsion layer and a receiving layer, said receiving layer comprising (i) physical development nuclei, (ii) an inorganic colloidal substance and (iii) a hydrophilic polymer being a homo- or copolymer of acrylamide or methacrylamide.

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 provided for the preparation of finely divided solid spherical polymer beads having an average particle size between about 0.1 and about 10 .mu.m and having a glass transition temperature of at least 40.degree. C. The method is a one step reaction in an aqueous reaction medium and said polymer beads are formed by the simultaneous reaction of1) a silane monomer comprising an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated group,2) at least one .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated monomer, different from said silane monomer, capable of forming a polymer that is soluble in the monomer(s) present in said aqueous solvent mixture but which is insoluble in water3) a free radical-forming polymerization initiator that is soluble in the aqueous solvent mixture, and4) a graft-polymerizable polymer containing hydrophilic groups, and capable of forming a graft polymer that remains soluble in the aqueous reaction mixture.

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.+.