Eastman-kodak Company

Carestream Health, Inc.

Thomas J Kub

Gary E Labelle

Kumars Sakizadeh

Thomas J Ludemann

Paul C Schubert

Thomas C Geisler

Mark C Skinner

James C Vanous

Darlene F Stewart

Sharon Mary Simpson

James B Philip, Jr

Roland J Koestner

Karissa L Eckert

Ivan H Skoog

Gary L Featherstone

Thomas J Ludermann

Thermally developable materials including photothermographic and thermographic materials have a buried conductive backside layer comprising one or more binder polymers in which are dispersed each of at least two types of conductive materials: (1) nanoparticles of one or more conductive metal compounds, and (2) one or more organic solvent soluble inorganic alkali metal salt antistatic compounds. These buried conductive backside coatings provide conductivity that is affected minimally by humidity.

Thermally developable materials with buried conductive backside coatings

Thermally developable materials including photothermographic and thermographic materials having a buried conductive backside layer comprising one or more binder polymers, and an antistatic compound that is an organic solvent soluble alkali metal salt of any of a perfluorinated aliphatic carboxylic acid having 2 or 3 carbon atoms, a perfluorinated aliphatic sulfonate, or a tetrafluoroborate, provide antistatic coatings that exhibit little dependence on humidity.

Thermally developable materials including photothermographic and thermographic materials have an outermost backside layer that includes a combination of a polysiloxane and a smectite clay that has been modified with a quaternary ammonium compound. The resulting outermost backside layers exhibit improved abrasion resistance. The materials can also include conductive layers underneath the outermost backside layer.

Thermally developable materials with abrasion-resistant backside coatings

The present invention provides a spectrally sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition which displays uniform image density across its surface when exposed to floodlight or uniform incandescent light exposure at radiation wavelengths to which the element is sensitive, said element comprising at least two layers, including a top layer and a photothermographic emulsion layer, said photothermographic emulsion layer comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive silver halide grains, wherein the coherent radiation is rendered more diffuse in its passage through the element than when it strikes the top layer. This may be accomplished at least in part by 1) the top layer of the element having haze induced therein of 0.05 to 30% by surface modification of that layer, 2) there being a random refractive pattern on the top layer, 3) haze being induced in the silver halide containing layer, 4) the reflective characteristics of a surface of the support layer facing the photothermographic composition have been altered to reduce reflection of coherent radiation into said composition, and/or 5) having a radiation absorbing material contained within the photothermographic element to decrease light reflected off of the support.

Photothermographic element with reduced woodgrain interference patterns

The present invention provides a spectrally sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition which displays uniform image density across its surface when exposed to floodlight or uniform incandescent light exposure at radiation wavelengths to which the element is sensitive, said element comprising at least two layers, including a top layer and a photothermographic emulsion layer, said photothermographic emulsion layer comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive silver halide grains, wherein the coherent radiation is rendered more diffuse in its passage through the element than when it strikes the top layer. This may be accomplished at least in part by 1) the top layer of the element having haze induced therein of 0.05 to 306 by surface modification of that layer, 2) there being a random refractive pattern on the top layer, 3) haze being induced in the silver halide containing layer, 4) the reflective characteristics of a surface of the support layer facing the photothermographic composition have been altered to reduce reflection of coherent radiation into said composition, and/or 5) having a radiation absorbing material contained within the photothermographic element to decrease light reflected off of the support.

Vinyl sulfone and/or .beta.-halo sulfone compounds have been found to improve fog stability on shelf aging of photothermographic imaging elements. These elements comprise a photosensitive silver halide, silver salt oxidizing agent and reducing agent for silver ion in a binder.

Growing community of inventors

North Stillwater, MN, United States of America

Thomas J Kub