Thermally developable light-sensitive material

Claim 2

A thermally developable light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least one layer containing (a) an organic silver salt, (b) a catalytic amount of a light-sensitive silver halide, (c) a reducing agent and (d) a binder, wherein the improvement comprises utilizing as said light-sensitive silver halide, a silver halide which was prepared in the absence of a protective colloid by mixing a solution of a compound capable of releasing a halide ion and a solution of a compound capable of releasing silver ion in the presence of a surface active agent, said silver halide also having been dispersed in a medium of an emulsion of a slightly water-soluble solvent in water present during the preparation of said light-sensitive silver halide.

Claim 3

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said slightly water-soluble solvent has a solubility of 10 parts or less per 100 parts of water at 20° C.

Claim 4

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said slightly water-soluble solvent has a solubility of 2 parts or less per 100 parts of water at 20° C.

Claim 5

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said surface active agent is present in said solution of said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion.

Claim 6

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, including dispersing the silver halide in a solvent selected from the group consisting of tricresyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, monooctyldibutyl phosphate, dimethyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, dimethoxyethyl phthalate, amyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, ethyl acetate, 2-ethylbutyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, dioctyl sebacate, dibutyl sebacate, diethyl sebacate, diethyl succinate, propyl formate, butyl formate, amyl formate, ethyl valerate, diethyl tartarate, methyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, butyl butyrate, isoamyl butyrate, pentane, hexane, heptane, cyclohexane, benzene, toluene and xylene with water.

Claim 7

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein the amount of the light-sensitive silver halide component (b) ranges from about 0.001 to 0.5 mole per mole of the organic silver salt component (a).

Claim 8

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein the reducing agent is a substituted phenol, a substituted or unsubstituted bisphenol, a substituted or unsubstituted naphthol, a di- or poly-hydroxybenzene, a di- or poly-hydroxynaphthalene, a hydroquinone monoether, ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, a 3-pyrazolidone, a pyrazolin-5-one, a reducing saccharide, kojic acid, or hinokitiol.

Claim 9

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein the amount of the reducing agent component (c) ranges from about 0.1 to 5 moles per mole of the organic silver salt component (a).

Claim 10

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said layer additionally contains at least one of an optical sensitizer, a fluorescent brightening agent, an anti-heat fogging agent, a toning agent, a stabilizing agent, and a matting agent.

Claim 11

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, including a protective layer over said light-sensitive material.

Claim 12

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said organic silver salt is a silver salt of an organic compound containing an imino group, a mercapto group or a carboxy group.

Claim 13

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said compound capable of releasing a silver ion in a water soluble silver salt having a solubility of higher than about 0.2 g/100 g of water at 20° C.

Claim 14

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1 wherein the preparation of the silver-halide is carried out at a reaction temperature of 5° to 50° C.

Claim 15

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein the concentration of said surface active agent ranges from about 0.3 to 30% by weight.

Claim 16

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein a combination of water is used with said slightly water-soluble solvent, the ratio thereof to water ranging from 1:10 to 10:1.

Claim 17

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 15, wherein said ratio ranges from 1:6 to 6:1.

Claim 18

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein each of said solution of said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion and said solution of said compound capable of releasing a silver ion is an aqueous solution or a solution of a polar solvent.

Claim 19

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 17, wherein said solution is an aqueous solution.

Claim 20

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion is an inorganic compound represented by the General Formula MX'.sub.n.sbsb.1 wherein M is a hydrogen atom, an ammonium group or a metal atom; X' is a halogen atom; and n 1 is 1 when M is a hydrogen atom or an ammonium group and n 1 is the valence of the metal atom when M is metal atom; or an organic halide compound selected from the group consisting of triphenylmethyl chloride, triphenylmethylbromide, monoiodoacetic acid, N-bromosuccinimide, N-bromoacetamide, N-iodoacetamide, iodoform and carbon tetrabromide.

Claim 21

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 19 wherein said compound capable of releasing a silver ion is selected from the group consisting of silver nitrate, silver perchlorate, silver sulfate, silver acetate and a silver ammonium complex.

Claim 22

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 20 wherein said compound capable of releasing a silver ion is silver nitrate.

Claim 23

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 1, wherein said surface active agent is a cationic surface active agent, an anionic surface active agent, an amphoteric surface active agent, a non-ionic surface active agent, or an ionically compatible mixture thereof.

Claim 24

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 22, wherein said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion is an inorganic compound represented by the General Formula MX'.sub.n.sbsb.1 wherein M is a hydrogen atom, an ammonium group or a metal atom; X' is a halogen atom; and n 1 is 1 when M is a hydrogen atom or an ammonium group and n 1 is the valence of the metal atom when M is metal atom; or an organic halide compound selected from the group consisting of triphenylmethyl chloride, triphenylmethylbromide, monoiodoacetic acid, N-bromosuccinimide, N-bromoacetamide, N-iodoacetamide, iodoform and carbon tetrabromide.

Claim 25

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 22, wherein said surface active agent is present in said solution of said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion, in said solution of said compound capable of releasing silver ion, or in both of said solutions.

Claim 26

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 22, wherein said surface active agent is a cationic surface active agent or a non-ionic surface active agent.

Claim 27

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 25, wherein said surface active agent is a cationic surface active agent represented by the General Formula (I) ##STR19## wherein R 1 is an alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; R 2 , R 3 and R 4 each is an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aralkyl group; and X is an anion; or an alkyl pyridinium salt represented by the General Formula (II) ##STR20## wherein R 5 is an alkyl group having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms; and X is as defined with respect to General Formula (I); and wherein the pyridine ring moiety can be substituted with an alkyl group or an aryl group substituent.

Claim 28

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 25, wherein said surface active agent is a non-ionic surfactant and is an alkyl ether compound having the General Formula (III) r.sub.6 --o--ch.sub.2 ch.sub.2 o).sub.m H (III) wherein R 6 is an alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; and m is an integer of 8 to 50; an alkylaryl ether compound having the General Formula (IV) ##STR21## wherein R 7 is an alkyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms; and n is an integer of 8 to 50; an alkyl ester compound represented by the General Formula (V) or the General Formula (VI) r.sub.8 -- coo--ch.sub.2 ch.sub.2 o.sub.p H (V) r.sub.8 -- coo--ch.sub.2 ch.sub.2 o.sub.p-1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOR.sub.8 (VI) wherein R 8 is an alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; and p is an integer of 3 to 40; a sorbitan monoalkyl ester compound having the General Formula (VII) ##STR22## wherein R 9 is an alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; and q is an integer of 5 to 30; or a polyoxyethylene alkylamine having the General Formula (VIII) ##STR23## wherein R 10 is an alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; a and b each is an integer of 0 to 20; and the sum of a and b ranges from 6 to 40.

Claim 29

A thermally developable light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least one layer containing (a) an organic silver salt, (b) a catalytic amount of a light-sensitive silver halide, (c) a reducing agent and (d) a binder, wherein the improvement comprises utilizing as said light-sensitive silver halide, a silver halide which was prepare in the absence of a protective colloid by mixing a solution of a compound capable of releasing a halide ion and a solution of a compound capable of releasing silver ion in the presence of a surface active agent, said silver halide also having been dispersed in a medium of an emulsion of a slightly water-soluble solvent in water after the preparation of said light-sensitive silver halide.

Claim 30

A thermally developable light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least one layer containing (a) an organic silver salt, (b) a catalytic amount of a light-sensitive silver halide, (c) a reducing agent and (d) a binder, wherein the improvement comprises utilizing as said light-sensitive silver halide, a silver halide which was prepare in the absence of a protective colloid by mixing a solution of a compound capable of releasing a halide ion and a solution of a compound capable of releasing silver ion in the presence of a surface active agent, said silver halide also having been dispersed in a medium of an emulsion of a slightly water-soluble solvent in water after the preparation of said light-sensitive silver halide.

Claim 31

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said compound capable of releasing a silver ion is a water soluble silver salt having a solubility of higher than about 0.2 g/100 g of water at 20° C.

Claim 32

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein the concentration of said surface active agent ranges from about 0.3 to 30% by weight.

Claim 33

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said slightly water-soluble solvent has a solubility of 10 parts or less per 100 parts of water at 20° C.

Claim 34

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said slightly water-soluble solvent has a solubility of 2 parts or less per 100 parts of water at 20° C.

Claim 35

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said surface active agent is present in said solution of said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion.

Claim 36

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, including dispersing the silver halide in a solvent selected from the group consisting of tricresyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, monooctyldibutyl phosphate, dimethyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, dimethoxyethyl phthalate, amyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, ethyl acetate, 2-ethylbutyl acetate, butyl acetate, propyl acetate, dioctyl sebacate, dibutyl sebacate, diethyl sebacate, diethyl succinate, propyl formate, butyl formate, amyl formate, ethyl valerate, diethyl tartarate, methyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, butyl butyrate, isoamyl butyrate, pentane, hexane, heptane, cyclohexane, benzene, toluene and xylene with water.

Claim 37

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein the amount of the light-sensitive silver halide component (b) ranges from about 0.001 to 0.5 mole per mole of the organic silver salt component (a).

Claim 38

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein the reducing agent is a substituted phenol, a substituted or unsubstituted bisphenol, a substituted or unsubstituted naphthol, a di- or poly-hydroxybenzene, a di- or poly-hydroxynaphthalene, a hydroquinone monoether, ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, a 3-pyrazolidone, a pyrazolin-5-one, a reducing saccharide, kojic acid, or hinokitiol.

Claim 39

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein the amount of the reducing agent component (c) ranges from about 0.1 to 5 moles per mole of the organic silver salt component (a).

Claim 40

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said layer additionally contains at least one of an optical sensitizer, a fluorescent brightening agent, an anti-heat fogging agent, a toning agent, a stabilizing agent, and a matting agent.

Claim 41

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, including a protective layer over said light-sensitive material.

Claim 42

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said organic silver salt is a silver salt of an organic compound containing an imino group, a mercapto group or a carboxy group.

Claim 43

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein the preparation of the silver-halide is carried out at a reaction temperature of 5° to 50° C.

Claim 44

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein each of said solution of said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion and said solution of said compound capable of releasing a silver ion is an aqueous solution or a solution of a polar solvent.

Claim 45

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 42, wherein said solution is an aqueous solution.

Claim 46

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein a combination of water is used with said slightly water-soluble solvent, the ratio thereof to water ranging from 1:10 to 10:1.

Claim 47

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 44, wherein said ratio ranges from 1:6 to 6:1.

Claim 48

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion is an inorganic compound represented by the General Formula MX'.sub.nl wherein M is a hydrogen atom, an ammonium group or a metal atom; X' is a halogen atom; and n 1 is 1 when M is a hydrogen atom or an ammonium group and n 1 is the valence of the metal atom when M is metal atom; or an organic halide compound selected from the group consisting of triphenylmethyl chloride, triphenylmethylbromide, monoiodoacetic acid, N-bromosuccinimide, N-bromoacetamide, N-iodoacetamide, iodoform and carbon tetrabromide.

Claim 49

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 46 wherein said compound capable of releasing a silver ion is selected from the group consisting of silver nitrate, silver perchlorate, silver sulfate, silver acetate and a silver ammonium complex.

Claim 50

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 47, wherein said compound capable of releasing a silver ion is silver nitrate.

Claim 51

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 28, wherein said surface active agent is a cationic surface active agent, an anionic surface active agent, an amphoteric surface active agent, a non-ionic surface active agent, or an ionically compatible mixture thereof.

Claim 52

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 49, wherein said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion is an inorganic compound represented by the General Formula MX'.sub.nl wherein M is a hydrogen atom, an ammonium group or a metal atom; X' is a halogen atom; and n 1 is 1 when M is a hydrogen atom or an ammonium group and n 1 is the valence of the metal atom when M is metal atom; or an organic halide compound selected from the group consisting of triphenylmethyl chloride, triphenylmethylbromide, monoiodoacetic acid, N-bromosuccinimide, N-bromoacetamide, N-iodoacetamide, iodoform and carbon tetrabromide.

Claim 53

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 49, wherein said surface active agent is present in said solution of said compound capable of releasing a halogen ion, in said solution of said compound capable of releasing silver ion, or in both of said solutions.

Claim 54

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 49, wherein said surface active agent is a cationic surface active agent or a non-ionic surface active agent.

Claim 55

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 52, wherein said surface active agent is a cationic surface active agent represented by the General Formula (I) ##STR24## wherein R 1 is an alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; R 2 , R 3 and R 4 each is an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aralkyl group; and X is an anion; or an alkyl pyridinium salt represented by the General Formula (II) ##STR25## wherein R 5 is an alkyl group having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms; and X is as defined with respect to General Formula (I); and wherein the pyridine ring moiety can be substituted with an alkyl group or an aryl group substituent.

Claim 56

The thermally developable light-sensitive material of claim 52, wherein said surface active agent is a non-ionic surfactant and is an alkyl ether compound having the General Formula (III) r.sub.6 -- o--ch.sub.2 ch.sub.2 o.sub.m H (III) wherein R 6 is an alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; and m is an integer of 8 to 50; an alkylaryl ether compound having the General Formula (IV) ##STR26## wherein R 7 is an alkyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms; and n is an integer of 8 to 50; an alkyl ester compound represented by the General Formula (V) or the General Formula (VI) r.sub.8 -- coo--ch.sub.2 ch.sub.2 o.sub.p H (V) r.sub.8 -- coo--ch.sub.2 ch.sub.2 o.sub.p-1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOR.sub.8 (VI) wherein R 8 is an alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; and p is an integer of 3 to 40; a sorbitan monoalkyl ester compound having the General Formula (VII) ##STR27## wherein R 9 is an alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; and q is an integer of 5 to 30; or a polyoxyethylene alkylamine having the General Formula (VIII) ##STR28## wherein R 10 is an alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; a and b each is an integer of 0 to 20; and the sum of a and b ranges from 6 to 40.