Black and white photothermographic material

Abstract

The present invention provides a black and white photothermographic material having, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer including at least a photosensitive silver halide and a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, and a non-photosensitive layer including at least a coupler, wherein at least one of the image forming layer and the non-photosensitive layer includes a color developing agent; a grain density of the photosensitive silver halide in the image forming layer is from 20 grains/μm3 to 103 grains/μm3; and an optical density of an image formed by imagewise exposing and thermally developing the black and white photothermographic material satisfies the following equation (A):

Description

Claims

1. A black and white photothermographic material comprising, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer comprising at least a photosensitive silver halide and a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, and a non-photosensitive layer comprising at least a coupler, wherein at least one of the image forming layer and the non-photosensitive layer comprises a color developing agent whose oxidation product reacts with the coupler to form a dye; a grain density of the photosensitive silver halide in the image forming layer is from 20 grains/μm3 to 103 grains/μm3; and an optical density of an image 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 in a range of from 1.0 to 2.0; and Dc represents an optical density obtained by the dye in the optical density of the image.

2. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the grain density of the photosensitive silver halide is from 20 grains/μm3 to 200 grains/μm3.

3. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein 30% by weight or more of a binder in the non-photosensitive layer is a polymer latex.

4. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 3, wherein 50% by weight or more of the binder in the non-photosensitive layer is a polymer latex.

5. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of an amount of the non-photosensitive organic silver salt relative to an amount of the photosensitive silver halide is from 3 to 30 on the basis of the silver molar ratio.

6. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 5, wherein the ratio of an amount of the non-photosensitive organic silver salt relative to an amount of the photosensitive silver halide is from 5 to 20 on the basis of the silver molar ratio.

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

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 formula (C-1), (C-2), (C-3), (M-1), (M-2), (M-3), (Y-1), (Y-2), or (Y-3), X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, X8, or X9 is 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 non-photosensitive layer comprises the color developing agent.

13. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 1, wherein the image forming layer further comprises a reducing agent 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 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.

17. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 3, wherein the polymer latex contained in the non-photosensitive layer 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.

18. The black and white photothermographic material according to claim 17, 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.