Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Eastman-kodak Company

Carestream Health, Inc.

Takuzo Ishida

Raymond J Kenney

Kumars Sakizadeh

Gilbert L Eian

Sharon Mary Simpson

David R Whitcomb

Doreen Catherine Lynch

Roger A Mader

Peter Jerome Cowdery-Corvan

Leif P Olson

Richard C Cotner

Glenn S Prementine

Alan M Miller

Paul D Yacobucci

Charles Leo Bauer

Kim Marie Vogel

Andrew W Mott

Justine A Mooney

David C Weigel

Lawrence B Wallace

David G Baird

Robert J Nairne

Tran V Thien

Paul G Skoug

Stephen S Poon

Anne M Miller

Kenneth L Hanzalik

Duncan M Grieve

John H Stibbard

Frank J Manganiello

Michelle L Horch

David C Bays

William E Bottomley

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.

Thermographic materials with highly polymerized binder polymer

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

Thermally developable materials with improved speed and contrast and methods of use

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.

High contrast thermally-developable imaging materials containing barrier layer

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.

Thermally developable imaging materials containing polyester polymeric barrier layer

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.

Developing agents for (photo) thermographic systems

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

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) as an antifoggant and print stabilizer for

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:

Ballasted leuco dyes and photothermographic element containing same

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.

Photothermographic elements with novel layer structures, each of which

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.

Dye permeable polymer interlayers

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.

Photothermographic elements with novel layer structures

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.

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.

Imageable articles having dye selective interlayers

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.

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Takuzo Ishida