Photothermographic material and image forming method utilizing the same
The invention provides a photothermographic material having, at least on a surface of a substrate, an image forming layer including a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, and adapted to be exposed with an X-ray intensifying screen, the material including a non-photosensitive intermediate layer A on a surface of the substrate at the side having the image forming layer and between an outermost layer farthest from the substrate and the image forming layer, wherein a binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A includes a hydrophobic polymer by 50 mass % or more, or a photothermographic material in which the photosensitive silver halide has a silver iodide content of 40 to 100 mol. %, and an image forming method for such photothermographic materials.
1 . A photothermographic material having, at least on a surface of a substrate, an image forming layer including a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, and configured to be exposed with an X-ray intensifying screen, the material comprising:
a non-photosensitive intermediate layer A on a surface of the substrate at the side having the image forming layer and between an outermost layer farthest from the substrate and the image forming layer;
wherein a binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A includes a hydrophobic polymer by 50 mass % or more.
2 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A is provided adjacent to the image forming layer.
3 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , further comprising a non-photosensitive intermediate layer B containing a binder between the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A and the outermost layer, wherein a binder of at least one of the outermost layer and the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein by 50 mass % or more.
4 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A contains a polymer formed by copolymerizing a monomer represented by formula (M) by 10 to 70 mass %:
CH 2 ═CR 01 —CR 02 ═CH 2 formula (M)
wherein R 01 and R 02 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, or a cyano group.
5 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray intensifying screen includes a phosphor material.
6 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein a binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein by 50 mass % or more and a binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophobic polymer.
7 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B is constituted of two or more sub-layers, and a non-photosensitive intermediate sub-layer closer to the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A includes a binder containing a hydrophilic polymer, not derived from an animal protein, by 50 mass % or more, and a non-photosensitive intermediate sub-layer closer to the outermost layer includes a binder containing a hydrophilic polymer, derived from an animal protein, by 50 mass % or more.
8 . A photothermographic material according to claim 7 , wherein the binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein.
9 . A photothermographic material according to claim 7 , wherein the binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophobic polymer.
10 . A photothermographic material according to claim 7 , wherein the binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein and a hydrophobic polymer.
11 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the image forming layer is provided on both sides of the substrate.
12 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive silver halide includes silver iodide by 40 to 100 mol. %.
13 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive silver halide includes silver iodide by 80 to 100 mol. %.
14 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the reducing agent is a compound represented by formula (RI):
wherein R 11 and R 11′ each independently represents a secondary or tertiary alkyl group with 1 to 15 carbon atoms; R 12 and R 12′ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent substitutable on the benzene ring; L represents an —S— group or a —CHR 13 — group; R 13 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and X 1 and X 1′ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a group substitutable on the benzene ring.
15 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a development accelerator.
16 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a compound represented by formula (D):
wherein R 21 to R 23 each independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an amino group or a heterocyclic group.
17 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a compound represented by formula (H):
Q-(Y) n (Z 1 )(Z 2 )X formula (H)
wherein Q represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; Y represents a divalent connecting group; n represents 0 or 1; Z 1 and Z 2 each independently represents a halogen atom; and X represents a hydrogen atom or an electron-attractive group.
18 . A photothermographic material according to claim 17 , wherein the image forming layer includes two or more compounds represented by formula (H).
19 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a compound represented by formula (I):
wherein R represents a substituent and m represents an integer from 1 to 6.
20 . A photothermographic material according to claim 19 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a color toning agent.
21 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein the non-photosensitive organic silver salt includes silver behenate by 90 mol. % or more.
22 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein a coated silver amount is 1.8 g/m 2 or less.
23 . A photothermographic material according to claim 1 , wherein any of the layers on a surface of the substrate at the side of the image forming layer includes a crosslinking agent.
24 . An image forming method for a photothermographic material comprising:
obtaining an image forming assembly by positioning a photothermographic material according to claim 1 between a pair of X-ray intensifying screens;
positioning an inspected object between the image forming assembly and an X-ray source;
irradiating the inspected object with an X-ray of an energy level from 25 to 125 kVp;
extracting the photothermographic material from the image forming assembly; and
heating the extracted photothermographic material within a temperature of 90 to 1 80° C.
25 . A photothermographic material having, at least on a surface of a substrate, an image forming layer including a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, the material comprising:
a silver iodide content in the photosensitive silver halide of 40 to 100 mol %; and
a non-photosensitive intermediate layer A on a surface of the substrate at a side having the image forming layer and between an outermost layer farthest from the substrate and the image forming layer;
wherein a binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A includes a hydrophobic polymer by 50 mass % or more.
26 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the silver iodide content is 90 to 100 mol. %.
27 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the photosensitive silver halide has a grain size of 0.01 to 0.10 μm.
28 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the photosensitive silver halide has a grain size of 0.02 to 0.04 μm.
29 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A is provided adjacent to the image forming layer.
30 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , further comprising a non-photosensitive intermediate layer B containing a binder between the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A and the outermost layer, wherein a binder of at least one of the outermost layer and the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein by 50 mass % or more.
31 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A contains a polymer formed by copolymerizing a monomer represented by formula (M) by 10 to 70 mass %:
CH 2 ═CRO 01 —CR 02 ═CH 2 formula (M)
wherein R 01 and R 02 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, or a cyano group.
32 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein a binder of the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein by 50 mass % or more and a binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophobic polymer.
33 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the non-photosensitive intermediate layer B is constituted of two or more sub4ayers, and a non-photosensitive intermediate sub-layer closer to the non-photosensitive intermediate layer A includes a binder containing a hydrophilic polymer, not derived from an animal protein, by 50 mass % or more, and a non-photosensitive intermediate subayer closer to the outermost layer includes a binder containing a hydrophilic polymer, derived from an animal protein, by 50 mass % or more.
34 . A photothermographic material according to claim 33 , wherein the binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein.
35 . A photothermographic material according to claim 33 , wherein the binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophobic polymer.
36 . A photothermographic material according to claim 33 , wherein the binder of the outermost layer includes a hydrophilic polymer derived from an animal protein and a hydrophobic polymer.
37 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the reducing agent is a compound represented by formula (R1):
wherein R 11 and R 11′ each independently represents a secondary or tertiary alkyl group with 1 to 15 carbon atoms; R 12 and R 12 ′ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent substitutable on the benzene ring; L represents an —S— group or a —CHR 13 — group; R 13 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and X 1 and X 1′ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a group substitutable on the benzene ring.
38 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a development accelerator.
39 . A photothermographic material according to claim 37 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a compound represented by formula (D):
wherein R 21 to R 23 each independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an amino group or a heterocyclic group.
40 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a compound represented by formula (H):
Q-(Y) n -C(Z 1 )(Z 2 )X formula (H)
wherein Q represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; Y represents a divalent connecting group; n represents 0 or 1; Z 1 and Z 2 each independently represents a halogen atom; and X represents a hydrogen atom or an electron-attractive group.
41 . A photothermographic material according to claim 40 , wherein the image forming layer includes two or more compounds represented by formula (H).
42 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a compound represented by formula (I):
wherein R represents a substituent and m represents an integer from 1 to 6.
43 . A photothermographic material according to claim 42 , wherein the image forming layer further includes a color toning agent.
44 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein the non-photosensitive organic silver salt includes silver behenate by 90 mol. % or more.
45 . A photothermographic material according to claim 25 , wherein any of the layers on a surface of the substrate at the side of the image forming layer includes a crosslinking agent.
46 . An image forming method for a photothermographic material comprising an exposure step and a thermal development step, wherein:
in the exposure step, an image is formed on a photothermographic material according to claim 25 , by a semiconductor laser having a light emission peak intensity within a wavelength range of 350 to 450 nm.
47 . An image forming method for a photothermographic material comprising an exposure step and a thermal development step, wherein:
in the thermal development step, a photothermographic material according to claim 25 is heated for 16 seconds or less.
48 . An image forming method for a photothermographic material comprising an exposure step and a thermal development step, wherein:
in the thermal development step, a photothermographic material according to claim 25 is transported at a speed of 23 mm/sec or higher.
49 . An image forming method for a photothermographic material according to claim 46 , wherein: in the thermal development step, the photothermographic material is transported at a speed of 23 mm/sec or higher.
50 . An image forming method for a photothermographic material according to claim 47 , wherein: in the thermal development step, the photothermographic material is transported at a speed of 23 mm/sec or higher.
51 . An image forming method for a photothermographic material according to claim 48 , wherein: in the thermal development step, the photothermographic material is transported at a speed of 23 mm/sec or higher.