Abstract: Incorporating a combination of phenolic reducing agents provides thermally developable materials with improved silver efficiency and hot-dark print stability without loss in other sensitometric properties. Both photothermographic and thermographic materials are provided, and particularly photothermographic materials having lower silver coverage.

Abstract: A direct thermographic material has one or more thermographic layers comprising a film-forming polymer binder on a polymeric support. The binder for at least one thermographic layer comprises a hydrophobic, organic soluble binder that is a polyvinyl acetal having a degree of polymerization greater than 650 and less than 2500.

Abstract: Ionic liquids are added to black-and-white direct thermographic materials to provide increased image density or to allow for reduced silver coverage (that is, improved silver efficiency). Useful ionic liquids include imidazolium, pyrazolium, pyridinium, pyrimidinium, pyrazinium, tetra-alkylammonium, or tetra-alkylphosphonium cations.

Abstract: A direct thermographic material has one or more thermographic layers on a polymeric support. Two protective layers are disposed over the one or more thermographic layers and both protective layers comprise the same polymer as the predominant binder. The outermost protective layer contains one or more lubricants while the innermost protective layer is substantially free of lubricants.

Abstract: A direct thermographic material has one or more thermographic layers on a polymeric support. Two protective layers are disposed over the one or more thermographic layers and both protective layers comprise the same polymer as the predominant binder. The outermost protective layer contains one or more lubricants while the innermost protective layer is substantially free of lubricants.

Abstract: Non-photosensitive direct thermographic materials comprise a reducing agent that is a specific ortho-amino-phenol, para-amino-phenol, or hydroquinone compound. These compounds can reduce silver(I) ion to metallic silver to produce a dense black silver image under the short time and high temperature conditions that occur when using thermal print-heads during direct thermal printing. The materials are characterized by their calculated aqueous deprotonation and their calculated anion HOMO energies.

Abstract: Non-photosensitive direct thermographic materials comprise a reducing agent that is a specific ortho-amino-phenol, para-amino-phenol, or hydroquinone compound. These compounds can reduce silver(I) ion to metallic silver to produce a dense black silver image under the short time and high temperature conditions that occur when using thermal print-heads during direct thermal printing. The materials are characterized by their calculated aqueous deprotonation and their calculated anion HOMO energies.

Abstract: Thermally developable materials include a reducing agent composition that can reduce silver ions and provide high contrast images. The reducing agent composition includes a) a hindered phenol reducing agent, an aromatic di- or tri-hydroxy compound, or mixtures thereof, and b) a thermally-releasable p-phenylenediamine co-developer that is represented by the following Structure I: R—NH-BLOCK  (I) wherein R—NH— is a p-phenylenediamine group and BLOCK is a blocking group that is cleaved upon exposure to at least 120° C. for at least 5 seconds and comprises one or more of the following thermally cleavable groups: —CONH—, —COO—, —CONHSO2—, —PO3—, —SO2—, —COCH2NHCO—, or —COS—, and BLOCK is directly linked to R—NH— through one of the thermally cleavable groups.

Abstract: Thermographic and photothermographic materials comprise a barrier layer to provide physical protection and to prevent migration of diffusible imaging components and by-products resulting from high temperature development. The barrier layer comprises a film-forming, water-insoluble aromatic polyester that has a molecular weight of at least 10,000 g/mole and is capable of retarding diffusion of mobile chemicals such as fatty acids, developers and toners. This polymer can also be present in admixture with another film-forming polymer to provide a clear and scratch-resistance surface.

Abstract: High contrast thermographic and photothermographic materials comprise a barrier layer to prevent migration of diffusible by-products resulting from high temperature development. The barrier layer comprises a film-forming polymer(s) that reacts with or acts as a physical barrier to diffusible by-products resulting from development including formic acid, hydrazo compounds, azo compounds, diimide compounds, hydrazine, and water.

Abstract: A thermographic element comprising in a non-aqueous binder medium a silver salt oxidizing agent in reactive association with a compound comprising a plurality of redox color releasing moieties such that oxidation of each redox color releasing moiety causes release from said compound of a thermally diffusible dye.The compounds many of which are new incorporate two or more developer moieties into a single molecule to minimize the diffusibility of the compound. Following oxidation, either directly by the silver salt or by means of a cross-oxidizing agent, each oxidized developer moiety releases a thermally diffusible dye. The compounds are of sufficient size and molecular weight to slow or prevent diffusion in imaging systems and yet possess several active developer moieties per molecule which is advantageous over known ballasted dye releasers which comprise bulky molecules with only a single developer moiety.

Abstract: Ribonucleic acid (RNA) compounds have been found to function as antifoggants and post-processing print stabilizers in photothermographic elements.

Abstract: Heat-developable photothermographic materials capable of providing stable color images of high resolution. These materials comprise a support bearing a layer of an image-forming composition comprising:(a) a photosensitive silver halide,(b) an organic silver compound,(c) a reducing agent for silver ion, and(d) a binder,The reducing agent comprises a ballasted leuco dye compound. The ballasted leuco dye compound comprises a compound of the general formula:D--BwhereinD represents the reduced chromophore of a thermally mobile dye; andB represents an organic group that reduces the thermal mobility of D in the aforementioned binder, said organic group B capable of being oxidatively cleaved. The molecular weight of B must not be so high that the resulting amount of D in the emulsion layer is insufficient to yield a dye image having a reflection optical density of at least 0.3 or a transmission optical density of at least 0.2.

Abstract: A photothermographic element containing a transparent substrate having one major surface thereof containing the following layers sequentially coated thereon: an image-receiving layer; an opacifying layer; a first dry silver layer; an interlayer containing thermoplastic polymer; a second dry silver layer; an interlayer containing thermoplastic polymer; and a third dry silver layer, wherein the first, second, and third dry silver layers each contain a light-insensitive, reducible silver source; light-sensitive silver halide, and as a reducing agent for the light-insensitive, reducible silver source, a material oxidizable to a colored dye whose color differs from that capable of being formed in each other dry silver layer, each of the dry silver layers being individually sensitized to light of different wavelengths.

Abstract: Blends of poly(caprolactone) and poly(vinyl chloride) have been found to have good dye permeability. They have been incorporated into photothermographic constructions as barrier interlayers and dye-receiving layers.

Abstract: Various photothermographic elements are provided containing a transparent substrate; image receiving layers; dry silver layers; interlayers; and a translucent or opacifying layer. The translucent or opacifying layer can occupy a variety of positions in the photothermographic element relative to the dry silver layers. The translucent or opacifying layers serve to help produce a reflection print upon exposure of the photothermographic element to actinic light and subsequent heating of the exposed element for image development and dye transfer.

Abstract: Vinyl stearate-vinyl chloride copolymers and blends of polyvinyl stearate and polyvinyl chloride have been found to have good dye permeability. They have been incorporated into photothermographic constructions as barrier interlayers and dye receiving layers.

Abstract: The use of copolymers of vinylidene chloride and vinyl pyrrolidone as selective diffusion media in dye-diffusive photothermographic imaging constructions is disclosed. Unoxidized phenolic leuco dye molecules diffuse into a film of these copolyers but do not readily diffuse out. In contrast, their oxidized dye forms, which are quinoidal in nature, readily diffuse through these interlayers resulting in improved image stability and color separation.

Abstract: Imageable articles having dye selective interlayers comprising copolymers of styrene and vinylidene chloride are disclosed. The interlayers have sufficient permeability to be useful for constructions in which cationic dyes must be prevented from diffusing away from an image receiving layer. Additionally, the selective interlayers allow unoxidized leuco dye to be diffused away from an image receiving layer, thereby increasing print stability. Use of these interlayers in multicolor dye-diffusive imaging constructions increases image stability and color density in the final image.

Abstract: A photothermographic composite structure and process for its use provides a color image by thermal diffusion. The photothermographic composite structure comprises:(a) an image-receiving element comprising a polymeric image-receiving layer having a glass transition temperature in the range of 20.degree. to 200.degree. C., and(b) strippably adhered to the image-receiving element, an imageable photothermographic element comprising in at least one layer, thereof a binder, a silver source material, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic proximity to the silver source material, if necessary a reducing agent for silver ion, and a leuco base dye.