Process for developing electrostatic latent images

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF PRODUCING A ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES WHICH COMPRISES CHARGING A PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER, EXPOSING THE CHARGED PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER TO AN OBJECT TO FORM A LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE OF THE OBJECT, AND DEVELOPING THE EXPOSED PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING DEVELOPING THE PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER BEARING THE LATENT ELECTROSTATIC IMAGE BY UNIFORMLY CONTACTING THE ENTIRE LAYER WITH AN AQUEOUS COMPOSITION HAVING ELECTRIC AND WETTING PROPERTIES SUFFICIENT TO WET THE CHARGED AREAS OF THE PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER WHILE BEING REPELLED FROM THE UNCHARGED AREAS OF THE PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER, AND SAID AQUEOUS DEVELOPER COMPOSITION HAVING A RELAXATION TIME WHICH IS SMALL COMPARED WITH THE DEVELOPING TIME AND HAVING A RESISTIVITY SMALLER THAN 10**6 OHM-CM. AND HAVING WETTING PROPERTIES WHEREIN THE WETTING ANGLE MEASURED ON THE PHOTOGRAPHIC LAYER OF THE AQUEOUS DEVELOPER IS GREATER THAN 90 DEGREES AT THE UNCHARGED AREAS AND SMALLER THAN 90 DEGREES AT THE CHARGED AREAS.