SILVER HALIDE DEVELOPING SOLUTION
A black-and-white silver halide developing solution and a silver halide solution physical developing solution are used in sequence to provide electrically-conductive film elements from conductive film element precursors that contain photosensitive silver halide emulsions on one or both supporting sides of a transparent substrate. The two developing solutions have unique combinations of developing agents and other essential components to provide complete development of imagewise exposed silver halide to form highly electrically-conductive silver metal in predetermined patterns.
1 . A silver halide developing solution having a pH of at least 8 and comprising:
(a) a primary developing agent that is a hydroquinone or ascorbic acid or derivative of either in an amount of at least 0.01 mol/l and up to and including 0.15 mol/l,
(b) a catalytic developing agent that is a p-aminophenol or a phenidone or derivative of either in an amount of at least 0.001 mol/l and up to and including 0.025 mol/l, and
(c) one or more development inhibitors in a total amount of at least 0.25 mmol/l and up to and including 2.5 mmol/l.
2 . The silver halide developing solution of claim 1 , further comprising an alkali metal sulfite in an amount of at least 0.1 mol/l and up to and including 1 mol/l.
3 . The silver halide developing solution of claim 1 , wherein the one or more development inhibitors comprises one or more of an alkali metal halide, an arylmercaptotetrazole, a benzotriazole, an aryl or alkyl disulfide, or an aryl or alkyl thiol.
4 . The silver halide developing solution of claim 3 , wherein the one or more development inhibitors comprises at least one of each of an arylmercaptotetrazole, a benzotriazole, and a disulfide in a total amount of at least 0.5 mmol/l and up to and including 1.5 mmol/l.
5 . The silver halide developing solution of claim 1 having a pH of at least 10 and up to and including 11.
6 . The silver halide developing solution of claim 1 , wherein the primary developing agent is hydroquinone or a derivative thereof, and the catalytic developing agent is a phenidone.
7 . The silver halide developing solution of claim 1 , wherein the total concentration of the primary developing agent is at least 100 times the total concentration of the catalytic developing agent.
8 . The silver halide developing solution of claim 1 that is concentrated at least 5 times compared to a desired working strength concentration.