Black and white photothermographic material

Abstract

The present invention provides a black and white photothermographic material having, a first image forming layer including at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, and a reducing agent for silver ions, wherein the black and white photothermographic material further has a second image forming layer including at least a coupler, and at least one of the first image forming layer and the second image forming layer includes a color developing agent. A black and white photothermographic material which exhibits high sensitivity, excellent image tone, and excellent storage stability is provided.

Description

Claims

1. A black and white photothermographic material comprising, on at least one side of a support, a first image forming layer comprising at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, and a reducing agent for silver ions, wherein the black and white photothermographic material further comprises a second image forming layer comprising at least a coupler, and at least one of the first image forming layer and the second image forming layer comprises a color developing agent.

2. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the first image forming layer is a photosensitive silver image forming layer, and the second image forming layer is a non-photosensitive color image forming layer.

3. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the second image forming layer contains the reducing agent for silver ions in an amount of 10% by weight or less with respect to a coating amount of the reducing agent for silver ions contained in the first image forming layer.

4. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the second image forming layer comprises the color developing agent.

5. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the second image forming layer comprises the color developing agent and does not substantially comprise the reducing agent for silver ions.

6. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 5, wherein the first image forming layer does not substantially comprise the color developing agent.

7. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein an image density formed by imagewise exposing and thermally developing the black and white photothermographic material satisfies the following equation (A): 0.02<Dc<D/4  Equation (A)wherein D represents a value of an optical density of an image in a range of from 1.0 to 2.0; and Dc represents an optical density obtained by a color-forming dye in the optical density of the image.

8. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the coupler is at least one compound represented by a formula selected from the group consisting of the following formulae (C-1), (C-2), (C-3), (M-1), (M-2), (M-3), (Y-1), (Y-2), and (Y-3):

9. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 8, wherein, in formulae (C-1), (C-2), (C-3), (M-1), (M-2), (M-3), (Y-1), (Y-2), and (Y-3), X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, X8, and X9 are each a hydrogen atom.

10. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 8, wherein the coupler is a compound represented by formula (C-1):

11. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 10, wherein, in formula (C-1), X1 is a hydrogen atom.

12. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the color developing agent is a compound represented by the following formula (1):

13. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the reducing agent for silver ions is a compound represented by the following formula (R):

14. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein 50% by weight or more of a binder in the first image forming layer is a polymer latex.

15. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 14, wherein the polymer latex is a polymer latex comprising a monomer component represented by the following formula (M) within a range of from 10% by weight to 70% by weight: CH2═CR01—CR02═CH2  Formula (M)wherein R01 and R02 each independently represent one selected from a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, or a cyano group.

16. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 15, wherein, in formula (M), both of R01 and R02 are a hydrogen atom, or one of R01 or R02 is a hydrogen atom and the other is a methyl group.