Eastman-kodak Company

Nitto-denko Corporation

Jon A Hammerschmidt

Jeffrey W Leon

James F Elman

Charles Leo Bauer

Jehuda Greener

YuanQiao Rao

Sharon Mary Simpson

Kumars Sakizadeh

David M Teegarden

David B Bailey

Kathleen M Vaeth

Robert J Kress

Elizabeth K Priebe

Anne M Miller

A method of forming an optical compensation film includes coating one or more first layers and one or more second layers onto a carrier substrate, and stretching the first layers and second layers simultaneously. The one or more first layers include a polymer having an out-of-plane birefringence (&#x394;n) not more negative than &#x2212;0.005 and not more positive than +0.005, and the one or more second layers include a polymer having an out-of-plane birefringence more negative than &#x2212;0.005 or more positive than +0.005. The overall in-plane retardation (R) of the optical compensation film is greater than 20 nm and the out-of-plane retardation (R) of the optical compensation film is more negative than &#x2212;20 nm or more positive than +20 nm.

Optical compensation films produced by a carrier-web-casting process

A multilayer compensator includes one or more polymeric first layers and one or more polymeric second layers. The first layers comprise a polymer having an out-of-plane birefringence between &#x2212;0.005 and +0.005. The second layers comprise an amorphous polymer having an out-of-plane birefringence that is either less than &#x2212;0.005 or greater than +0.005. The overall in-plane retardation of the multilayer compensator is greater than 20 nm, and the out-of-plane retardation is more negative than &#x2212;20 nm or more positive than +20 nm. The amorphous polymer of the second layer(s) has a glass transition temperature (Tg) such that 110&#xb0; C.&#x2266;Tg&#x2266;180&#xb0; C. when the Rof the multilayer compensator is more negative than &#x2212;20 nm, and 100&#xb0; C.&#x2266;Tg&#x2266;160&#xb0; C. when the Rof the multilayer compensator is more positive than +20 nm.

Multi-layered compensation film using specified Tg material as a birefringent layer

A multilayer compensator has two or more first layers and one or more second layers. The overall in-plane retardation of the compensator is from 0 to 300 nm and the out-of-plane retardation is more negative than &#x2212;20 nm or more positive than +20 nm. The compensator may be fabricated by: coating at least one barrier layer on at least one first layer; coating at least one second layer from an organic coating solvent on the barrier layer to produce an intermediate compensator structure; and stretching the intermediate compensator structure in at least one direction by between 1% and 60%. The barrier layer contains a polymer that is water soluble or water dispersible in an amount sufficient to impede the diffusion of the organic solvent between the other first layers and the second layers. All layers have been stretched simultaneously.

Multi-layer compensation film including stretchable barrier layers

Thermally developable imaging materials have an outermost protective layer that is composed of one or more hydrophilic film-forming components. The predominant film-forming component is a negatively-charged latex polymer that has negatively-charged ionic groups other than carboxy groups. The latex polymer is present as latex particles that have been prepared in the presence of a nonionic stabilizer in an amount of at least 0.5% (by weight) that has an HLB value of 7 to 20. The nonionic stabilizer becomes associated with the latex polymer particles. Both thermographic and photothermographic materials can be prepared with such protective layers.

Thermally developable materials containing anionic polymer overcoat

Thermally developable materials for thermography or photothermography have imaging layers on one or both sides of the support. Buried conductive underlayers are disposed under these imaging layers on one or both sides of the support, and these conductive underlayers include conductive metal oxide(s) and optionally a smectite clay or lithium salt.

Conductive underlayers for aqueous-based thermally developable materials

Thermally developable imaging materials have an outermost protective layer that is composed of one or more hydrophilic film-forming components. The predominant film-forming component is a positively-charged latex polymer that has cationic groups. The charged latex polymer is present as latex particles that have prepared in the presence of a non-ionic or cationic stabilizer in an amount of at least 0.5% (by weight) that has an HLB value of 7 to 20. The nonionic or cationic stabilizer becomes associated with the latex polymer particles. Both thermographic and photothermographic materials can be prepared with such protective layers.

Thermally developable materials containing cationic overcoat polymer

Thermally developable imaging materials have an outermost protective layer that is composed of one or more hydrophilic film-forming components. Between the outermost protective layer and the underlying thermally developable imaging layers is an interlayer containing a film-forming ionic latex polymer other than a carboxy-containing latex polymer. This ionic polymer can be negatively-charged or positively-charged. The ionic latex polymer is present as latex particles that have been prepared in the presence of a stabilizer in an amount of at least 0.5% (by weight) that has an HLB value of 7 to 20. The stabilizer becomes associated with the latex polymer particles. Both thermographic and photothermographic materials can be prepared with such protective layers.

Thermally developable materials containing ionic polymer interlayer

Aqueous-based thermally sensitive emulsions and imaging materials include a mixture of binders in at least one imaging layer. These binder mixtures include from 70 to about 99 weight % of hydrophilic binders such as gelatin and gelatin derivatives, and the remainder of the total binder weight is composed of one or more hydrophobic binders or water-dispersible polymer latexes. These binder mixtures are particularly useful in imaging layers of thermographic and photothermographic materials and provide long term keeping and reduced crystallization of fatty acids.

Thermally developable emulsions and imaging materials containing binder mixture

Thermally developable materials include an imaging layer containing a non-photosensitive source of reducible silver ions. Disposed over the imaging layer is a barrier layer that comprises inorganic filler particles that are intercalated or exfoliated with a hydrophilic or water-dispersible polymer. The particles have a length to thickness ratio of from about 10 to about 1000. The barrier layer can prevent migration of diffusible imaging components and by-products resulting from high temperature imaging and/or development. These thermally developable materials include both thermographic and photothermographic materials.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Jon A Hammerschmidt