Eastman-kodak Company

Carestream Health, Inc.

Leif P Olson

James Henry Reynolds

Kumars Sakizadeh

David R Whitcomb

Wojciech K Slusarek

Peter Jerome Cowdery-Corvan

David Howard Levy

Eric R Schmittou

Paul A Schwartz

Takuzo Ishida

Valerie Lynn Kuykendall

Susan M Flavin

Richard P Szajewski

Sharon Mary Simpson

John W Boettcher

Robert W Kulpinski

Non-photosensitive direct thermographic materials comprise a reducing agent that is a catechol borate 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.

Direct thermographic materials with catechol borate reducing agents

Black-and-white, aqueous-based, silver halide-containing photothermographic materials have increased stability both prior to use and after imaging with the incorporation of at least 0.005 g/mof a tetrafluoroborate salt.

Aqueous-based photothermographic materials containing tetrafluoroborate salts

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.

Thermographic materials containing ionic liquids

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.

Direct thermographic materials with phenolic reducing agents

A method of processing photographic color papers is carried out using a photographic bleach-fixing composition in a bleach-fixing step that is carried out for less than 60 seconds. The bleach-fixing composition comprises certain aliphatic or aromatic sulfur-containing compounds that include a &#x2014;N&#x2550;C(SH)&#x2014; group. The bleach-fixing composition can be prepared from a two-part bleach-fixing kit having two solutions that can be added directly to a processing chamber or premixed to form a replenisher solution.

Method of color photographic processing for color photographic papers

A method of processing photographic color papers is carried out using a photographic bleach-fixing composition in a bleach-fixing step that is carried out for less than 60 seconds. The bleach-fixing composition comprises certain aliphatic or aromatic sulfur-containing compounds that include a &mdash;N&boxH;C(SH)&mdash;group. The bleach-fixing composition can be prepared from a two-part bleach-fixing kit having two solutions that can be added directly to a processing chamber or premixed to form a replenisher solution.

The present invention is directed to a method of scanning silver-halide-containing color photographic and photothermographic film. In particular, the present invention comprises a photographic element comprising at least one infrared imaging dye-forming agent in a blue-sensitive color layer of the element, thereby forming at least one image record in the infrared region of the imagewise exposed and developed element. This expedient leads to the formation of high quality images when scanning photographic elements in which the silver halide, metallic silver, and/or any organic silver salts have not been removed.

Color photographic element comprising a infrared dye-forming system in a blue image record

The present invention is directed to a photothermographic element comprising at least one imaging layer with a pyrrolotriazole coupler and a developing agent, or precursor thereof, the combination of which is capable of forming an image record in the infrared region of the light spectrum in response to a selected hue of visible light. This expedient leads to the formation of high quality images, especially when scanning photothermographic elements in which the silver halide, metallic silver, and/or any organic silver salts have not been removed. Also disclosed is a method for photothermographically forming a developed image comprising an infrared image record.

Color photothermographic element comprising a dye-forming system for forming a novel infrared dye

This invention involves use of ionic liquids as addenda in a photothermographic system. The presence of an ionic liquid was found to increase image density. A preferred ionic liquid comprises an organic cation associated with a suitable anion, which ionic liquid melts at a temperature of 50&deg; C. or less.

Ionic liquids as addenda in photothermographic systems

This invention involves dispersions comprising ionic liquids and a non-ionic surfactant, optionally further comprising a photographically useful compound such as a dye-forming coupler. Such dispersions form coatings that are relatively free of physical defects, and show reduced problems such as crystallization of components like the couplers or ion pairs.

Dispersions of ionic liquids for photothermographic systems and methods of making such systems

This invention involves the use of ionic liquids as coupler solvents in a color or monochrome photothermographic system. The presence of an ionic liquid can increase the amount of density or dye formed. The ionic liquid may be combined with other coupler solvents.

Ionic liquids as coupler solvents in photothermographic systems

A light-sensitive silver-halide color photothermographic element comprises a typically magenta dye-forming pyrazolone coupler in the cyan record by rendering the hue of the resultant dye a cyan hue. The use of certain para-phenylenediamine developers, for example, containing a substituent group in both the 2- and 6-positions (ortho, ortho') relative to the coupling nitrogen, along with selected magenta dye-forming couplers, when oxidized, yield cyan dyes with certain couplers, resulting in the superior non-hue characteristics of magenta couplers in the cyan layer. By means of the present invention, light sensitive color photothermographic elements can form image dye records of consistent density forming ability and consistent stability in all three color records. Also disclosed is a method of processing such a color photographic element.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Leif P Olson