JPH04338956A - Image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a color proof high in image quality directly from digital image data by using a photosensitive material provided with a photosensitive polymer layer on a support and an image receiving material, and successively carrying out exposure, development, toner development, and transfer. CONSTITUTION:The photosensitive material provided with the photosensitive polymer layer 12 containing silver halide 13, a reducing agent 14, and a polymerizable compound 15, on the support 11 and the image receiving material are used. The polymer layer 12 is imagewise exposed to selectively cure the polymerizable compound 12 on the exposed area or unexposed area, and a colored toner is attached to the surface of the noncured part to form a toner image, and further, the layer 12 is brought into closed contact with the image receiving material to transfer the toner image to the image receiving material, thus permitting the image color tone to be easily changed by changing the toner, and preparation of each color photosensitive material to be made needless, and dyes and pigments having polymerization inhibiting action to be used as a toner.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming method using a polymerization reaction with silver halide. In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming method that can be preferably applied to the creation of color proofs using a photosensitive material that can be drawn by scanning exposure using a laser or the like.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, advances in computer technology have led to remarkable technological innovation in the printing field. In the field of color printing, the computer system called CEPS (Color Electronics Prepress System) is progressing in the digitization of color image data for printing and of all prepress process data up to collection. Furthermore, systems are also in operation that create printing plates by writing these digitized print image data directly onto high-sensitivity printing plates without using conventional lithographic film. With these technological innovations in the printing field,
The conventionally used lithium film becomes unnecessary.

On the other hand, in printing, in order to ensure the finished quality of printed matter, there is a process called proofreading prior to actual printing. This proofing can be done by creating a special printing plate from lith film, which is the basis for creating the printing plate, and actually printing it on a proofing printing machine (press proofing), or by using a photopolymer. There are cases in which a proof is obtained by an image forming means different from printing (analog off-press proofing) by exposing the entire surface of the sensitive material to light (usually using ultraviolet light as a light source) through a lithographic film. Both of these two types of proofing methods are based on the premise that a printing plate is created based on a lithographic film, and the proof itself is also created based on this lithographic film image. (“Principles of Color Proofing” by M.H. Bruno; and “Color Hard Copy Techniques Used in the Printing Industry” Electrophotography;
352, Vol. (see 26)

[0004] As described above, conventional proof creation is based on the existence of lithographic film. For this reason, when lithium-ion film is no longer used due to technological innovations in the printing field, how to ensure print quality has become an important issue. That is, there is a need for a means (DDCP: Digital Direct Color Proof) for creating a proof directly from digital image data without using lithographic film. Various methods have already been proposed as such DDCP, and some of them have been put into practical use. (“DDCP--New Wave of Proofing Systems” Print Information, p74, 1990
; "Current status of proof systems" Prepress information '90,
p53, 1990; and “Frontline of Digital Proof”
(See Prepress Information '90, p63, 1990)

00
[05] However, many of these DDCPs are different from analog off-press proofing methods using conventional photopolymer methods, such as electrophotographic methods and thermal transfer methods, and their proofing performance is limited by resolution, color tone, and gradation. There were many points of dissatisfaction with expression, halftone reproducibility, printed matter similarity, image reproduction stability, etc. In other words, even if it is possible to directly output a digital image, the quality of the output image is not completely satisfactory.Therefore, there is a need for a better proof creation method that can directly output a digital image and has high image quality. It was.

[0006] Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-31323, Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-
No. 267736, JP-A-59-97140 and JP-A-2-244151, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,770.
No. 438 describes analog off-press proofing using conventional photopolymers. If digital image data can be directly recorded on such an off-press proof made of a photopolymer, it is thought that sufficient proof image quality can be obtained. However, digital image data must be recorded on a proofing sensitive material by scanning exposure using a laser light source, etc., and for this purpose, the proofing sensitive material must have high photosensitivity to the wavelength of the scanning light source. There must be. Sensitive materials made of photopolymers have not achieved such high sensitivity, and furthermore, photopolymers cannot be sensitized to the wavelength range of lasers with oscillation wavelengths in the long wavelength range, such as He-Ne lasers and semiconductor lasers. However, it is very difficult to achieve this, and the wavelength compatibility is limited to a limited number of low-wavelength laser light sources. Therefore, D.D.C.
Conventional analog off-press proofing cannot be used for P purposes.

[0007]

As described above, off-press proofs using photopolymers do not have high photosensitivity to the wavelength of the scanning light source and cannot directly record digital image data. Furthermore, it is not wavelength compatible with long wavelength lasers. Furthermore, DDCPs such as the electrophotographic method and the thermal transfer method that have already been proposed do not have sufficient proof image quality in terms of resolution, halftone reproducibility, color reproduction stability, etc. In other words, D that has high proof image quality such as off-press proof using photopolymer and has high sensitivity that allows recording by scanning exposure.
The development of DCP was desired.

By the way, there is a method of imagewise exposing a photosensitive material containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound, developing the silver halide, and thereby polymerizing the polymerizable compound in an image form to form a polymer image. However, JP-A-61-69
No. 062 and JP-A-61-73145 (US Pat. No. 4,629,676 and European Patent Publication No. 0174)
634A). In a typical embodiment of this image forming method, an uncured portion of a polymerizable compound containing a colorant is transferred from a light-sensitive material to an image-receiving material to form an image on the image-receiving material. When forming a color image, a photosensitive material containing two or more types of microcapsules (or packet emulsions) containing different colorants is used.

The present inventors have focused on an image forming method that utilizes this polymerization reaction with silver halide, and have studied the application of this method to the production of color proofs. However, as a result of the study, it was found that various problems would occur if the above-mentioned image forming method was directly applied to the production of color proofs.

For example, when an image is formed using the colorant contained in a photosensitive material as described above, the following problems occur. ■When changing the color tone of an image, it is necessary to adjust the coloring agent when manufacturing the photosensitive material. ■Colorants that have a polymerization inhibiting effect cannot be used. When a colorant is included in a light-sensitive material, it is necessary to confirm its polymerization inhibiting effect. ■There is an upper limit to the amount of colorant that can be included in a photosensitive material. (2) Some components involved in the exposure and development steps, such as silver halide, affect the color tone of the colorant. (2) When a light-sensitive material contains a dye or pigment as a coloring agent, the sensitivity of silver halide decreases due to the influence of the coloring agent. On the other hand, when a leuco dye is used to develop color in the process of image formation, there is a problem that the color of the image is unstable.

An object of the present invention is to improve an image forming method that utilizes a polymerization reaction with silver halide and to provide an image forming method that can be preferably applied to the production of color proofs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method that allows a color proof to be created directly from digital image data without using a lithographic film.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method capable of creating a high-quality color proof by scanning exposure with a laser or the like, especially a long wavelength laser.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an image forming method capable of forming a polymerized and cured image with low exposure energy and creating a color proof based on this.

[0015]

[Means for Solving the Problems] As a result of intensive research, the present inventors have achieved the above object by using an image forming method consisting of the following four aspects.

The first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention uses a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support. This is an image forming method in which the steps are performed in the following order. (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as exposure step); (2) Developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer, thereby removing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas. Selective curing process (
(Hereinafter, it may be abbreviated as "developing step"); (3) A step of attaching a colored toner to the surface of the uncured area to thereby form a toner image (hereinafter, it may be abbreviated as "toner developing step"); and (4) A step of bringing the photosensitive material into close contact with the image-receiving material and thereby transferring the toner image to the image-receiving material (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as transfer step).

A second embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention uses a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support. The steps of (A) (B) (1) (2) (3),
(A) (1) (B) (2) (3), (A) (1) (2)
(B) (3), (1) (A) (B) (2) (3), (1
) (A) (2) (B) (3) and (1) (2) (A)
(B) This is an image forming method that is carried out in any order of (3). (A) Step of laminating the photosensitive material on the image-receiving material (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as lamination step); (B) Step of peeling off the support of the photosensitive material from the laminate of the image-receiving material and the photosensitive material (hereinafter referred to as "laminate step"); , sometimes abbreviated as peeling step); (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (exposure step)
(2) A step of developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer and thereby selectively curing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas (
(developing step); and (3) attaching colored toner to the surface of the uncured part,
This is the process of forming a toner image (toner development process).

A third embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention uses a photosensitive material and an image receiving material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support, and the following steps are performed. This is an image forming method in which the steps are performed in the following order. (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (exposure step)
(2) A step of developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer and thereby selectively curing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas (
(Development step); (3) Step of bringing the photosensitive material into close contact with the image-receiving material, thereby selectively transferring the uncured portion to the image-receiving material (transfer step);
and (4) a step of attaching a colored toner to the surface of an uncured portion of an image-receiving material to form a toner image (toner development step).

A fourth aspect of the image forming method of the present invention is a photosensitive material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support, and an adhesive layer is provided on the support. This is an image forming method in which the following steps are performed in the following order using an image-receiving material provided with: (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (exposure step)
(2) A step of developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer and thereby selectively curing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas (
(Development process); (3) A process of bringing the photosensitive material into close contact with the image-receiving material and selectively transferring the cured area to the image-receiving material, thereby masking the adhesive layer of the image-receiving material in the form of an image in the cured area (transfer process) ); and (4) a step of depositing a colored toner on the imagewise exposed surface of the adhesive layer on the image-receiving material to thereby form a toner image (toner development step).

In the present invention, two or more steps may be carried out simultaneously as long as the order of the steps defined above is not reversed. For example, (1) exposure process and (2)
) can be carried out simultaneously. In this way, embodiments in which two or more steps are performed simultaneously are also included in the present invention.

The image forming method of the present invention is preferably carried out in the following specific manner.

1) The photosensitive polymerizable layer consists of a photosensitive layer containing silver halide and a polymerizable layer containing a polymerizable compound.

The reducing agent may be contained in either the photosensitive layer or the polymerizable layer. Furthermore, the photosensitive polymerizable layer may be composed of three layers: a photosensitive layer, a polymerizable layer, and an image formation promoting layer, and the reducing agent may be included in the image forming promoting layer. In this specification, such a photosensitive polymerizable layer composed of two or more functional layers is referred to as a composite photosensitive polymerizable layer. Further, a photosensitive material using a composite type photosensitive polymerizable layer is called a laminated type photosensitive material, whereas a photosensitive material using a photosensitive polymerizable layer consisting of a single layer is called a single layer type photosensitive material.

[0024] In the first, third and fourth aspects,
A polymerizable layer and a photosensitive layer are sequentially provided on the support. In the second embodiment, a photosensitive layer and a polymerizable layer are sequentially provided on the support.

[0025] When using a laminated photosensitive material in the first and second embodiments, the photosensitive layer is removed between the developing step (2) and the toner developing step (3). (If other layers are provided, the layers provided above the polymerizable layer are also removed). Further, when using a laminated photosensitive material in the third and fourth aspects, the photosensitive layer is removed between the developing step (2) and the transfer step (3).
If layers other than the photosensitive layer and the polymerizable layer are provided, the layers provided above the polymerizable layer are also removed).

2) In the first and second embodiments, the above-mentioned steps are repeated until the number of two or more colors (that is, the number of types of colored toner) required for color expression is satisfied;
This forms a color image on the image receiving material.

In the third and fourth embodiments, the above-mentioned steps are repeated until the number of colors (the number of types of colored toners) of two or more required for color expression is satisfied, and thereby the image is formed on a plurality of image-receiving materials. forming respective color images, and then sequentially bringing each image-receiving material into close contact with a secondary image-receiving material, transferring each color image to the secondary image-receiving material, thereby forming a color image on the secondary image-receiving material;

3) Perform a development process by heating. The heating temperature is preferably 70 to 200°C.

4) The photosensitive polymerizable layer further contains a base or a base precursor. When using a composite photosensitive polymerizable layer, the base or base precursor may be contained in either the photosensitive layer or the polymerizable layer. Base precursors are preferred over bases. A base or base precursor may be included in the image formation promoting layer.

5) The photosensitive polymerizable layer further contains a thermal development accelerator. When using a composite photosensitive polymerizable layer, the thermal development accelerator is preferably contained in the polymerizable layer. The thermal development accelerator may be included in the image formation accelerating layer.

6) In the composite photosensitive polymerizable layer of 1) above, the photosensitive layer contains a hydrophilic binder.

7) The photosensitive polymerizable layer (in the case of a composite photosensitive polymerizable layer, either the photosensitive layer or the polymerizable layer) further includes a layer containing a substance that absorbs light from the exposure light source. have

8) The photosensitive material further has a layer containing a substance that absorbs light from the exposure light source on the side where the photosensitive polymerizable layer is provided.

9) The photosensitive material further has a layer containing a substance that absorbs light from the exposure light source on the side opposite to the photosensitive polymerizable layer.

10) The photosensitive material further has a protective layer on the layer furthest from the support.

11) The photosensitive material has a layer (image formation accelerator layer) containing at least one of a reducing agent, a base, a base precursor, and a thermal development accelerator.

[0037]

Effects of the Invention The image forming method of the present invention is characterized in that colored toner is used in the image forming process in place of the colorant contained in the photosensitive material.

The following effects can be obtained by using a colored toner instead of a coloring agent. ■You can easily change the tone of the image by changing the toner. Furthermore, there is no need to prepare photosensitive materials for each color, and one type of photosensitive material can be used for all colors. Therefore, the range of color tone selection is wide. (2) Dyes or pigments that have a polymerization inhibiting effect can also be used as toners. (2) In the case of colorants, there is an upper limit to the amount that can be included in a photosensitive material, but there is no practical upper limit to the amount of toner. Therefore, very high image density can be obtained using toner. (2) Some components involved in the exposure and development steps, such as silver halide, affect the color tone of the colorant. These effects can be avoided by using toner. (2) When a light-sensitive material contains a dye or pigment as a coloring agent, the sensitivity of silver halide decreases due to the influence of the coloring agent. On the other hand, when a leuco dye is used to develop color in the process of image formation, there is a problem that the color of the image is unstable. When a colored toner is used instead of a colorant, there is no problem of decreased sensitivity and stable image colors can be obtained.

[0039] As described above, the problems of the image forming method using the polymerization reaction with silver halide have been solved, and it has become possible to apply this image forming method to the production of color proofs. As a result of the above, it was possible to create a color proof with high sensitivity and high image quality. In addition, a method for creating color proofs that can produce proofs with good image quality has been realized for a wide range of laser light sources, from argon lasers to semiconductor lasers. Furthermore, it has become possible to obtain high-quality color proofs directly from digital image data without using lithographic film.

Furthermore, when an image is formed by laminating a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material as in the second aspect of the present invention,
This has the advantage that image alignment is easy and operations are simple.

In a laminated type photosensitive material in which the photosensitive polymerizable layer is composed of a photosensitive layer and a polymerizable layer, the influence of silver halide on the color tone of the polymerizable layer can be avoided. Furthermore, since components involved in the exposure process, such as silver halide, are separated from the polymerizable layer, the polymerizable layer is mostly composed of polymerizable compounds. Therefore, the mechanical strength of the cured portion of the polymerizable layer is improved, and a clear image can be obtained.

When an image is formed by selectively transferring the cured portion to an image-receiving material as in the fourth aspect of the image forming method of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. The cured portion has greater mechanical strength than the uncured portion, and the image is less likely to be deformed by pressure during image transfer. Therefore, halftone dot reproducibility is improved, a constant line width is maintained, and white characters are less likely to collapse. Therefore, by selectively transferring the cured portion, a clear image can be formed.

[Detailed Description of the Invention] First, the layer configurations of the photosensitive materials (single-layer type photosensitive material and laminated type photosensitive material) and image-receiving material used in the image forming method of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a single-layer photosensitive material used in the image forming method of the present invention. A single photopolymerizable layer (12) is provided on the support (11). The photosensitive polymerizable layer (12) contains silver halide (13), a reducing agent (14), and a polymerizable compound (15).

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the single-layer photosensitive material used in the image forming method of the present invention. A single photosensitive polymerizable layer (22) on the support (21) as in Figure 1
is provided. However, the hydrophilic phase (26) containing silver halide (23) contains other components, namely the reducing agent (
24) and the hydrophobic phase containing the polymerizable compound (25).

As shown in FIG. 2, the photosensitive polymerizable layer in the single-layer photosensitive material may not be a homogeneous layer but may be in a phase-separated state.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminated photosensitive material used in the first, third and fourth embodiments of the image forming method of the present invention. A polymerizable layer (32) is provided on a support (31), and a photosensitive layer (33) is provided thereon in this order. The polymerizable layer (32) contains a reducing agent (34) and a polymerizable compound (35).
)including. The photosensitive layer (33) is silver halide (36)
including.

In the photosensitive material shown in FIG. 3, the reducing agent (34)
is contained in the polymerizable layer (32), but the photosensitive layer (33)
) may be included. Further, the reducing agent may be added to the polymerizable layer and the photosensitive layer in divided amounts at an arbitrary ratio. Furthermore, a reducing agent may be added to a layer other than the polymerizable layer and the photosensitive layer (image formation promoting layer). Similarly, in the layered photosensitive material described below with reference to FIG. 4, the reducing agent can be included in any layer.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminated photosensitive material used in the second embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. A photosensitive layer (42) is provided on the support (41), and a polymerizable layer (42) is provided on the photosensitive layer (42).
3) are provided in sequence. The photosensitive layer (42) contains silver halide (44). The polymerizable layer (43) contains a reducing agent (45) and a polymerizable compound (46).

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image receiving material used in the first, second and third embodiments of the image forming method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the image-receiving material used in the first, second and third embodiments can be composed only of a support (51).

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image receiving material used in the fourth embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the image receiving material used in the fourth embodiment has an adhesive layer (62) provided on a support (61).

The above is an example of the layer structure for explaining the photosensitive material and image-receiving material used in the image forming method of the present invention, and the photosensitive material and image-receiving material used in the present invention are not limited to the above examples.

For example, in addition to the layers explained in each figure, an undercoat layer, an overcoat layer (
Additional layers such as protective layers, cover films), interlayers, back layers, etc. can be provided on the photosensitive material. An undercoat layer is provided on the support, an overcoat layer is provided on the layer furthest from the support, an intermediate layer is provided between each layer, and a back layer is provided on the side of the support opposite to the photosensitive polymerizable layer. It will be done.

Note that when an overcoat layer is provided in the first aspect of the present invention, it is necessary to remove the overcoat layer before the toner development step. Further, when providing an overcoat layer in the second aspect of the present invention, it is necessary to remove the overcoat layer before the lamination step. Furthermore, when providing an overcoat layer in the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, it is necessary to remove the overcoat layer before the transfer step.

Next, each aspect of the image forming method of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the exposure step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. light (71
) A silver halide latent image (75) is formed in the exposed area (73) of the photosensitive layer. On the other hand, there is no substantial change in the silver halide (74) in the unexposed area (72) of the photosensitive layer.

In FIG. 7, the image exposure process was explained using the laminated photosensitive material shown in FIG. 3 as an example, but the same process can also be carried out with a single layer photosensitive material as shown in FIG. Similarly, in each of the figures below, a laminated type photosensitive material will be explained as an example, but the same steps can of course be carried out with a single layer type photosensitive material.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the developing step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. When the photosensitive material is heated (81), the reducing agent moves from the polymerizable layer (82 and 83) to the photosensitive layer (84 and 85), forming a latent silver halide image in the exposed areas (85) of the photosensitive layer. develop. The silver halide is developed to form a silver image (89), and at the same time the reducing agent is oxidized to produce an oxidant, but this oxidant is unstable in the system of the present invention and reacts and decomposes to form a radical (87). (Hereinafter, the radicals generated due to the formation of this oxidant will be referred to as "oxidant radicals"). The oxidant radicals (87) of the reducing agent move from the exposed areas (85) of the photosensitive layer to the exposed areas (83) of the polymerizable layer. The polymerizable compound is cured by the action of these radicals, and a cured portion (83) is formed. On the other hand, there is no substantial change in the reducing agent (86) contained in the unexposed area of the polymerizable layer and the silver halide (88) contained in the unexposed area of the photosensitive layer. The unexposed area (82) becomes an uncured area.

In FIG. 8, thermal development processing is explained as an example, but wet-type phenomenon processing using a developer can also be performed. In addition, in Figure 8, we have explained an example of a system in which the polymerizable compound in the exposed area is selectively cured, but by changing conditions such as the type of reducing agent, the polymerizable compound in the unexposed area can be selectively cured. It is also possible to employ a curing system. Details will be explained in the section [Reducing agent].

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the toner developing step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. After removing the photosensitive layer, when a colored toner (91) is applied to the surface of the polymerizable layer, the toner image selectively adheres to the uncured part (92) of the adhesive polymerizable layer, and the cured part (93) ) will not adhere. This forms a toner image on the photosensitive material.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the transfer step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. Figure 10
This shows the state after transfer. A photosensitive material (102) is brought into close contact with the image-receiving material (101), thereby transferring the toner image (103) formed on the uncured portion of the polymerizable layer from the photosensitive material to the image-receiving material.

As explained above with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10, the first aspect of the image forming method of the present invention is to form a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound on a support. The following steps are carried out in the following order using a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material. (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (exposure step shown in Figure 7); (2) Developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer, thereby selectively removing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas. Hardening process (
(Developing step shown in FIG. 8); (3) attaching colored toner to the surface of the uncured part;
Thereby, a step of forming a toner image (toner development step shown in FIG. 9); and (4) a step of bringing the photosensitive material into close contact with the image-receiving material, thereby transferring the toner image to the image-receiving material (transfer step shown in FIG. 10) .

[0063] Through the series of steps described above, an image can be formed on the image-receiving material. Furthermore, regarding other colors (1) to (4)
By performing the above processing and transferring the second color image onto the image receiving material on which the first color image has already been formed,
A two-color image can be formed on the image-receiving material. A color image can be formed on the image-receiving material by repeating the above operation for other colors.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the second aspect of the image forming method of the present invention. The arrows in (A) mean the lamination process, (B) the peeling process, (1) the exposure process, (2) the development process, and (3) the toner development process. Note that the meanings of the symbols for each layer and each component shown in FIG. 11 are the same as the meanings of the symbols in FIGS. 7 to 10. The photosensitive material used is of the laminated type shown in FIG. 4, but for convenience, it is shown with the support facing upward. As shown in FIG. 11, there are six processing orders in the second aspect of the image forming method of the present invention, and any of them can be implemented.

The first processing order is (A) (B) (1) (
2) (3). (A) Laminating the photosensitive material (11a) with an image-receiving material (11b); (B) Peeling the support of the photosensitive material from the laminated material (11b) (11c); (1) Peeling the support (11) 11c) is imagewise exposed (11f); (2) Imagewise exposed material (11f) is developed (11i
); and (3) develop the developed material (11i) with toner (11
j).

The second processing order is (A) (1) (B) (
2) (3). (A) Laminating the photosensitive material (11a) with the image-receiving material (11b); (1) Imagewise exposing the laminated material (11b) (
11e); (B) Peeling off the support of the photosensitive material from the image-exposed material (11e) (11f); (2) Developing the material from which the support has been peeled off (11f) (1
1i); and (3) develop the developed product (11i) with toner (11
j).

The third processing order is (A) (1) (2) (
B) (3). (A) Laminating the photosensitive material (11a) with the image-receiving material (11b); (1) Imagewise exposing the laminated material (11b) (
11e); (2) Develop the image-exposed material (11e) (11h
); (B) The support of the photosensitive material is peeled off from the developed material (11h) (11i); and (3) the material from which the support has been peeled off (11i) is developed with toner (11j).

The fourth processing order is (1) (A) (B) (
2) (3). (1) Imagewise exposing the photosensitive material (11a) (11d);
(A) Laminating the image-exposed material (11d) with an image-receiving material (11e); (B) Peeling off the support of the photosensitive material from the laminated material (11e) (11f); (2) Peeling off the support Develop the thing (11f) (1
1i); and (3) develop the developed product (11i) with toner (11
j).

The fifth processing order is (1) (A) (2) (
B) (3). (1) Imagewise exposing the photosensitive material (11a) (11d);
(A) Laminate the image-exposed material (11d) with an image-receiving material (11e); (2) Develop the laminated material (11e) (11
h); (B) The support of the photosensitive material is peeled off from the developed material (11h) (11i); and (3) the material from which the support has been peeled off (11i) is developed with toner (11j).

The sixth processing order is (1) (2) (A) (
B) (3). (1) Imagewise exposing the photosensitive material (11a) (11d);
(2) Develop the image-exposed material (11d) (11g
); (A) Laminating the developed material (11 g) with an image-receiving material (11h); (B) Peeling off the support of the photosensitive material from the laminated material (11h) (11i); and (3) removing the support. The peeled product (11i) is developed with toner (16j).

The above six processing orders are as follows: (A)
(1st, 2nd and 3rd group)
(processing order)) and the group (1) in which the exposure process is performed first (
(4th, 5th, and 6th processing order). The former is preferable to the latter because it is much easier to align images.

As explained with reference to FIG. 11, the following steps (A )(B)(1)(2)(3),(A)(1)
(B) (2) (3), (A) (1) (2) (B) (3)
, (1) (A) (B) (2) (3), (1) (A) (2
)(B)(3) and (1)(2)(A)(B)(3)
Carry out in either order. (A) A step of laminating a photosensitive material on an image-receiving material (lamination step); (B) A lamination of an image-receiving material and a photosensitive material,
Step of peeling off the support of the photosensitive material (peeling step); (1)
Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (exposure step); (2) Step of developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer and thereby selectively curing the polymerizable compound in the exposed area or the unexposed area (
(developing step); and (3) attaching colored toner to the surface of the uncured part,
This is the process of forming a toner image (toner development process).

[0073] Through the above series of steps, an image can be formed on the image-receiving material. Furthermore, regarding other colors (A) to (3)
By performing the above processing and transferring the second color image onto the image receiving material on which the first color image has already been formed,
A two-color image can be formed on the image-receiving material. A color image can be formed on the image-receiving material by repeating the above operation for other colors.

The exposure step and development step in the third embodiment of the present invention are similar to the exposure step and development step in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the transfer step in the third embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. Figure 12
This shows the state after transfer. The photosensitive material (122) is brought into close contact with the image-receiving material (121), thereby transferring the uncured portion (123) of the polymerizable layer from the photosensitive material to the image-receiving material. A cured portion (124) of the polymerizable layer remains on the photosensitive material. As a result, an uncured portion (1
23) is formed into an image.

FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the toner development step in the third embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. When the colored toner (131) is applied to the surface of the image-receiving material, the toner adheres to the transferred portion of the uncured portion (133) of the polymerizable layer, thereby forming a toner image on the image-receiving material.

As described above, the third embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention provides a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support. Using the following steps, perform the following steps in the following order. (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (exposure step shown in Figure 7); (2) Developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer, thereby selectively removing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas. Hardening process (
(Development step shown in FIG. 8); (3) A step of bringing the photosensitive material into close contact with the image-receiving material, thereby selectively transferring the uncured areas to the image-receiving material (transfer step shown in FIG. 12); and (4) Coloring. A step of forming a toner image by attaching the toner to the surface of the uncured portion on the image-receiving material (toner development step shown in FIG. 13).

[0078] Through the series of steps described above, an image can be formed on the image-receiving material. Furthermore, regarding other colors (1) to (4)
transfer the second color image onto another image-receiving material, and then sequentially bring each image-receiving material into close contact with the final image-receiving material, transferring each color image to the final image-receiving material, thereby transferring the second color image onto another image-receiving material. A two-color image can be formed on the image-receiving material. By repeating the above operations for further colors, a color image can be formed on the final image-receiving material.

The exposure step and development step in the fourth embodiment of the present invention are similar to the exposure step and development step in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the transfer step in the fourth embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. Figure 14
This shows the state after transfer. The photosensitive material (142) is brought into close contact with the image-receiving material (141), thereby transferring the cured portion (144) of the polymerizable layer from the photosensitive material to the image-receiving material. The uncured portion (145) of the polymerizable layer remains in the photosensitive material. This results in an adhesive layer (143) being adhesively provided on the image receiving material.
is image-wise masked by the transferred cured portion (144).

FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the toner development step in the fourth embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention. When the colored toner (151) is applied to the surface of the image-receiving material (152), the cured portion (154) of the polymerizable layer is not transferred and the toner adheres to the exposed portion of the adhesive layer (153). , thereby forming a toner image on the image-receiving material.

As described above, the fourth aspect of the image forming method of the present invention provides a photosensitive material and a support in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support. This is an image forming method in which the following steps are performed in the following order using an image-receiving material on which an adhesive layer is provided. (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer (exposure step shown in Figure 7); (2) Developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer, thereby selectively removing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas. Hardening process (
(Development step shown in FIG. 8); (3) The photosensitive material is brought into close contact with the image-receiving material, and the cured portion is selectively transferred to the image-receiving material, thereby masking the adhesive layer of the image-receiving material in the form of an image in the cured portion. step (transfer step shown in FIG. 14); and (4) step of depositing the colored toner on the image-wise exposed surface of the adhesive layer on the image-receiving material, thereby forming a toner image (FIG. 15). toner development process shown in ).

[0083] Through the series of steps described above, an image can be formed on the image-receiving material. Furthermore, regarding other colors (1) to (4)
transfer the second color image onto another image-receiving material, and then sequentially bring each image-receiving material into close contact with the final image-receiving material, transferring each color image to the final image-receiving material, thereby transferring the second color image onto another image-receiving material. A two-color image can be formed on the image-receiving material. By repeating the above operations for further colors, a color image can be formed on the final image-receiving material.

The above are typical embodiments of the image forming method of the present invention. In the image forming method of the present invention, in addition to the above steps, additional steps may be added as necessary.

In the first, third or fourth aspect of the present invention, in the case of a laminated photosensitive material, a layer such as a photosensitive layer is provided above the polymerizable layer, such as a photosensitive layer, before the transfer step or the toner development step. A layer removal step is required. This layer removal may be performed by peeling. Alternatively, the layer above the polymerizable layer may be removed by elution or swelling with a liquid that does not dissolve the polymerizable layer.

[0085] Furthermore, a step of transferring the monochromatic image formed on the image-receiving material to another image-receiving material may be further carried out. It is also possible to carry out a step of transferring a color (multicolor) image formed on an image-receiving material to another image-receiving material.

In the present invention, since the image is transferred, the image is reversed (reverse image). When forming a final color image on a transparent support, the image may be turned upside down; however, when forming a color image on an opaque support, the final image must be formed in the desired normal image. It is. For this reason, it is necessary to carry out operations such as performing exposure upside down or transferring the image once more to return the reversed image to the normal image. When adding the above-mentioned additional transfer step, it is necessary to consider the relationship between normal images and reverse images.

Other optional steps include, for example, a step of removing additional layers such as an intermediate layer and a back layer, a step of matting the surface of the image-receiving material on which an image has been formed, and a step of applying a matting agent to the image-receiving material. can be added.

Regarding each step of the image forming method of the present invention,
This will be explained in more detail.

[Exposure Step] Image exposure in the exposure step may be carried out from the surface side of the photosensitive material (opposite side to the support) or may be carried out from the support side. Even if other layers, supports, or image-receiving materials are present between the light source and the photosensitive polymerizable layer (photosensitive layer in the case of laminated photosensitive materials), as long as these inclusions are substantially transparent, no problem.

[0090] Exposure methods for image exposure include reflective image exposure using a xenon lamp, tungsten lamp, fluorescent lamp, etc. as a light source, contact exposure using a transparent positive film, and scanning exposure using a laser beam, light emitting diode, etc. It will be done. The image forming method of the present invention is characterized in that an image is formed using a photosensitive material that can be drawn by scanning exposure. The invention is therefore particularly advantageous when using scanning exposure.

In scanning exposure, helium-neon laser, helium-cadmium laser, argon ion laser, krypton ion laser, YAG laser, ruby laser, nitrogen laser, dye laser, excimer laser, semiconductor (eg, GaAs/Ga
The light source can be a laser beam such as an AlAs, InGaAsP) laser, an alexandrite laser, a copper vapor laser, or an erbium laser. Scanning exposure using a light emitting diode or a liquid crystal shutter as a light source (including a line printer type light source using a light emitting diode array, a liquid crystal shutter array, etc.) is also possible.

The light source or exposure wavelength that can be used for image exposure depends on the photosensitive range of the silver halide emulsion used in the photosensitive material, and the wavelength ranges of near ultraviolet light, visible light, and near infrared light can be used. It is. The exposure amount is mainly determined by the sensitivity of the silver halide emulsion and ranges from 0.01 to 10,000 erg/c.
Exposure can be performed with light energy of m2. By carrying out the imagewise exposure described above, a latent image of silver halide is formed in the exposed portion.

[Developing step] In the image forming method of the present invention,
It is preferable to use a dry development process in which the photosensitive material is heated. Note that the development step can be carried out simultaneously with the above-mentioned exposure step.

The image-exposed photosensitive material is heated by a conventionally known heating means. Heating involves bringing the photosensitive material into contact with a heated object (e.g., roller, flat plate, etc.).
Alternatively, contact and non-contact heating means can be used, such as heating the photosensitive material by infrared irradiation, leaving the photosensitive material in a heated zone, or passing the photosensitive material through the heated zone. Further, during heating, the surface of the photosensitive material may not be exposed to the air, but may be heated by bringing it into close contact with an arbitrary object to cover the surface. The temperature and heating time required for heating depend on the characteristics of the photosensitive material used. Generally, the heating temperature is preferably in the range of 70°C to 200°C. The heating time is preferably in the range of 1 to 180 seconds.

[0095] In the image forming method of the present invention, it is also possible to perform a wet development process using a developer. In the case of the second aspect of the image forming method of the present invention, a developing solution (preferably a concentrated solution) is applied between the photosensitive material and the image-receiving material, and the photosensitive material and the image-receiving material are left in a superimposed state to develop. You can also.

In the developing step, the silver halide on which a latent image has been formed by exposure is developed, and at the same time, an oxidized product of the reducing agent is formed in that area. When the oxidized form of the reducing agent has a polymerization promoting effect, the polymerizable compound is selectively cured in the exposed area, and when the oxidized form of the reducing agent has a polymerization inhibiting effect, the polymerizable compound in the unexposed area is selectively cured.

[0097] When using a photosensitive material containing a photopolymerization initiator as a polymerization initiator in a system for curing areas where no latent image is formed (unexposed areas), the entire surface of the photosensitive material is exposed after the development step.

[Toner development step] In the toner development step in the first and second aspects of the present invention, the adhesive uncured portion of the photosensitive polymerizable layer (polymerizable layer in the case of a laminated photosensitive material) is A colored toner is applied to the surface. In this case, it is preferable to adjust the development conditions so that the adhesiveness of the cured portion is sufficiently reduced in the development step. As a result, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive material in a manner corresponding to the image exposure.

In the toner development step in the third aspect of the present invention, colored toner is attached to the sticky, uncured portion transferred to the image-receiving material. This forms a toner image on the surface of the image-receiving material in a manner responsive to the imagewise exposure.

[0100] In the toner development step in the fourth aspect of the present invention, a colored toner is attached to a portion of the adhesive layer provided on the image-receiving material to which the cured portion has not been transferred. This forms a toner image on the surface of the image-receiving material in a manner responsive to the imagewise exposure.

Toner development is carried out by sprinkling colored toner onto the surface of a photosensitive material or image-receiving material and bringing it into physical contact with cloth, sponge, or the like. The toner development step can also be performed using an automatic toner development device, such as the DuPont Automatic Toner Model 2900. The method of forming a colored image by bringing colored toner into contact with an adhesive surface as described above is described in Japanese Patent Publications No. 48-31323, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 104665-1982, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-36611. There is.

In the toner development process, colored toner selectively adheres to the adhesive surface to form an image. As a colored toner having such properties, a colored powder having a particle size of 0.1 μm to 50 μm is used. Colored powder is a colorant (pigment or dye)
It may be used alone, or a mixture of a colorant and a resin binder, or a mixture of a colorant, a resin binder, and other components. As the colorant, any conventionally known organic and inorganic pigments or dyes can be used. These pigments or dyes are listed in "Dye Handbook", "Color Index", etc.

As the resin binder used in the colored toner, any conventionally known natural and synthetic polymers can be used. Examples of resin binders include polyvinyl chloride, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, methylcellulose and carboxymethylcellulose. In addition to the above, plasticizers, monomers, surfactants, antistatic agents, dispersion stabilizers, surface treatment agents, and the like can be added to the colored toner as necessary. For colored toners, U.S. Patent No. 362
No. 0726, No. 4304843, No. 4397941
No. 4461822, No. 4546072 and No. 4215193, Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-36611,
Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-7750 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-10466
There is a description in each bulletin No. 5.

[Transfer step] In the transfer step in the first aspect of the present invention, the image-receiving material and the surface of the photosensitive material to which the colored toner is attached come into contact, and pressure, heat, or both pressure and heat are applied to the image-receiving material and the surface of the photosensitive material to which the colored toner is attached. The transfer is performed over a period of time. In the transfer process, what is transferred to the image-receiving material may be only the colored toner, or (the uncured portion of) the photosensitive polymerizable layer containing the colored toner, or may be further transferred to the photosensitive polymerizable layer adjacent to the colored toner. Other layers (such as an undercoat layer) may be transferred at the same time. These can vary depending on various factors such as transfer temperature, transfer pressure, material of the colored toner, properties of the photosensitive polymerizable layer, and material of the image-receiving material. The transfer temperature and transfer pressure vary greatly depending on the material of the image receiving material, the material of the colored toner, and the properties of the photosensitive material. Generally, the transfer temperature is 10℃
The temperature is preferably from 200° C. to 200° C., and the transfer pressure is preferably from 0 to 2000 kg/cm 2 .

In the transfer step in the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the image-receiving material and the photosensitive material are brought into contact, and pressure or heat or both pressure and heat is applied to the uncured portion (
selective transfer of the cured portion (third aspect) or the cured portion (fourth aspect). In addition, in the transfer step, other layers (such as an undercoat layer) adjacent to the photosensitive polymerizable layer (the polymerizable layer in the case of a laminated photosensitive material) may be transferred onto the image-receiving material at the same time. Transfer conditions such as transfer temperature and transfer pressure in this transfer step vary greatly depending on the material of the image-receiving material and the properties of the photosensitive material. Generally, the transfer temperature is between 10℃ and 200℃.
℃, and the transfer pressure is 0 to 2000k.
g/cm2 is preferred.

The photosensitive polymerizable layer (
In the case of a laminated photosensitive material, exposed or unexposed areas of the polymerizable layer) are selectively cured. As a result, the adhesion between the photosensitive polymerizable layer and the photosensitive material support changes between the uncured portion and the cured portion. Furthermore, when an image-receiving material is brought into close contact with the surface of the polymerizable layer of a photosensitive material, the adhesion force between the interface between the photosensitive polymerizable layer and the image-receiving material also differs between the uncured portion and the cured portion. When the photosensitive material and the image-receiving material are separated, the adhesion force at the interface between the uncured part and the support of the photosensitive material is greater than the adhesion force between the uncured part and the image-receiving material, and the interface between the cured part and the support of the photosensitive material When the adhesion force between the cured portion and the image-receiving material is smaller than the adhesion force between the cured portion and the image-receiving material, only the cured portion is transferred to the image-receiving material. vice versa,
The adhesion force at the interface between the uncured part and the support of the photosensitive material is smaller than the adhesion force between the uncured part and the image receiving material side, and the adhesion force at the interface between the cured part and the support of the photosensitive material is smaller than the adhesion force between the cured part and the image receiving material side. When the adhesion force with the material is greater than that, only the uncured portion is transferred to the image-receiving material. whether the uncured portion is transferred (third aspect);
Whether the cured portion is transferred (fourth aspect) depends on the properties of the polymerizable compound in the photosensitive polymerizable layer, the amount of the polymerizable compound added, the properties of the binder in the photosensitive polymerizable layer, and the photosensitive polymerizability. Properties of other components in the layer and their amounts added, as well as various conditions of the transfer process (heating temperature, time, pressure temperature, etc.)
The above-mentioned adhesion strength varies depending on the material and may vary.

[0107] As the image-receiving material used in the transfer step, art paper, coated paper, printing paper, and plastic sheets can be used. Further, these surfaces may be coated with a resin binder, a plasticizer, a surface treatment agent, a matting agent, etc. in one layer or in multiple layers. Regarding the image-receiving material and the transfer process, see Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-441 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 47-418.
No. 30, JP-A-48-93337, JP-A-51-51
No. 01, JP-A-59-97140, JP-A-61-18
No. 9533, JP-A-2-244146, JP-A-2-2
No. 44147 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-244148.

A fourth aspect of the invention uses an image-receiving material provided with an adhesive layer on a support. The adhesive layer must have the ability to adhere to its surface the colored toner used in the present invention. The adhesive layer can be constructed of any known material as long as it satisfies the above points. Examples of such a layer include a mixed layer of any conventionally known polymer and a compound exemplified as a substance having a plasticizing effect among the heat development accelerators of the present invention, or a layer of any conventionally known polymer. Examples include a mixed layer of a polymer and an oligomer of any conventionally known polymer, or a layer containing an elastomeric polymer having a secondary transition temperature of -10° C. or lower. The last example is advantageous because the polymer alone can provide the necessary properties, but it may also be used as a mixed layer in which a plasticizer, oligomer, etc. are further added.

[0109] Specifically, natural rubber and synthetic rubber can be used as the polymer used in the adhesive layer. Examples of synthetic rubbers include isobutylene, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, chlorinated rubber, polyvinyl isobutyl ether, silicone elastomers, neoprene and copolymer rubbers (e.g. styrene-butadiene copolymers, styrene-isobutylene copolymers). Can be done. When the polymer is a copolymer, it may be a random, block or graft copolymer. The thickness of the adhesive layer is 0.01 μm to 10 μm.
The thickness is preferably .mu.m, more preferably 0.05 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m. .

[Lamination Step] In the lamination step of the second aspect of the present invention, a photosensitive material is laminated on the image receiving material. A photosensitive material is brought into close contact with an image-receiving material, and lamination is performed by heating, applying pressure, or both. For example, lamination can be performed by bringing the image-receiving material and the photosensitive material into close contact with each other and passing them between rubber rollers. Further, other conventionally known laminating methods can also be used as the laminating step in the image forming method of the present invention.

[0111] The image receiving material used in the lamination process is:
The material is not particularly limited as long as it can stably hold a film with a thickness of about 5 to 50 μm. As the image-receiving material used in the lamination process, art paper, coated paper, printing paper, and plastic sheets can be used. Further, these surfaces may be coated with a resin binder, a plasticizer, a surface treatment agent, a matting agent, etc. in one layer or in multiple layers.

Note that the image-receiving material may be laminated in advance during the production of the photosensitive material. Of course, such embodiments are also included in the image forming method of the present invention.

Next, the components and constituent elements of the photosensitive material used in the image forming method of the present invention will be explained in more detail.

[Silver halide] In the present invention, as silver halide, any of silver chloride, silver bromide, silver iodide, silver chlorobromide, silver chloroiodide, silver iodobromide, and silver chloroiodobromide can be used. Particles can also be used.

[0115] Silver halide grains include those with regular crystals such as cubic, octahedral, and tetradecahedral, those with irregular crystal shapes such as spherical and plate shapes, and those with twin planes. It may be one having crystal defects or a composite form thereof.

The grain size of the silver halide may be fine grains of about 0.01 micron or less, or large grains with a projected area diameter of up to about 10 microns. Further, it may be a polydisperse emulsion or a monodisperse emulsion. Monodisperse emulsions are described in US Pat. No. 3,574,628, US Pat. No. 3,655,394 and British Patent No. 1,413,748.

[0117] Tabular grains having an aspect ratio of about 5 or more can also be used. Tabular grains are described by Gutoff,
Photographic Science and Engineering (Gutoff, Photographic
Science and Engineering),
Vol. 14, pp. 248-257 (1970); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,226, U.S. Pat.
It can be easily prepared by the methods described in British Patent No. 433048, British Patent No. 4439520, and British Patent No. 2112157.

The crystal structure may be uniform, the inside and outside may have different halogen compositions, or it may have a layered structure. Further, silver halides having different compositions may be bonded by epitaxial bonding, or compounds other than silver halide such as silver rhodan or lead oxide may be bonded.

Silver halide grains include copper, thallium, lead, bismuth, cadmium, zinc, chalcogen (eg, sulfur, selenium, tellurium), gold or Group VIII noble metals (eg, rhodium, iridium, iron, platinum). , palladium) can be added in the form of their respective salts at the time of particle formation or after particle formation. Specific methods are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 1,195,432 and 1
No. 951933, No. 2448060, No. 2628
No. 167, No. 2950972, No. 3488709
No. 3737313, No. 3772031, No. 4269927, and Research Disclosure (RD) magazine, Vol. 134, No. 1345
2 (June 1975).

In the present invention, when an image is formed by high-intensity short-time exposure, it is preferable to use iridium ions in an amount of 10-8 to 10-3 mol per mol of silver halide, more preferably 10-7 to 10-1 mol. -5 moles.

Furthermore, two or more types of silver halide grains different in halogen composition, crystal habit, grain size, etc. can also be used together.

The silver halide is preferably used in the form of an emulsion.

The silver halide emulsion used in the present invention is described in Research Disclosure (RD) magazine, No. 176
43 (December 1978), pp. 22-23, “I. Emulsion preparation a.
nd types)”, and the same No. 18716 (
(November 1979), p. 648.

The silver halide emulsion used is usually one that has been subjected to physical ripening, chemical ripening and spectral sensitization. Additives used in such processes are described in Research Disclosure, no. 17643 and the same No. 1871
6. Regarding chemical sensitizers, No. 1
7643 (page 23) and no. No. 18716 (page 648, right column) regarding spectral sensitizers. 17643(
23-24) and No. 18716 (page 648, right column ~), regarding supersensitizers, No. 18716 (6
They are described in the right column of page 49~). In addition, known additives that can be used in the present invention other than those mentioned above are also described in the two Research Disclosure journals mentioned above. For example, regarding the sensitivity increasing agent, No. 18716 (6
Regarding antifoggants and stabilizers, see No. 48 (right column) for antifoggants and stabilizers. 17643 (pages 24-25) and No. 18
716 (page 649, right column ~).

[0125] As the above-mentioned silver halide grains, it is preferable to use silver halide grains having a relatively low fog value. A photosensitive material using such silver halide grains is described in JP-A-63-68830.

[0126] As the silver halide emulsion, negative-working silver halide is usually used. However, a reversible silver halide which can directly produce a positive image may also be used.

[Reducing Agent] The reducing agent used in the present invention has a function of reducing silver halide or a function of promoting (or suppressing) polymerization of a polymerizable compound. There are various types of reducing agents having the above functions. The reducing agents include hydroquinones, catechols, p-aminophenols, p-phenylenediamines, 3-pyrazolidones, 3-aminopyrazoles, 4-amino-5-pyrazolones, 5-aminouracils, 4,5-dihydroxy-6-aminopyrimidines, reductones, aminoreductones, o- or p-sulfonamidophenols, o- or p-sulfonamidonaphthols, 2
, 4-disulfonamidophenols, 2,4-disulfonamidonaphthols, o- or p-acylaminophenols, 2-sulfonamidoindanones, 4-
Sulfonamide-5-pyrazolones, 3-sulfonamide indoles, sulfonamide pyrazolobenzimidazoles, sulfonamide pyrazolotriazoles, α
- Sulfonamide ketones, hydrazines, etc.

[0128] By adjusting the type and amount of the above-mentioned reducing agent, the polymerizable compound in either the area where the latent image of silver halide is formed or the area where no latent image is formed is selectively polymerized. be able to. For example, the following (A),
The system (B) or (C) can be adopted.

(A) The reducing agent develops silver halide and is itself oxidized to become an oxidant. When this oxidant decomposes within the layer to generate radicals, polymerization occurs in the area where the silver halide latent image is formed. Examples of such systems include systems in which hydrazines are used alone as reducing agents, or in which hydrazines and other reducing agents are used in combination.

(B) When the oxidized form of the reducing agent has a polymerization inhibiting function, by allowing a polymerization initiator to coexist in the system, the area where the silver halide latent image is formed can be Polymerization is suppressed and polymerization occurs in areas where no silver halide latent image is formed. An example of a reducing agent having such a function is 1-phenyl-
Mention may be made of 3-pyrazolidones.

(C) The reducing agent itself has a polymerization inhibiting function, but its oxidized product does not have a polymerization inhibiting function (or
If the polymerization inhibiting function is weak), by coexisting a polymerization initiator in the system, polymerization is inhibited in areas where a latent image of silver halide is not formed, and the latent image of silver halide is suppressed. Polymerization occurs in the imaged areas. Examples of reducing agents having such functions include hydroquinones.

[0132] In the system (B) or (C) above,
A polymerization initiator that decomposes to generate radicals upon heating or light irradiation must be added to any layer of the photosensitive material. Regarding these systems, please refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 61-75342, 61-243449, and 62
-70836 and 62-81635, as well as US Patent No. 4,649,098 and EP Patent No. 0202.
No. 490, each specification.

Regarding various reducing agents having the above functions,
JP 61-183640, JP 61-188535, JP 61-228441, JP 62-70836, JP 62-86354, JP 62-86355, JP 6
No. 2-206540, No. 62-264041, No. 62
No.-109437, No. 63-254442, JP-A-1
-267536, 2-141756, 2-14
No. 1757, No. 2-207254, No. 2-26266
No. 2 and No. 2-269352 (
(including those described as developing agents or hydrazine derivatives). Regarding reducing agents, please refer to T. James “Th
e Theory of the Photography
hic Process” 4th edition, pp. 291-334 (
(1977), Research Disclosure, Vo.
l. 170, No. 17029, pp. 9-15, (1978
), and the same magazine, Vol. 176, No. 17643
No., pp. 22-31, (December 1978). Furthermore, as in the photosensitive material described in JP-A-62-210446, a reducing agent precursor capable of releasing the reducing agent under heating conditions or in contact with a base may be used in place of the reducing agent. . The reducing agents and reducing agent precursors described in each of the above-mentioned publications and literatures can also be effectively used in the photosensitive material in this specification. Therefore, in this specification, ``
The term "reducing agent" includes the reducing agents and reducing agent precursors described in each of the above-mentioned publications, specifications, and literature.

[0134] Among these reducing agents, those having basicity that form salts with acids can also be used in the form of salts with appropriate acids. These reducing agents may be used alone, but as described in the above-mentioned publications, two or more types of reducing agents may be used in combination. When using two or more types of reducing agents together, the interaction of the reducing agents is, firstly, due to the so-called super-forming property of silver halide (
and/or organic silver salt), and secondly, when the oxidized form of the first reducing agent produced by the reduction of silver halide (and/or organic silver salt) coexists with other reducing agents. Possible methods include causing polymerization (or suppressing polymerization) of a polymerizable compound via an oxidation-reduction reaction. However, in actual use, the reactions described above can occur simultaneously, so it is difficult to specify which effect is responsible.

[0135] The reducing agent is 0.0.
It is used in the range of 1 to 10 mol, more preferably 0.
It is in the range of 5 to 5 moles.

Specific examples of the reducing agent are shown below.

(A)

[Chemical formula 1]

(B)

[Case 2]

(C)

[Chemical formula 3]

(D)

[C4]

(E)

[C5]

(F)

[C6]

(G)

[C7]

(H)

[Chemical formula 8]

(I)

[Chemical formula 9]

(J)

[Chemical formula 10]

(K)

[Chemical formula 11]

(L)

[Chemical formula 12]

[Polymerizable Compound] As the polymerizable compound in the present invention, a polymerizable monomer or a crosslinkable polymer can be used. A polymerizable monomer and a crosslinkable polymer may be used together.

Examples of polymerizable monomers include compounds having addition polymerizability or ring-opening polymerizability. Compounds having addition polymerizability include compounds having an ethylenically unsaturated group, and compounds having ring-opening polymerizability include compounds having an epoxy group. Particularly preferred are compounds having ethylenically unsaturated groups.

Examples of compounds having ethylenically unsaturated groups include acrylic acid and its salts, acrylic esters, acrylamides, methacrylic acid and its salts, methacrylic esters, methacrylamides, maleic anhydride, maleic acid, etc. Acid esters, itaconic esters, styrenes, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters,
Mention may be made of N-vinyl heterocycles, allyl ethers, allyl esters and derivatives thereof. Acrylic esters or methacrylic esters are preferred.

[0152] Specific examples of acrylic esters include:
n-butyl acrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, benzyl acrylate, furfuryl acrylate, ethoxyethoxyethyl acrylate, tricyclodecanyloxy acrylate, nonylphenyloxyethyl acrylate, 1,3
-Dioxolane acrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, butanediol diacrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, tricyclodecane dimethylol diacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate , diacrylate of polyoxyethylated bisphenol A, 2-(2-
Hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl)-5-hydroxymethyl-5-ethyl-1,3-dioxane diacrylate, 2-(2-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl)-5,5-dihydroxymethyl-1 , 3-dioxane triacrylate, triacrylate of the propylene oxide adduct of trimethylolpropane, polyacrylate of hydroxypolyether, polyester acrylate and polyurethane acrylate.

Specific examples of methacrylic acid esters include methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate,
Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, butanediol dimethacrylate, neopentyl glycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate,
Mention may be made of pentaerythritol trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol tetramethacrylate and dimethacrylate of polyoxyalkylenated bisphenol A.

The polymerizable monomer can also be selected from commercially available products. Commercially available polymerizable monomers include:
For example, Aronix M- manufactured by Toagosei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
309, M-310, M-315, M-400, M-6
100, M-8030 and M-8100, Nippon Kayaku (
Kayarad HX-220, HX-620, R-
551, TMPTA, D-330, DPHA, DPCA
-60, R604 and R684.

As the crosslinkable polymer, any known polymer having a group reactive with radical species can be used. These polymers may be homopolymers or copolymers with monomers that do not have groups reactive with radical species. Such polymers include polymers with ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the molecule, polymers with non-ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in the molecule, polymers with polyoxyalkylene units in the molecule, and polymers with polyoxyalkylene units in the molecule. Examples include polymers having halogen atoms. In addition to having a polymerizable functional group within the polymer molecule, crosslinkable polymers also generate radicals in the polymer through deelementation reactions such as dehalogenation or dehydrogenation, and these radicals can be used to form polymerizable compounds. It also includes those in which two generated polymer radicals couple to each other and crosslink between polymers.

The above functional group may be contained in the main chain of the polymer or in the side chain of the polymer. When these groups are contained in the side chains of the polymer, these groups may be introduced into the polymer by polymer reaction,
After introducing these groups into monomers in advance, the monomers may be polymerized or copolymerized to synthesize a polymer. Examples of repeating units having these functional groups for polymers having these crosslinkable functional groups in their side chains are shown below.

(a)

[Chemical formula 13]

(b)

[Chemical formula 14]

(c)

[Chemical formula 15]

(d)

[Chemical formula 16]

(e)

[Chemical formula 17]

(f)

[Chemical formula 18]

(g)

[Chemical formula 19]

(h)

[C20]

(i)

[C21]

(j)

[C22]

[0167] In addition, polymers having an ethylenically unsaturated double bond in the side chain as exemplified in JP-A-64-17047 can also be used. In addition, examples of polymers having functional groups in the main chain or side chain include synthetic rubber (e.g., polybutadiene, polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene copolymer, styrene-butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer), natural rubber, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, Polyvinyl chloride (including copolymers), polyvinylidene chloride (including copolymers), polyvinyl acetate (including copolymers), chlorinated polyethylene,
Mention may be made of polyvinyl butyral, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose and butylcellulose.

[0168] These crosslinkable polymers are described in 147 of "Polymer Reactions" (published by the Society of Polymer Science and Technology, Kyoritsu Shuppan, 1978).
There is also a description on pages 192 to 192.

The polymerizable compounds described above may be used alone or in combination of two or more. For photosensitive materials containing two or more types of polymerizable compounds, JP-A-62-
There is a description in No. 210445. Note that a substance in which a polymerizable functional group such as a vinyl group or a vinylidene group is introduced into the chemical structure of a reducing agent or a coloring agent can also be used as a polymerizable compound. As mentioned above, the use of a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound, or the use of a substance that serves both as a coloring agent and a polymerizable compound, is of course included in the embodiment of the photosensitive material.

The polymerizable compound is preferably contained in the polymer layer in an amount of 3 to 90% by weight, more preferably 15 to 60% by weight, based on the total amount of the layer.

[Base or Base Precursor] The light-sensitive material used in the present invention may contain a base or a base precursor. In particular, when a dry development process by heating is performed, the light-sensitive material preferably contains a base or a base precursor.

As the base and base precursor, inorganic bases and organic bases, or their base precursors (decarboxylation type, thermal decomposition type, reaction type, complex salt forming type, etc.) can be used.

[0173] Examples of inorganic bases are disclosed in JP-A-62-209448.
There is a description in the bulletin. Examples of organic bases include tertiary amine compounds (described in JP-A-62-170954),
Bis, tris, or tetraamidine compounds (described in JP-A-63-316760) and bis-, tris-, or tetraguanidine compounds (described in JP-A-63-316760)
-68746). In the present invention, bases with a pKa of 7 or more are preferred.

In the present invention, a base precursor is preferable to a base from the viewpoint of storage stability of the photosensitive material.

Examples of preferred base precursors include:
Salts of organic acids and bases that are decarboxylated by heating (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-3
No. 16760, No. 64-68746, No. 59-180
No. 537 and No. 61-313431) and urea compounds that release bases upon heating (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63
-96159). In addition, as a method of releasing a base using a reaction, a reaction with a salt containing an anion having an affinity greater than that of an acetylide anion for transition metal acetylides and transition metal ions (
(described in JP-A No. 63-25208), a basic metal compound that is poorly soluble in water, and a compound that can undergo a complex-forming reaction with water as a medium for the metal ions constituting this basic metal compound. A method of releasing a base by reaction between these two compounds in the presence of
(described in Publication No. 2).

[0176] As the base precursor of the present invention, 50
It is preferable that the base is released at a temperature of .degree. C. to 200.degree. C., and more preferably a base is released at a temperature of 80.degree. C. to 160.degree.

[0177] Photosensitive materials using bases or base precursors are described in JP-A-62-264041. Further, for a photosensitive material using a tertiary amine as a base, see JP-A-62-1170954, and for a photosensitive material using a fine particle dispersion of a hydrophobic organic base compound with a melting point of 80 to 180°C. Tokukai Showa 6
No. 2-209523 discloses a photosensitive material using a guanidine derivative with a solubility of 0.1% or less in JP-A No. 63-
No. 70845 describes a photosensitive material using an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide or salt, and JP-A-62-209448 describes a photosensitive material using an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide or salt.

Furthermore, regarding photosensitive materials using an acetylide compound as a base precursor, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-24
JP-A-63-46446 discloses a photosensitive material using a propiolic acid salt as a base precursor and further containing silver, copper, a silver compound, or a copper compound as a catalyst for the base production reaction. JP-A-63-81338 discloses a photosensitive material containing silver, copper, a silver compound, or a copper compound separated from each other.
JP-A No. 63-97942 describes propiolic acid as a base precursor for photosensitive materials containing the propiolic acid salt and a ligand in a free state in addition to the silver, copper, silver compound, or copper compound. using salt,
Furthermore, regarding a photosensitive material containing a heat-fusible compound as a reaction accelerator for the base-forming reaction, JP-A-63-46447 discloses that a sulfonylacetate is used as a base precursor, and a heat-fusible compound is used to accelerate the base-forming reaction. For photosensitive materials containing the agent, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-48453.
JP-A-63-96652 describes a photosensitive material using a compound in which isocyanate or isothiocyanate is bonded to an organic base as a base precursor; The materials are described in JP-A-63-173039.

Regarding photosensitive materials using bis- or trisamidine salts of carboxylic acids that can be decarboxylated as base precursors, see JP-A-64-9441, and regarding photosensitive materials using bis- or trisguanidine salts, see Each of these is described in JP-A No. 64-68749.

The base or base precursor is preferably used in an amount of 0.5 to 50 mol, more preferably 1 to 20 mol, per mol of silver halide.

[Support] Any chemically and thermally stable substance can be used as the material for the support of the photosensitive material. It may be transparent to actinic light if necessary. Examples of materials for the support include polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene), polyvinyl halides (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride), cellulose derivatives (e.g., cellulose acetate, nitrocellulose, cellophane), Examples include polyamides, polystyrene, polycarbonates, polyimides, and polyesters. Among these, preferred are polyethylene terephthalate, which has excellent dimensional stability and transparency;
Among polycarbonates and heat-treated products thereof, particularly preferred is biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate. Further, these supports may be subjected to surface treatment such as corona treatment or ultraviolet irradiation, or may be provided with an undercoat layer.

[Binder for polymerizable layer] In the case of a laminated photosensitive material, a binder can be added in order to improve the film strength of the polymerizable layer. Natural and synthetic polymeric compounds can be used as binders. As the synthetic polymer, among addition polymerization type synthetic polymers such as polystyrene, acrylic resin, and methacrylic resin, homopolymers and copolymers of various vinyl monomers can be used. Polycondensation type synthetic polymers and copolymers such as polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, and polyester-polyamide can also be used.

[0183] The amount of binder added to the polymerizable layer is not particularly limited as long as it does not interfere with the curing reaction of the polymerizable layer, but it is 0 to 80% by weight, preferably 0 to 70% by weight of the entire polymerizable layer. It is.

[Polymerization Inhibitor] In the case of a laminated type photosensitive material, a polymerization inhibitor can be added to the polymerizable layer in order to prevent a dark polymerization reaction. As the polymerization inhibitor for this purpose, any conventionally known polymerization inhibitor can be used. Examples of polymerization inhibitors include nitrosamine compounds, thiourea compounds, thioamide compounds, urea compounds, phenol derivatives, nitrobenzene derivatives and amine compounds. More specifically, cuperone Al salt, N
-nitrosodiphenylamine, allylthiourea, arylphosphite, p-toluidine, φ-tortinone,
Nitrobenzene, pyridine, phenathiazine, β-naphthol, naphthylamine, t-butylcatechol, phenothiazine, chloranil, p-methoxyphenol,
Mention may be made of pyrogallol, hydroquinone and alkyl- or aryl-substituted hydroquinones.

[Organic metal salt] An organic metal salt can be added together with silver halide to the photosensitive layer of the laminated photosensitive material. The organic silver salt is thought to participate in an oxidation-reduction reaction catalyzed by the latent image of silver halide during heating, and as a result, effects such as promoting image formation are observed. Examples of organic silver salts include organic acid silver and triazole silver salts, as described in "Basics of Photographic Optics - Non-Silver Salt Edition" (page 247) and JP-A-59
Organic silver salts described in publications such as No. -55429 and No. 62-3246 can be used.

Specifically, silver salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids, aromatic carboxylic acids, thiocarbonyl group compounds having a mercapto group or α-hydrogen, acetylene compounds and imino group-containing compounds are used.

[0187] Examples of aliphatic carboxylic acids include acetic acid, butyric acid,
Mention may be made of succinic acid, sebacic acid, adipic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, tartaric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid and camphoric acid. In general, the smaller the number of carbon atoms, the more unstable the silver salt is, so one having an appropriate number of carbon atoms is preferable.

[0188] As aromatic carboxylic acids, benzoic acid derivatives, quinolinic acid derivatives, naphthalenecarboxylic acid derivatives,
salicylic acid derivatives, gallic acid, tannic acid, phthalic acid,
Mention may be made of phenylacetic acid derivatives and pyromellitic acid.

Examples of the thiocarbonyl group compounds having a mercapto group or α-hydrogen include 3-mercapto-4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole, 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 2-mercapto-5-aminothiadiazole, and 2-mercapto-4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole. -Mercaptobenzothiazole, s-alkylthioglycolic acid (alkyl group has 12 to 22 carbon atoms)
), dithiocarboxylic acids (e.g. dithioacetic acid), thioamides (e.g. thiostearamide), 5-carboxy-1
Mention may be made of -methyl-2-phenyl-4-thiopyridine, mercaptotriazine, 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, mercaptooxadiazole and 3-amino-5-benzylthio-1,2,4-triazole. Mercapto compounds described in US Pat. No. 4,123,274 can also be used.

Compounds containing imino groups include benzotriazole and its derivatives, 1,2,4-triazole, 1H-tetrazole, carbazole, saccharin, imidazole and its derivatives. For benzotriazole and its derivatives,
It is described in Japanese Patent Publications No. 44-30270 and No. 45-18416. Examples of benzotriazoles and their derivatives include benzotriazoles, alkyl-substituted benzotriazoles (e.g., methylbenzotriazole), halogen-substituted benzotriazoles (e.g., 5-chlorobenzotriazole), carbimidobenzotriazoles (e.g., butyl carbimidobenzotriazole)
, nitrobenzotriazoles (JP-A-58-1186
39), sulfobenzotriazole (described in JP-A-58-15638), carboxybenzotriazole and its salts, and hydroxybenzotriazole. 1,2,4-triazole and 1H-tetrazole are described in US Pat. No. 4,220,709.

[0191] In some cases, a similar effect can be obtained by adding an organic compound constituting the organic silver salt to the photosensitive layer instead of the organic silver salt. Two or more organic silver salts may be used in combination.

The above organic silver salts are used in an amount of 0 to 10 mol, preferably 0 to 1 mol, per mol of silver halide. The total amount of silver halide and organic silver salt applied to the photosensitive layer is 1 mg to 5 g/m2, preferably 10 mg to 5 g/m2 in terms of silver.
A range of 0.5 g/m2 is suitable.

[Binder for Photosensitive Layer] In the case of a laminated photosensitive material, any binder can be used in the photosensitive layer as long as it does not significantly impair the properties of the photosensitive layer. However, since the photosensitive layer contains silver halide, it is preferable to use a hydrophilic binder.

[0194] A hydrophilic binder is a binder having a hydrophilic group or/and bond within its molecular structure. Examples of hydrophilic groups include carboxyl groups, alcoholic hydroxyl groups, phenolic hydroxyl groups, sulfonic acid groups, sulfonamide groups, sulfonimide groups, and amide groups. Examples of hydrophilic bonds include urethane bonds, ether bonds and amide bonds.

[0195] As the hydrophilic binder polymer, it is preferable to use a water-soluble polymer and/or a water-swellable polymer. A water-swellable polymer is one that has an affinity for water, but does not completely dissolve in water because the binder itself has a crosslinked structure.

As the water-soluble or water-swellable binder, natural or synthetic polymer compounds can be used. Natural polymers include water-soluble polysaccharides (eg, starch derivatives, cellulose derivatives, alginic acid, pectic acid, gum arabic, pullulan, dextran) and proteins (eg, casein, gelatin). These may be artificially denatured if necessary. It can also be used after being modified or crosslinked during coating and drying. As the synthetic polymer, polymers of water-soluble monomers or copolymers of these with other monomers can be used. Examples of water-soluble monomers in this case include monomers having chemical structures such as carboxyl groups, acid anhydride groups, hydroxyl groups, sulfonic acid (salt) groups, amide groups, amino groups, and ether groups. Regarding such monomers, see “Applications and Markets of Water-Soluble Polymers” (CMC 16).
- Page 18). Copolymers obtained by polymerizing these monomers or copolymerizing them with other monomers and crosslinking them can also be used (for example, the copolymers described in US Pat. No. 4,913,998).

Other synthetic polymers that can be used include polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl ether, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide, and derivatives or modified products thereof.

For example, in the case of polyvinyl alcohol,
Those with various degrees of saponification can be used. Moreover, copolymerized modified polyvinyl alcohol can also be used. Copolymerization modification is a method in which a copolymer of vinyl acetate and other monomers is saponified to produce modified polyvinyl alcohol. As the monomer to be copolymerized, any monomer that can be copolymerized with vinyl acetate can be used. Examples of copolymerizable monomers include ethylene, higher vinyl carboxylates, higher alkyl vinyl ethers, methyl methacrylate and acrylamide.

Post-modified polyvinyl alcohol can also be used. Post-modification is a method of modifying polyvinyl alcohol by polymer reaction with a compound that is reactive with the hydroxyl group. Specifically, etherification of hydroxyl groups,
Modifications such as esterification and acetalization. Furthermore, crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol can also be used. In this case, polyvinyl alcohol is crosslinked using an aldehyde, a methylol compound, an epoxy compound, a diisocyanate, a divinyl compound, a dicarboxylic acid, or an inorganic crosslinking agent (eg, boric acid, titanium, copper) as a crosslinking agent. Regarding these modified polyvinyl alcohols and crosslinked polyvinyl alcohols, please refer to "Povaal", 3rd edition, Kobunshi Publishing Association (pp. 281-285 and 256-260).
(page).

The molecular weight of these hydrophilic polymers is 30
A range of 000,000 to 500,000 is preferable. The coating amount is 0.05~
20g/m2, more preferably 0.1-10g/m
The range is 2.

[0201] Oxygen that permeates into the polymerizable layer during thermal development inhibits polymerization or crosslinking by radicals. Therefore, the photosensitive layer preferably has a function of preventing the influence of oxygen in the air on the polymerizable layer. For this function, the above-mentioned hydrophilic binder needs to be a substance with low oxygen permeability, and its oxygen permeability coefficient is 1.0×1.
0-11 cc・cm/cm2・sec・cm・Hg
It is preferable that it is below.

[0202] As the polymer having a low oxygen permeability, a copolymer of a polyvinyl alcohol polymer, gelatin and vinylidene chloride is preferable. Here, the polyvinyl alcohol polymer refers to polyvinyl alcohol and modified polyvinyl alcohol (for example, a saponified block copolymer of polyvinyl acetate and other monomers). The molecular weight is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of about 3,000 to 500,000.

As a polymer having a low oxygen permeability, polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of saponification of 50% or more, more preferably 80% or more, still more preferably 95% or more is particularly preferred.

[Thermal development accelerator] The photosensitive material used in the present invention may contain a thermal development accelerator in any layer in order to accelerate thermal development and perform the thermal development process in a shorter time. . It is not clear why the thermal development accelerator has the above effect, but it may be because it imparts a plasticizing effect to the binder of the photosensitive material, or by imparting a plasticizing effect to the binder during heating, or by imparting a plasticizing effect to the binder within the layer. By melting the material, it promotes the movement or diffusion within the layer of substances that contribute to reactions within each layer, and as a result, various reactions that occur within the photosensitive material during thermal development (decomposition of base precursor, reduction of silver halide, , polymerization or curing reactions).

The thermal development accelerator mentioned above may be a compound that has a plasticizing effect on the binder used in any layer of the photosensitive material at room temperature or when heated, or a compound that does not have a plasticizing effect but melts within the layer when heated. Any compound that can be used can be used. As the compound that has a plasticizing effect on the binder used in any layer of the photosensitive material at room temperature or when heated, all known compounds known as plasticizers for polymer compounds can be used. Examples of such plasticizers include "Plastic Compounding Agents," Taiseisha, P21-63; "Plastics Additives 2nd Edition"
s 2nd Edition) Hanser Publ
ishers, Chap. 5 P251-296;
Thermoplastic Additives”
plastics Additives)Marcel
Dekker Inc. Chap. 9 P345-3
79; “Plastics Additives An Industrial Guide”
ives An Industrial Guide)
Noyes Publications, Sect.
on-14 P333-485; "The Technology of Solvents and Plasticizers"
(The Technology of Solven
John
Wiley & Sons Inc. Chap. 1
5 P903-1027); “Industrial Plasticizers”
ticizers, Pergamon Press
); “Plasticizer Technology Volume 1” (P
Lasticizer Technology Vol.
1. Reinhold Publishing Co.
rp. ); “Plasticization and Plasticizer Process” (Plasticiza
tion and Plasticizer Proc.
ess, American Chemistry) can be used.

Compounds that can be melted within the layer by heating include polar substances described in US Pat. No. 3,347,675; Research Disclosure Magazine, 1976.
1,10-decanediol, methyl anisate, biphenyl suberate described in December issue, pages 26-28;
Sulfonamide derivatives, polyethylene glycol derivatives, and cyclic amide compounds described in JP-A-62-151841, JP-A-62-151843, and JP-A-62-183450; JP-A-63-243,835 and JP-A-63
Thermofusible compounds described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-25674, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 59-101392, 60-82382, and 62-25085; Compounds having an aromatic ring described in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. Showa 61-28359
No. 2, No. 63-15784, No. 64-1583, No. 57-146688, No. 58-104793, No. 5
No. 8-205795, No. 62-142686, No. 62
-144990 and 62-132675 Compounds having ester or amide groups; JP-A-58-57989, JP-A-58-72499, JP-A-58
-87094, 60-29587, 60-56
No. 588, No. 60-123581, No. 60-1688
8, 61-242884, 61-31287, 61-27285, and 61-31287; Compounds having an ether or thioether structure described in JP-A-60-34892, JP-A-61-1126
No. 89, No. 61-116584, No. 61-15147
Ketone, carbonate, sulfoxide, phosphate compounds described in each publication No. 8 and No. 62-267186; and JP-A-59-159393 and No. 63-157
Compounds having a phenolic hydroxyl group described in each publication No. 83 and No. 63-249686 can also be used.

Preferred heat development accelerators include glycols (eg, diethylene glycol, dipolypropylene glycol), polyhydric alcohols (eg, glycerin, butanediol, hexanediol), sugars, formic acid esters, ureas (eg, urea , diethyl urea, ethylene urea, propylene urea), urea resins, phenolic resins, amide compounds (eg, acetamide, propionamide), sulfamides and sulfonamides. Furthermore, two or more of the above thermal development accelerators may be used in combination. Moreover, it can also be added divided into two or more layers.

The amount of the heat development accelerator to be added is arbitrary as long as it does not significantly impair the properties of the photosensitive material, but is preferably 0 to 2 g/m2, more preferably 0 to 1 g/m2.
It is.

[Other Additives] Other additives include antifogging agents to prevent fogging, silver development accelerators to accelerate silver development, development stoppers to stop development at an appropriate timing, and agents for good coating. Examples include a surfactant for obtaining a surface, and a dispersion stabilizer for improving the dispersion stability of the dispersion.

[0210] At least one layer may contain an antifogging agent for preventing fogging, a silver development accelerator for accelerating silver development, and a stabilizer. Examples of these will be described below, but it is difficult to clearly distinguish these additives because they may simultaneously exhibit two or more of the above functions due to the action of one compound. Examples of these include compounds having a cyclic amide structure described in JP-A No. 61-151841, thioether compounds described in JP-A No. 62-151842, polyethylene glycol derivatives described in JP-A No. 62-151843, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 1986
Thiol derivatives described in -151844, JP-A-6
Acetylene compounds described in JP-A No. 2-178232, sulfonamide derivatives described in JP-A-62-183450, and Research Disclosure Magazine No. 17
643, pages 24-25 (1978), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1983
-168442, 59-111636, 62-
Compounds described in each publication No. 87957 and No. 62-151838 can be mentioned. The amount of these compounds used ranges from 10@-7 mol to 1 mol per mol of silver halide.

[0211] In the present invention, various development stoppers can be used in order to always obtain a constant image with respect to the processing temperature and processing time during thermal development. The development stopper referred to here is a compound that neutralizes the base immediately after proper development or reacts with the base to lower the base concentration in the layer and stop development, or a compound that inhibits development by interacting with silver and silver salts. It is a compound that causes Specific examples include acid precursors that release acids when heated, electrophilic compounds that cause a substitution reaction with a coexisting base when heated, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, mercapto compounds, and precursors thereof. Regarding thermal development stoppers, JP-A No. 62-253159, No. 3
pages 1 to 32, and JP-A-2-424474 and JP-A-2-424474.
-262661 There are descriptions in each publication.

[Colorant] In the present invention, a colorant can be added to the photosensitive material for the purpose of preventing halation. As a coloring agent for this purpose, pigments and
Any known colorant, including dyes, can be used. When adding a colorant to prevent halation, the colorant needs to be capable of absorbing light at the exposure wavelength. As the coloring agent for this purpose, any substance that can be used as a coloring agent in the present invention can be used.

[0213] When the colorant is a dye and is contained in the photosensitive layer or a layer adjacent to the photosensitive layer, an anti-irradiation dye as used in silver salt photosensitive materials can be used. Regarding these irradiation-preventing dyes, Japanese Patent Publication No. 41-20389 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 43
-3504, Japanese Patent Publication No. 43-13168, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-39042, and U.S. Patent No. 36970
37, 3423207, 2865752, British Patent Nos. 1030392 and 110054
There is a statement in each specification of No. 6.

The content of the colorant is not particularly limited as long as it does not significantly interfere with the polymerization reaction of the polymerizable layer or the photosensitivity or developability of silver halide. Further, the appropriate amount to be added varies depending on which layer it is contained in and whether a pigment or dye is used. In addition, since the appropriate amount of addition varies depending on the absorbance of the colorant, it is difficult to unconditionally define the optimum amount of addition, but 0.0
1-2 g/m2, more preferably 0.02-1 g/m
It is 2.

These colorants can be contained in any layer of the photosensitive material. It is also possible to provide new layers in the photosensitive material, such as a back layer and an intermediate layer, and introduce them into these layers. Moreover, it can also be added to each of a plurality of layers of a photosensitive material. Furthermore, two or more types of colorants can also be used together.

[Polymerization initiator] The reducing agent used in the photosensitive material used in the present invention, or the oxidized product of the reducing agent produced when the reducing agent reduces silver halide, suppresses the polymerization of the polymerizable compound. If it is a compound that works,
It is necessary to add a polymerization initiator that generates radicals upon heating or light irradiation to at least one layer of the photosensitive material. As these thermal polymerization initiators or photopolymerization initiators, conventionally known ones can be used. When a photopolymerization initiator is used, it is necessary to irradiate the entire surface with light after heat development.

[0217] Thermal polymerization initiators can be used, for example, in "Addition Polymerization/Ring-Opening Polymerization" (19
It is described on pages 6-18 of Kyoritsu Shuppan (1983). Specific examples of the thermal polymerization initiator include azobisisobutyronitrile, 1,1'-azobis(1-cyclohexanecarbonitrile), dimethyl-2,2'-azobisisobutyrate, 2,2'-azobis (2-methylbutyronitrile), azo compounds such as azobisdimethylvaleronitrile, benzoyl peroxide, di-t-butyl peroxide,
Organic peroxides such as dicumyl peroxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, and cumene hydroperoxide, inorganic peroxides such as hydrogen peroxide, potassium persulfate, and ammonium persulfate, sodium p-toluenesulfinate, etc. Can be done.

[0218] The photopolymerization initiator is described, for example, in "Chemical Review" by Oster et al., Vol. 68 (1).
968), pp. 125-151 and Kosar, “
Light-Sensitive System” (J
Ohn Wiley & Sons, 1965) No. 1
Carbonyl compounds (e.g., α-alkoxyphenyl ketones, polycyclic quinones, benzophenone derivatives, xanthones, thioxanthones, benzoins), halogen-containing compounds (e.g.,
chlorosulfonyl and chloromethyl polynuclear aromatic compounds,
chlorosulfonyl and chloromethyl heterocyclic compounds, chlorosulfonyl and chloromethylbenzophenones, fluorenones), haloalkanes, α-halo-
α-phenylacetophenones, redox couples of photoreducible dyes and reducing agents, organic sulfur compounds, peroxides, photosemiconductors (e.g., titanium dioxide, zinc oxide), metal compounds (e.g., iron(I) salts, metal carbonyls, metal complexes, uranyl salts), silver halides, azo and diazo compounds, and the like.

Specific examples of photopolymerization initiators include 2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 2-methyl-{
4-(methylthio)phenyl}-2-morpholino-1-
Propanone, benzoin butyl ether, benzoin isopropyl ether, benzophenone, Michler's ketone, 4,4'-diethylaminobenzophenone, chloromethylbenzophenone, chlorosulfonylbenzophenone, 9,10-anthraquinone, 2-methyl-9,10
-Anthraquinone, chlorosulfonylanthraquinone,
Chloromethyl anthraquinone, 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, xanthone, chloroxanthone, thioxanthone, chlorothioxanthone, 2,4-diethylthioxanthone, chlorosulfonylthioxanthone, chloromethylbenzothiazole, chlorosulfonylbenzoxazole, chloromethylquinoline, Mention may be made of fluorene and carbon tetrabromide.

[0220] Examples of photoreducible dyes include methylene blue, thionin, rose bengal, and erythrosin.
Mention may be made of β, eosin, rhodamine, phloxine-β, safranin, acriflavin, riboflavin, fluorescein, uranine, benzoflavin, acridine orange, acridine yellow and benzanthrone.

[0221] Examples of reducing agents (hydrogen-donating compounds) used with photoreducible dyes include β-diketones such as dimedone and acetylacetone, amines such as triethanolamine, diethanolamine, monoethanolamine, diethylamine, and triethylamine; Mention may be made of sulfinic acids and their salts such as p-toluenesulfinic acid and benzenesulfinic acid, N-phenylglycine, L-ascorbic acid and its salts, thiourea and allylthiourea. The molar ratio of photoreducible dye and reducing agent is
The range of 1:0.1 to 1:10 is preferable.

As the photopolymerization initiator, commercially available ones such as "Irgacure-651" and "Irgacure-9" manufactured by Ciba Geigy Co., Ltd.
07'' etc. are also suitably used.

[0223] The polymerization initiator is used in an amount of 0 per 1 g of polymerizable compound.
．． It is preferable to use it in the range of 0.001 to 0.5 g, more preferably in the range of 0.01 to 0.2 g.

[Optional Layer] Regardless of whether the photosensitive material used in the present invention is a single-layer type photosensitive material or a laminated type photosensitive material, an additional layer may be provided at any part of the photosensitive material. can. For example, an overcoat layer (or cover film layer) to protect the surface and prevent polymerization caused by oxygen in the air, and a back layer to prevent halation and prevent adhesion when photosensitive materials are stacked and stored. , an intermediate layer for improving adhesion and releasability between layers, preventing halation, etc. can be provided as necessary. In addition, in order to prevent air bubbles from entering and preventing uniform adhesion when transferring to or laminating with an image-receiving material, a matting agent is introduced into the layer that comes into contact with the image-receiving material. A new layer containing a matting agent may be provided. As the matting agent in this case, a conventionally known matting agent can be used. Matting agents may be incorporated into the image-receiving material used in the invention.

When the photosensitive material used in the present invention has an overcoat layer, the overcoat layer can be formed as a layer containing any polymer by coating in advance. Alternatively, it may be formed by laminating any polymer film. Further, an arbitrary polymer film may be laminated immediately before image formation. There are no particular limitations on the polymer material used for these overcoat layers. For example, a hydrophilic binder polymer can be used that can be added to the photosensitive layer. Among these, various polyvinyl alcohols are particularly preferably used. If you want to give the overcoat layer the function of reducing oxygen permeation, use polyvinyl alcohol with a saponification degree of 85% or more, and if you want to give it even higher oxygen impermeability, use saponification of polyvinyl alcohol. It is preferable to use polyvinyl alcohol having an alcohol content of 95% or more. When these overcoat layers are used as protective layers, it is also possible to peel off the overcoat layer immediately before using the photosensitive material and laminate the photosensitive material onto the image-receiving material. Moreover, the overcoat layer is not limited to only one layer, but two or more layers can also be laminated and installed.

[0226]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[Example 1] (Preparation of photosensitive material) A photosensitive material (laminated photosensitive material) was prepared as follows.

"Support" A coating solution prepared by adding the following dye to an aqueous gelatin solution was coated as a back layer on a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 100 μm. The amount of gelatin in this back layer is 3.9g/m2
The absorbance at 488 nm was 0.9. A shellac isopropyl alcohol solution (10% by weight) was applied to the surface of the polyethylene terephthalate film having the back layer (the surface opposite to the back layer) and dried to form an undercoat layer with a thickness of 0.3 μm. The following photosensitive material was prepared using this film having the back layer and undercoat layer as a support.

(Dye)

[C23]

"Formation of Polymerizable Layer" The following coating solution was coated on the support and dried to form a polymerizable layer having a thickness of 1.3 μm.

0231] ────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid for polymerizable layer ──────────────────────────
──────────── Dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate 5
．． 0g diacrylic acid ester monomer (A-600
, manufactured by Shin Nakamura Chemical Co.)

5.0g
Allyl methacrylate/methyl methacrylate copolymer (copolymerization ratio = 80/20)
10.0g
Reducing agent (J)

1.0g methyl ethyl ketone

70.0g────────────────
────────────────────

0232
] "Preparation of silver halide emulsion" After putting an appropriate amount of ammonium into a container heated to 55°C containing gelatin, potassium bromide and water, while maintaining the pAg value in the reaction container at 7.60. A silver nitrate aqueous solution and a potassium bromide aqueous solution to which hexachloroiridate (III) salt was added so that the molar ratio of iridium to silver was 10-7 mol were added by a double jet method, and then potassium iodide was added to give an average Monodisperse silver iodobromide emulsion grains having a silver iodide content of 0.2 mol % and having a grain size of 0.25 μm were prepared. These emulsion grains had 98% of the total number of grains within ±40% of the average grain size. After desalting these emulsions, p
After adjusting H to 6.2 and pAg to 8.6, gold/sulfur sensitization was performed with sodium thiosulfate and chloroauric acid, and then a methanol solution of the following spectral sensitizing dye (concentration: 2.
0 M/liter) was added to 1 kg of the emulsion in an amount of 200 cc and stirred at 60° C. for 15 minutes to prepare a silver halide emulsion.

(Spectral sensitizing dye)

[C24]

"Preparation of base precursor dispersion" 250 g of the following base precursor powder was mixed with 75 g of a 3% by weight aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol using a Dynomill disperser.
Dispersed in 0g. The particle size of the base precursor was about 0.5 μm or less.

(Base precursor)

[C25]

"Formation of photosensitive layer" The following coating solution was applied onto the above polymerizable layer and dried until the dry film thickness was about 4.0.
A photosensitive layer of μm was provided.

0237] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid for photosensitive layer ──────────────────────────
────────────Polyvinyl alcohol with saponification degree of 88% (product name: PVA-205, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
13.2 g of a 10% by weight aqueous solution of the above base precursor dispersion
1.24g ethylene urea
0.4
0g 0.13% by weight methanol solution of additive (1) below 0.54g 0 of additive (2) below
．． 22% by weight methanol solution 0.54
gThe above silver halide emulsion
0.37
gThe following light absorbers
60
mg 5% by weight aqueous solution of surfactant below
1.8g water


1.9g────────────────────
──────────────────

(Additive (1))

[C26]

(Additive (2))

[C27]

(Light absorber)

[C28]

(Surfactant)

[C29]

"Formation of overcoat layer" Polyvinyl alcohol (trade name: PVA-117, degree of saponification 98.5)
%, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.) 100 g of a 10 wt% aqueous solution,
A coating solution was prepared by mixing 4 g of a 5% by weight aqueous solution of the above surfactant. Coat this on the photosensitive layer, dry it,
An overcoat layer having a dry film thickness of about 3.0 μm was provided.

(Preparation of yellow toner) A yellow toner was prepared using the following components.

0244] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Yellow toner component

Amount (g) ──────
──────────────────────────
────── Pigment Yellow 74 (C.I.#
11741) 4380.
0 cellulose acetate
6538.0
acetone

27669.6 Water

22680.0
dimethylpolysiloxane
(1253.0g per 11kg of toner)──────
──────────────────────────
──────

Water and acetone were thoroughly mixed and charged into a ball mill. This mill has 150 rpm
Contains a 0.049 cm diameter stainless steel ball that is stirred with a 0.049 cm diameter stainless steel ball. In the mixing operation, a nitrogen atmosphere was created in the mill. Approximately two-thirds of the stated weight of cellulose acetate was then added over a period of 3 to 5 minutes, and the mixture was further stirred in the liquid for approximately 2 minutes. The pigment was added over a 2 minute period followed by the remaining cellulose acetate.

This mixture was then placed in a mill for 4 hours for 1 hour.
Stirred at 50 rpm. After washing the contents with water, the contents were filtered to collect the wet toner. Rinse the toner with water, 115-125
It was dried in an oven at °C and powdered in a hammer mill. The toner was then surface treated by mixing dimethylsiloxane in a blender.

[0247] Further, the toner is added in a tabletop blender,
Mixed with an equal weight of ionic hydrocarbon copolymer beads having an average particle size of 23 μm.

(Preparation of magenta toner) The following ingredients were used and the stirring time was changed from 4 hours to 6 hours.
A magenta toner was prepared in the same manner as the yellow toner.

0249] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Magenta toner ingredient

Amount (g) ──────
──────────────────────────
────── Pigment Red 122 (Quid Magenta) 3315.0 Pigment Red 123 (C.I. #71145)
1560.0 Cellulose acetate
6929.0
acetone
2
7669.6 water

22680.0
Dimethylpolysiloxane (Toner 11.
1679.0g per 8kg)────────────
──────────────────────────

(Preparation of cyan toner) A cyan toner was prepared in the same manner as the yellow toner except that the following components were used and the stirring time was changed from 4 hours to 6 hours.

0251] ────────────────────────
──────────── Cyan toner ingredient

Amount (g) ────
──────────────────────────
─────── Copper phthalocyanine (Pigment Blue 15, C.I. #74160)

1064.0
Pigment Green 7 (C.I. #74260)
943.0
cellulose acetate
7981.
0 acetone

27669.6 Water

22680.
0 Dimethylpolysiloxane
(574.9g per 10kg of toner)──
──────────────────────────
─────────

(Preparation of black toner) A black toner was prepared in the same manner as the yellow toner except that the following components were used and the stirring time was changed from 4 hours to 6 hours.

0253] ────────────────────────
──────────── Black toner ingredients

Amount (g) ──────
──────────────────────────
────── Carbon black (Pigment Black 7, C.I. #77266)

6300.0 Cellulose acetate
6300.0
acetone
2
7669.6 water

22680.0
Dimethylpolysiloxane (Toner 1
970.0g per 2.6kg)──────────
──────────────────────────
─

(Preparation of Color Proof) Using the above laminated photosensitive material, a color proof was prepared in the following manner according to the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

[0255] Using an air-cooled argon ion laser as a light source, exposure for forming a yellow image was carried out by scanning exposure at an exposure wavelength of 488 nm (exposure amount on the film surface: 10 μJ/cm2). Next, this was thermally developed by bringing the back layer side into close contact with a hot plate heated to 130° C. and heating it for 40 seconds. Next, the layer above the photosensitive layer was peeled off from the interface between the polymerizable layer and the photosensitive layer to expose the polymerizable layer. When the yellow toner described above was applied to the surface of the polymerizable layer by rubbing lightly, the toner adhered only to the unexposed areas, that is, the uncured areas, and a yellow image was formed on the photosensitive material.

[0256] Similarly, another photosensitive material is exposed to light for magenta image formation, thermally developed, and peeled off, and then the above magenta toner is applied while lightly rubbing to form a magenta image on the photosensitive material. did.

[0257] Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for cyan image formation, thermally developed, and peeled off, and then the above cyan toner was applied while lightly rubbing to form a cyan image on the photosensitive material. .

[0258] Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for forming a black image, thermally developed and peeled off, and then the above black toner was applied while lightly rubbing to form a black image on the photosensitive material. .

[0259] Next, first, apply the image receiving material made of art paper.
The photosensitive material on which the yellow image has been formed is brought into close contact with the photosensitive material and heated at 100°C.
By heating to a certain degree, the yellow toner image was transferred to the image-receiving material along with the polymerizable layer of the photosensitive material. Similarly, the photosensitive material on which the magenta image was formed was brought into close contact with the image-receiving material on which the yellow image was transferred, and the magenta toner image was transferred to the image-receiving material along with the polymerizable layer of the photosensitive material by heating to about 100°C. . Similarly, a color proof could be created by sequentially transferring a cyan image and a black image to an image-receiving material. The image quality of the obtained proof was good enough to faithfully reproduce the digital image data.

[Example 2] (Preparation of photosensitive material) A photosensitive material (single-layer type photosensitive material) was prepared as follows.

"Support" A biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 100 μm was used.

"Preparation of Silver Halide Emulsion" A silver halide emulsion sensitive to 488 nm was prepared in exactly the same manner as in Example 1.

"Preparation of base precursor dispersion" 250 g of the following base precursor powder was mixed with 75 g of a 3% by weight aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol using a Dyno Mill disperser.
Dispersed in 0g. The average particle size of the base precursor was 0.48 μm.

(Base precursor)

[C30]

"Formation of photosensitive polymerizable layer" The above silver halide emulsion 1 was added to an oily solution in which the following components were uniformly dissolved.
4 g of the silver halide emulsion was added and stirred for 5 minutes at 13,000 rpm using a homogenizer to emulsify and disperse the silver halide emulsion in the oily solution.

0266] ────────────────────────
──────────── Oil solution


──────────────────────
──────────────── Trimethylolpropane triacrylate (polymerizable compound)


23g diacrylic acid ester monomer (polymerizable compound, A-600, manufactured by Shin Nakamura Chemical Co., Ltd.)
23g Copolymer below

0.4g Reducing agent (J) used in Example 1
10.0g Additive (1) used in Example 1
0.03g Additive used in Example 1 (
2)
0.05g methylene chloride

20g──────────────
──────────────────────

02
67] (Copolymer)

[Chemical formula 31]

[0268] 10 g of the above emulsion and a solution of 4 g of allyl methacrylate/hydroxyethyl methacrylate copolymer dissolved in 30 g of propylene glycol monomethyl ether were mixed, and 8 g of the above base precursor dispersion and 2 g of the following pigment were added to this. In addition, the mixture was stirred for 5 minutes at 13,000 revolutions/minute using a homogenizer to emulsify and disperse the mixture to prepare a coating solution for a photosensitive polymerizable layer. This was applied onto the support and dried to form a photosensitive polymerizable layer with a thickness of about 4 μm.

(Pigment)

[C32]

"Formation of Overcoat Layer" An overcoat layer was formed on the photosensitive polymerizable layer in exactly the same manner as in Example 1.

(Preparation of image-receiving material) On a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness: 100 μm), the following coating solutions A and B were sequentially applied and dried to form a two-layer structure with a dry film thickness of 20 μm and 1.5 μm, respectively. An image-receiving material was created.

0272] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid A


──────────────────────
──────────────── Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (weight ratio: ethylene/vinyl acetate = 81/19) 15g chlorinated polyethylene
0.075g
Fluorine surfactant (Florard FC-430, 3
Manufactured by M Company) 0.26g Matting agent (center side: polymethyl methacrylate, softening point 80
~125℃ Outer area: Methyl methacrylate/acrylic acid/divinylbenzene
・Copolymer (polymerization ratio = 98.5/3/0.5),
Softening point: 0 to -25°C Weight ratio of center to outer periphery = 7/3 Particle size = 20μ
m)
0.1g toluene

100ml
────────────────────
──────────────────

0273] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid B


──────────────────────
──────────────── Polyvinyl butyral
4g
Fluorine surfactant (Florard FC-430, 3
(manufactured by M company) 0.05g methanol

50ml
Methyl ethyl ketone
20ml
Methyl cellosolve acetate
20ml
────────────────────
──────────────────

(Preparation of Color Proof) Using the above-mentioned single-layer photosensitive material, a color proof was prepared in the following manner according to the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

Using an air-cooled argon ion laser as a light source, exposure for forming a yellow image was carried out by scanning exposure at an exposure wavelength of 488 nm (exposure amount on the film surface: 3 μJ/cm 2 ). Next, this was placed on a hot plate heated to 130℃ for 40 minutes.
Thermal development was carried out by heating the film in close contact for a second. next,
The overcoat layer was peeled off to expose the surface of the photosensitive polymerizable layer. When the yellow toner used in Example 1 was applied to the surface of this photosensitive layer by rubbing lightly, the toner adhered only to the unexposed areas, that is, the uncured areas, and a yellow image was formed on the photosensitive material.

[0276] Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for magenta image formation, thermally developed, and peeled off. Then, the magenta toner used in Example 1 was applied to the photosensitive material by rubbing lightly. A magenta image was formed.

In the same manner, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for cyan image formation, thermally developed, and peeled off.
A cyan image was formed on the photosensitive material by applying the cyan toner used in step 1 while lightly rubbing the photosensitive material.

[0278] Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for forming a black image, and after thermal development and peeling, the black toner used in Example 1 was applied to the photosensitive material by rubbing lightly. A black image was formed.

[0279] Next, first, the photosensitive material on which the black image has been formed is brought into close contact with the above image-receiving material, and heated to about 50°C, thereby transferring only the toner image on the photosensitive polymerizable layer from the photosensitive material onto the image-receiving material. Transcribed. Similarly, the photosensitive material on which the cyan image was formed was brought into close contact with the image-receiving material on which the black image was transferred, and the toner image was transferred onto the image-receiving material by heating to about 50°C. Similarly, a magenta toner image and a yellow toner image were sequentially transferred to an image-receiving material to obtain a color image.

[0280] Next, the image surface of the image-receiving material having the above four-color transferred images is superimposed on white art paper, and then 1
The four-color image was transferred to white art paper by passing it between rubber rollers heated to 20°C. This made it possible to form a color image on white art paper and create a color proof. The image quality of the obtained proof was good, faithfully reproducing digital image data.

[Example 3] (Preparation of photosensitive material) A photosensitive material (laminated photosensitive material) was prepared as follows.

"Support" A back layer was applied to a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 100 μm by adding the following dye to an aqueous gelatin solution. The amount of gelatin in this back layer is 3.7 g/m2, which is 78
The absorbance at 0 nm was 0.8. The following photosensitive material was prepared using the polyethylene terephthalate film having this back layer as a support.

(Dye)

[Chemical formula 33]

"Formation of Polymerizable Layer" The following coating solution was coated on the support and dried to form a polymerizable layer having a thickness of 1.3 μm.

0285] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid for polymerizable layer ──────────────────────────
──────────── Trimethylolpropane triacrylate
4.0g Diacrylate ester of bisphenol A epoxy resin derived from bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin (viscosity (25°C) = 1,000,000 cps
)

6.0g Allyl methacrylate/ethyl acrylate copolymer (copolymerization ratio = 7
0/30)
10.0g Reducing agent below

4.2g methyl ethyl ketone
70.0g
0.13% by weight solution of additive (3) below in methyl ethyl ketone

2.65g Additives below (
4) 0.22% by weight methyl ethyl ketone solution


1.10g────────────────
────────────────────

0286
] (Reducing agent)

[C34]

(Additive (3))

[C35]

(Additive (4))

[C36]

"Creation of intermediate layer" The following dye was added to polyvinyl alcohol with a saponification degree of 81% (product name: PVA-405, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.), and the dye was applied onto the above polymerizable layer and dried. I created a middle layer. The thickness of this intermediate layer is 0
．． At 3 μm, the optical density (transmission density) of the intermediate layer is 780 nm.
It was 0.4.

0290]

[C37]

"Preparation of silver halide emulsion" After putting an appropriate amount of ammonium into a container heated to 55°C containing gelatin, potassium bromide and water, the pAg value in the reaction container was adjusted to 7.60. An aqueous solution of silver nitrate and an aqueous solution of potassium bromide to which hexachloroiridate (III) salt had been added so that the molar ratio of iridium to silver was 10-7 mol were added by a double jet method while maintaining the average particle size of 0. A 25 μm monodisperse silver iodobromide emulsion was prepared. These emulsion grains had 98% of the total number of grains within ±40% of the average grain size. After desalting this emulsion, the pH was adjusted to 6.2 and the pAg to 8.6.
70 ml of 4,4'-bis[4,6-di(
naphthyl-2-oxy)pyrimidin-2-ylamino]
99 ml of a methanol solution of stilbenzene-2,2'-disulfonic acid sodium salt (concentration: 4.4 x 10-3 M/liter) was added to 1 kg of the emulsion, and a methanol solution of the following stabilizer (concentration: 2 .8×10-2M
/liter) was added in an amount of 35 ml per 1 kg of the emulsion, and the mixture was kept at 60° C. for 15 minutes with stirring to prepare a silver halide emulsion.

(Infrared sensitizing dye)

[C38]

(Stabilizer)

[C39]

[0294] "Formation of photosensitive layer" The following coating solution was applied onto the above intermediate layer and dried until the dry film thickness was approximately 1.2μ.
m photosensitive layers were provided.

0295] ────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid for photosensitive layer ──────────────────────────
────────────Polyvinyl alcohol with saponification degree of 81% (product name: PVA-405, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
10% aqueous solution of
5.00g propionamide

0.24g of the above silver halide emulsion
2.64g water

9.50g─
──────────────────────────
──────────

"Preparation of base precursor dispersion" 250 g of the following base precursor powder
was dispersed in 750 g of a 3% by weight aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol using a Dynomyl disperser. The particle size of the base precursor was about 0.5 μm or less.

(Base precursor)

[C40]

"Formation of Image Formation Promoting Layer" A coating solution was prepared by mixing solutions having the following composition. This was applied onto the photosensitive layer and dried to form an image formation promoting layer having a dry thickness of about 3.5 μm.

0299] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Coating solution for image formation promoting layer ──────────────────────────
──────────── 10% by weight aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol (product name: PVA-110, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.) with a saponification degree of 98.5%
100.0g Propionamide

1.0g Above base precursor dispersion
6.3g────────
──────────────────────────
───

(Preparation of Color Proof) Using the above laminated photosensitive material, a color proof was prepared in the following manner according to the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

[0301] Using a semiconductor laser as a light source, 780 nm
Scanning exposure at an exposure wavelength (exposure amount on the film surface: 10 μJ/
A color proof was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that heat development was performed at 135° C. for 30 seconds. The image quality of the obtained proof was good, faithfully reproducing the original digital image data.

[Example 4] (Preparation of photosensitive material) A photosensitive material (laminated photosensitive material) was prepared as follows.

"Support" The following photosensitive material was prepared using a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 20 μm as a support.

"Formation of Undercoat Layer" In exactly the same manner as in the formation of the overcoat layer described in Example 3, an undercoat layer having a thickness of 3.5 μm was formed on the above support.

"Formation of Photosensitive Layer" A photosensitive layer was formed on the undercoat layer in exactly the same manner as in the formation of the photosensitive layer described in Example 3.

"Formation of a polymerizable layer" A polymerizable layer was formed on the photosensitive layer in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the following reducing agent was used.

(Reducing agent)

[C41]

(Preparation of image-receiving material) Biaxially stretched thickness 10
A back layer was formed by coating a gelatin aqueous solution containing the following dyes on a 0 μm polyethylene terephthalate film. The amount of gelatin in this back layer is 3.7
g/m2, and the absorbance at 780 nm was 0.8. Furthermore, an adhesive layer coated with isobutylene rubber having a thickness of 0.2 μm was formed on the surface opposite to the back layer to prepare an image receiving material.

(Dye)

[C42]

(Preparation of Color Proof) A color proof was prepared as follows according to the second embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention using the above laminated photosensitive material and image receiving material.

First, the polymerizable layer surface of the photosensitive material and the adhesive layer surface of the image-receiving material were brought into close contact and laminated by passing them between rubber rollers while heating to 40.degree. The following processing was performed with the photosensitive material side facing up and the image receiving material side facing down.

[0312] Using a semiconductor laser as a light source, 780 nm
Scanning exposure (exposure amount on the film surface: 10 μJ/cm 2 ) was carried out from the photosensitive material side at an exposure wavelength of 10 μJ/cm 2 to form a yellow image. Next, this was thermally developed by being brought into close contact with a hot plate heated to 130° C. for 40 seconds and heated. Furthermore, the layer above the photosensitive layer was peeled off from the interface between the polymerizable layer and the photosensitive layer to expose the polymerizable layer. When the yellow toner used in Example 1 was applied to the surface of this polymerizable layer by rubbing lightly, the toner adhered only to the unexposed areas, that is, the uncured areas, and a yellow image was formed on the image-receiving material.

Next, a photosensitive material was laminated on this yellow image in the same manner as above, and then exposed to light for forming a magenta image. After heat development and peeling in the same manner, The magenta toner used was applied by rubbing lightly to form a magenta image.

Similarly, a photosensitive material was laminated on this image, exposed to light to form a cyan image, thermally developed, and peeled off. Then, the cyan toner used in Example 1 was applied while lightly rubbing. A cyan image was formed.

[0315] In the same manner, the photosensitive materials were laminated, exposed to light to form a black image, thermally developed, and peeled off, and then the black toner used in Example 1 was applied while lightly rubbing to form a black image. did.

Finally, the back layer was eluted by washing the image receiving material with water. By the above method, a color proof could be created. The image quality of the obtained proof was good and faithful to the original digital image data.

[Example 5] (Preparation of photosensitive material) A photosensitive material (single-layer type photosensitive material) was prepared as follows.

"Support" The following photosensitive material was prepared using a biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 20 μm as a support.

"Formation of Undercoat Layer" In the same manner as in the formation of the overcoat layer described in Example 3, an undercoat layer having a thickness of 3.5 μm was formed on the above support.

"Formation of photosensitive polymerizable layer" A photosensitive polymerizable layer was formed on the undercoat layer in the same manner as in the formation of the photosensitive polymerizable layer described in Example 2.

"Installation of cover sheet" A polyethylene film having a thickness of 50 μm was laminated on the photosensitive polymerizable layer, and a cover sheet was installed. In this way, a single-layer photosensitive material was produced.

(Preparation of image-receiving material) Biaxially stretched thickness 10
A gelatin aqueous solution containing the dye used in Example 1 was applied to a 0 μm polyethylene terephthalate film to form a back layer. The amount of gelatin in this back layer was 3.9 g/m2, and the absorbance at 488 nm was 0.9. Furthermore, on the side opposite to the back layer, 0
．． An image receiving material was prepared by forming an adhesive layer coated with isobutylene rubber having a thickness of 2 μm.

(Preparation of Color Proof) A color proof was prepared as follows according to the second embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention using the above-mentioned single-layer photosensitive material and image-receiving material.

[0324] First, the cover sheet of the photosensitive material is peeled off,
The photosensitive polymerizable layer surface of the photosensitive material and the adhesive layer surface of the image-receiving material were brought into close contact and laminated by passing them between rubber rollers while heating to 40.degree. The following processing was performed with the photosensitive material side facing up and the image receiving material side facing down.

[0325] Using a semiconductor laser as a light source, 488 nm
Exposure for forming a yellow image was carried out by scanning exposure (exposure amount on the film surface: 10 μJ/cm 2 ) from the photosensitive material side at an exposure wavelength of . Next, this was thermally developed by being brought into close contact with a hot plate heated to 130° C. for 40 seconds and heated. Furthermore, the layer above the undercoat layer was peeled off from the interface between the photosensitive polymerizable layer and the undercoat layer to expose the photosensitive polymerizable layer. When the yellow toner used in Example 1 was applied to the surface of this photosensitive polymerizable layer by rubbing lightly, the toner adhered only to the unexposed areas, that is, the uncured areas, and a yellow image was formed on the image-receiving material. .

[0326] Next, a photosensitive material was laminated on this yellow image in the same manner as above, and then exposed to light for forming a magenta image, followed by heat development and peeling in the same manner, and then used in Example 1. A magenta image was formed by applying the colored magenta toner while lightly rubbing it.

Similarly, a photosensitive material is laminated on this image, exposed to light to form a cyan image, thermally developed, and peeled off.Then, the cyan toner used in Example 1 is applied while lightly rubbing to form a cyan image. An image was formed.

[0328] In the same manner, the photosensitive materials were laminated, exposed to light to form a black image, thermally developed and peeled off, and then the black toner used in Example 1 was applied while lightly rubbing to form a black image. .

Finally, the back layer was eluted by washing the image receiving material with water. By the above method, a color proof could be created. The image quality of the obtained proof was good and faithful to the original digital image data.

[Example 6] (Preparation of photosensitive material) 6.0 g of diacrylate ester of bisphenol A epoxy resin derived from bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin used in forming the polymerizable layer in Example 3 and allyl methacrylate/ethyl acrylate. Instead of 10.0 g of copolymer, 4.0 g of trimethylolpropane triacrylate and allyl acrylate/acrylic acid copolymer (copolymerization ratio = 80/20)
A photosensitive material (laminated photosensitive material) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3 except that 10.0 g was used.

(Preparation of image-receiving material) The following coating solution was applied onto a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness: 100 μm) and dried to prepare an image-receiving material having an adhesive layer with a dry film thickness of 2 μm.

0332] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Adhesive layer coating liquid


──────────────────────────
──────────── Ethylene/ethyl acrylate copolymer (Mitsui DuPont Polychemical Co., Ltd. 15g)
Tetrahydrofuran
100ml
──────────────────
────────────────────

0333]
(Preparation of color proof) A color proof was prepared in the following manner using the above laminated photosensitive material and image-receiving material according to the fourth aspect of the image forming method of the present invention.

[0334] Using a semiconductor laser as a light source, 780 nm
Exposure for forming a yellow image was carried out by scanning exposure (exposure amount on the film surface: 10 μJ/cm 2 ) from the photosensitive material side at an exposure wavelength of . Next, this was thermally developed by being brought into close contact with a hot plate heated to 130° C. for 40 seconds and heated. Furthermore, the overcoat layer and the photosensitive layer were peeled off to expose the surface of the polymerizable layer. Next, the surface of the adhesive layer of the image-receiving material is brought into close contact with the surface of the polymerizable layer of the photosensitive material, and the cured portion of the polymerizable layer is transferred to the image-receiving material by passing it through a rubber roller at about 80°C. A single polymer image was formed on the image-receiving material, masking the tacky layer of the image-receiving material. The adhesiveness of this cured area was sufficiently reduced, resulting in a non-adhesive surface. When the yellow toner used in Example 1 was applied to the surface of the image-receiving material, on which the surface of the adhesive layer was masked in an image, by lightly rubbing it, the cured area was transferred only to the exposed area of the adhesive layer. Toner adheres to the
A yellow image was formed on the image receiving material.

Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for forming a magenta image, thermally developed, peeled off, and the cured portion was transferred to another image-receiving material, and then the magenta toner used in Example 1 was applied to this image-receiving material. A magenta image was formed by applying it to the material by rubbing it lightly.

In the same manner, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for cyan image formation, thermally developed, peeled off, and the cured portion was transferred to another image-receiving material, and then the cyan toner used in Example 1 was applied to this image-receiving material. A cyan image was formed by applying it by lightly rubbing it onto the material.

[0337] Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light for forming a black image, thermally developed, peeled off, and the cured portion was transferred to another image-receiving material, and then the black toner used in Example 1 was applied to this image-receiving material. A black image was formed by applying it by lightly rubbing it onto the material.

[0338] Next, the image surface of the image-receiving material on which the yellow image was formed was superimposed on white art paper, and then passed through a rubber roller heated to 120°C to transfer the yellow image onto the white art paper. Similarly, a magenta image, a cyan image, and a black image were transferred to the same white art paper, and a color image was formed on the white art paper to create a color proof. The image quality of the obtained proof was good and faithful to the original digital image data.

[Example 7] (Preparation of photosensitive material) A photosensitive material (single-layer type photosensitive material) was prepared as follows.

"Support" A biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate film with a thickness of 100 μm was used as a support.
The following photosensitive materials were prepared.

"Formation of photosensitive polymerizable layer" 23g of trimethylolpropane triacrylate as a polymerizable compound
And in place of 23 g of diacrylic acid ester monomer,
A photosensitive polymerizable layer was formed on the above support in the same manner as in Example 2, except that 10 g of dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate and 10 g of diacrylic acid ester monomer were used.

"Formation of Overcoat Layer" In the same manner as in the formation of the overcoat layer described in Example 3, an overcoat layer was formed on the photosensitive polymerizable layer.

(Preparation of Color Proof) A color proof was prepared as follows according to the third aspect of the image forming method of the present invention using the above-mentioned single-layer photosensitive material and image-receiving material.

Using an air-cooled argon ion laser as a light source, exposure for forming a yellow image was performed by scanning exposure at an exposure wavelength of 488 nm (exposure amount on the film surface: 3 μJ/cm 2 ). Next, this was placed on a hot plate heated to 130℃ for 40 minutes.
Thermal development was carried out by heating the film in close contact for a second. next,
The overcoat layer was peeled off to expose the surface of the photosensitive polymerizable layer, and the aluminum-deposited surface of the image receiving material, in which aluminum was vapor-deposited on 100 μm polyethylene terephthalate, was brought into close contact with the photosensitive polymerizable layer. The uncured portions of the polymerizable layer were transferred to an image-receiving material, and the tacky uncured portions were imagewise transferred onto the non-tacky surface of the image-receiving material. This adhesive uncured area is formed on the surface of the image-receiving material in the form of an image.
When the yellow toner used in Example 1 was applied while lightly rubbing, the toner adhered only to the portion where the uncured portion was transferred, and a yellow image was formed on the image-receiving material.

[0345] Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light to form a magenta image, thermally developed and peeled off, and then transferred to another image-receiving material, and the magenta toner used in Example 1 was applied to this image-receiving material. A magenta image was formed by adhering it while lightly rubbing it.

Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light to form a cyan image, thermally developed and peeled off, and then transferred to another image-receiving material, and the cyan toner used in Example 1 was applied to this image-receiving material. A cyan image was formed by adhering it while lightly rubbing it.

Similarly, another photosensitive material was exposed to light to form a black image, thermally developed and peeled off, and then transferred to another image-receiving material, and the black toner used in Example 1 was applied to this image-receiving material. A black image was formed by adhering it while lightly rubbing it.

(Preparation of secondary image-receiving material) The following coating solutions A and B were sequentially coated and dried on a polyethylene terephthalate film (thickness: 100 μm) to obtain a film with a dry film thickness of 20 μm and 1.5 μm, respectively. An image receiving material having a layered structure was prepared.

0349] ────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid A


──────────────────────
──────────────── Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (weight ratio: ethylene/vinyl acetate = 81/19) 15g chlorinated polyethylene
0.075g
Fluorine surfactant (Florard FC-430, 3
Manufactured by M Company) 0.26g Matting agent (center side: polymethyl methacrylate, softening point 80
~125℃ Outer area: Methyl methacrylate/acrylic acid/divinylbenzene
・Copolymer (polymerization ratio = 98.5/3/0.5),
Softening point: 0 to -25°C Weight ratio of center to outer periphery = 7/3 Particle size = 20μ
m)
0.1g toluene

100ml
────────────────────
──────────────────

0350] ──────────────────────────
──────────── Coating liquid B


──────────────────────
──────────────── Polyvinyl butyral
4g
Fluorine surfactant (Florard FC-430, 3
(manufactured by M company) 0.05g methanol

50ml
Methyl ethyl ketone
20ml
Methyl cellosolve acetate
20ml
────────────────────
──────────────────

[0351] Next,
First, the image-receiving material on which the black image was formed was brought into close contact with the secondary image-receiving material, and the black toner image was transferred to the secondary image-receiving material by heating to about 70°C. Similarly, the secondary image-receiving material on which the black image was transferred was brought into close contact with the image-receiving material on which the cyan image was formed, and the cyan toner image was transferred to the secondary image-receiving material by heating to about 70°C. Similarly, a magenta toner image and a yellow toner image were sequentially transferred to a secondary image receiving material to obtain a color image.

[0352] Next, 2 with the above four-color transfer image
Next, the image surface of the image-receiving material is superimposed on white art paper, and then passed between rubber rollers heated to 120°C to transfer the four-color image to white art paper, forming a color image on white art paper. I was able to create a color proof. The image quality of the obtained proof was good and faithful to the original digital image data.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a single-layer photosensitive material used in the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the single-layer photosensitive material used in the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 3: First, third, and fourth image forming methods of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminated photosensitive material used in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminated photosensitive material used in the second embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 5: First, second, and third image forming methods of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image-receiving material used in this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image receiving material used in the fourth embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an exposure step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a developing step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a toner development step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a transfer step in the first embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining a second aspect of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a transfer step in a third embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a toner development step in a third embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a transfer step in a fourth embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a toner developing step in a fourth embodiment of the image forming method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11, 21, 31, 41 Support 12, 22 Photosensitive polymerizable layer 13, 23, 36, 44, 74, 88 Silver halide 14, 24, 34, 45, 86 Reducing agent 15, 25,
35, 46 Polymerizable compound 26 Hydrophilic phase 32, 43 Polymerizable layer 33, 42 Photosensitive layer 51, 61 Image receiving material support 62, 143, 153 Adhesive layer 71 Light 72, 84 Unexposed area of photosensitive layer 73, 85 Exposed area 75 of photosensitive layer Silver halide 81 with latent image formed Heat 82, 92, 123, 133, 145 Uncured area 83, 93, 124, 144, 154 of polymerizable layer Cured portion 87 Oxidized radicals of reducing agent 89 Silver images 91, 103, 131, 151 Colored toner 1
01, 121, 132, 141, 152 Image receiving material 1
02, 122, 142 Photosensitive material A Lamination process B Peeling process 1 Exposure process 2 Development process 3 Toner development process

Claims (12)

[Claims] Claim 1: Image formation in which the following steps are carried out in the following order using a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support. Method. (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer; (2) Step of developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer and thereby selectively curing the polymerizable compound in exposed or unexposed areas; (3) Coloring and (4) bringing the photosensitive material into close contact with the image-receiving material, thereby transferring the toner image to the image-receiving material. 2. In the above photosensitive material, the photosensitive polymerizable layer is composed of a photosensitive layer containing silver halide and a polymerizable layer containing a polymerizable compound, and the polymerizable layer is on a support and the photosensitive layer is disposed on the support. are sequentially provided, and the above step (2)
The image forming method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of peeling the photosensitive layer from the photosensitive material between (3) and (3). 3. Image formation according to claim 1, wherein the steps (1) to (4) are repeated until the number of two or more colors necessary for color expression is satisfied, thereby forming a multicolor image on the image receiving material. Method. 4. Using a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support, the following steps (A), (B),
1) (2) (3), (A) (1) (B) (2) (3),
(A) (1) (2) (B) (3), (1) (A) (B)
(2) (3), (1) (A) (2) (B) (3) and (1) (2) (A) (B) (3). (A) Step of laminating the photosensitive material on the image-receiving material; (
B) Step of peeling off the support of the photosensitive material from the laminate of the image receiving material and the photosensitive material; (1) Step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer; (2) Developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer; selectively curing the polymerizable compound in the exposed area or the unexposed area; and (3) attaching a colored toner to the surface of the uncured area,
This process forms a toner image. 5. In the above photosensitive material, the photosensitive polymerizable layer is composed of a photosensitive layer containing silver halide and a polymerizable layer containing a polymerizable compound, and the photosensitive layer is provided on the support and the polymerizable layer is provided on the support. 5. The image forming method according to claim 4, wherein the steps are sequentially provided. 6. Image formation according to claim 4, wherein the steps (1) to (4) are repeated until the number of two or more colors necessary for color expression is satisfied, thereby forming a multicolor image on the image receiving material. Method. 7. Image formation in which the following steps are performed in the following order using a photosensitive material and an image-receiving material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support. Method. (1) A step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer; (2) A step of developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer and thereby selectively curing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas; (3) Exposure to light (4) adhering a colored toner to the surface of the uncured areas on the image-receiving material, thereby forming a toner image; The process of forming. 8. In the above photosensitive material, the photosensitive polymerizable layer comprises a photosensitive layer containing silver halide and a polymerizable layer containing a polymerizable compound, and the polymerizable layer is on a support and the photosensitive layer is provided on the support. are sequentially provided, and the above step (2)
8. The image forming method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of peeling off the photosensitive layer from the photosensitive material between (3) and (3). 9. Repeat steps (1) to (4) until the number of two or more colors necessary for color expression is satisfied, thereby forming respective color images on a plurality of image-receiving materials, and then sequentially: 8. The method of claim 7, wherein each image receiving material is brought into close contact with a secondary image receiving material, and each color image is transferred to the final image receiving material, thereby forming a multicolor image on the secondary image receiving material. 10. Using a photosensitive material in which a photosensitive polymerizable layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent, and a polymerizable compound is provided on a support, and an image receiving material in which an adhesive layer is provided on the support, the following can be carried out. An image forming method in which the steps are performed in the following order. (1) A step of imagewise exposing the photosensitive polymerizable layer; (2) A step of developing the photosensitive polymerizable layer and thereby selectively curing the polymerizable compound in the exposed or unexposed areas; (3) Exposure to light (4) bringing the material into intimate contact with the image-receiving material and selectively transferring the cured portions to the image-receiving material, thereby imagewise masking the adhesive layer of the image-receiving material in the cured portions; and (4) transferring the colored toner to the image-receiving material. The process of depositing an imagewise exposed adhesive layer surface on a material, thereby forming a toner image. 11. In the above photosensitive material, the photosensitive polymerizable layer is composed of a photosensitive layer containing silver halide and a polymerizable layer containing a polymerizable compound, and the polymerizable layer is provided on the support and the photosensitive layer is provided thereon. are provided sequentially, and the above step (2)
11. The image forming method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of peeling off the photosensitive layer from the photosensitive material between steps () and (3). 12. The above steps (1) to (4) are repeated until the number of two or more colors necessary for color expression is satisfied, thereby forming respective color images on a plurality of image receiving materials, and then sequentially, 11. The image forming method according to claim 10, wherein each image-receiving material is brought into close contact with the secondary image-receiving material, and each color image is transferred to the secondary image-receiving material, thereby forming a multicolor image on the secondary image-receiving material.