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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of processing of silver halide
color photographic materials, particularly a method of processing of
silver halide color photographic materials wherein the volume of a
replenisher is decreased.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Development processing of silver halide color photographic materials
basically consists of two major steps, i.e., color-developing (in the case
of color reversal material, black-and-white first development prior to
that) and desilvering. Desilvering consists of bleaching and fixing steps,
or a monobath bleach-fixing step which may be conducted either together
with the former steps or alone. In the case of necessity, additional
treatment steps such as water washing, stop treatment, stabilizing
treatment and pretreatment for the acceleration of development may further
be added.
In color development, exposed silver halide is reduced to silver and, at
the same time, oxidized aromatic primary amine developing agents react
with couplers to form dyes. During this process, halide ions evolving
through dissociation of silver halide are eluted in a developing solution
and accumulate therein. Meanwhile, color development agents are exhausted
by reaction with the aforesaid couplers. Further, other constituents are
taken out by being held in photographic materials and concentrations of
the constituents in the developing solution decrease. Accordingly, in a
process for the continuous development processing of a large amount of the
silver halide photographic materials, for instance, by an auto-developing
machine, a means is required to maintain concentrations of constituents of
a color-developing solution in a certain range in order to avoid
fluctuations of results of finished development due to changes in the
concentrations of the constituents.
For instance, constituents to be consumed such as a developing agent and a
preservative may be incorporated in a replenisher in high concentration
when such a high concentration has little influence. In some cases, the
concentrations of eluted materials, such as halogens, which have an effect
of suppressing development are set at low levels in a replenisher or such
materials are not included. Further, some compounds may be included in a
replenisher so as to preclude influences of eluted materials.
Alternatively, a pH or concentrations of alkali or chilate agents may be
controlled. As a means for the above, it is usual to add a replenisher
which supplies short constituents and dilute increasing constituents. A
large volume of overflow liquid necessarily occurs as a result of such
addition of the replenisher, which causes problems in process economy and
environment protection.
The volume of the replenisher for a developing solution is generally 1,100
to 1,300 ml per m.sup.2 of light-sensitive material to be treated,
depending somewhat upon which types of light-sensitive materials are to be
treated. A smaller amount of the replenisher is more desirable from the
above-mentioned viewpoint. However, it becomes difficult to obtain
constant results of finished development and, accordingly, it is
impossible in practice to decrease the amount of the replenisher below the
aforesaid range.
Another reason for the fluctuations of results of finished development is a
dense fog caused in a development process of silver halide color
photographic materials and a change of a fog during storage of raw
light-sensitive materials. Light-sensitive materials having a high foggy
property have a tendency of showing a large difference in fog between
development conditions where the temperature of a developing solution
rises or its pH rises to facilitate lowers to inhibit fogging. As a
result, large fluctuations in the results of finished development are
often seen. No further explanation is required because light-sensitive
materials which have a large change in fog during storage of the raw
materials have a tendency of exhibiting large fluctuations in the results
of finished development.
Inclusion of various antifoggants in light-sensitive materials is known as
a means to prevent fogging in silver halide color photographic materials
and to solve the problem of increased fog during storage of the raw
materials.
That is, heterocyclic mercapto compounds are known as antifoggants having
remarkable effect of inhibition of fogging or suppression of increasing
fogging during storage of the raw materials, such as mercapto thiazoles,
mercapto benzthiazoles, mercapto benzimidazoles, mercapto thiadiazoles,
mercapto tetrazoles, especially 1-phenyl-5-mercapto tetrazole, and
mercapto pyrimidines.
It is recognized that the above antifoggants or stabilizers successfully
suppress fogging during storage of the raw materials and lower the
fluctuations in the results of finished development when normal supply of
a replenisher is done. However, if the volume of the replenisher for the
developing solution is decreased, such antifoggants or stabilizers
included in the light-sensitive materials cause an adverse effect of
rather magnifying the fluctuations of results of finished development, and
in particular, changes in sensitivity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method of processing
continuously, silver halide color photographic materials by supplying a
replenisher, which process permits a decrease in the amount of the
replenisher and, in addition, lowering of fluctuations of results of
finished development.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method of processing
continuously, silver halide color photographic light-sensitive materials
by supplying a replenisher to a developing solution, wherein the volume of
the replenisher is 900 ml or less per m.sup.2 of light-sensitive materials
to be developed and an average ratio of silver iodide to the whole silver
halide included in the light sensitive material is 8 mol % or less.
In another aspect of the present invention the inventors have found that
the inclusion of at least one compound represented by the following
formula I in 5 silver halide color photographic light-sensitive materials
can suppress fluctuations of results of finished development, lower fog
and suppress fogging during storage of the raw materials, even when
continuous development treatment is conducted with a volume of a
replenisher of 900 ml or less per m.sup.2 of light-sensitive materials to
be developed. In this aspect of the present invention, the light-sensitive
materials include at least one compound represented by the following
formula I:
Z--SM.sup.1
wherein Q represents a heterocyclic residue to which at least one selected
from a group consisting of --SO.sub.3 M.sup.2, --COOM.sup.2, --OH and
--NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 is directly or indirectly attached, M.sup.1 and M.sup.2
independently represent a hydrogen atom, alkali metal, quaternary ammonium
ion, quaternary phosphonium ion, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent a
hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group.
The compounds represented by formula I are believed to flow out from the
light-sensitive materials to the developing solution as they are rendered
water-soluble or their water solubility is elevated in a pH atmosphere of
the developing solution. In other words, when those compounds of formula I
are included in the light-sensitive materials, the developing solution
must be contaminated with those compounds. Nonetheless, fluctuations of
results of finished development are small and a fog is thin, which is
utterly surprising. Reasons for such unexpected effects are unclear and
will be clarified by future study. However it is believed for the time
being that the compounds of formula I behave in very different manners in
the light-sensitive materials and in the developing solution.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Regarding light-sensitive materials including the compounds of formula I
used in the present invention, Japanese Patent Publication 9939/1983
discloses silver halide color light-sensitive materials including
heterocyclic mercapto compounds having at least one group selected from
--SO.sub.3 H, --COOH, --OH OH and --NH.sup.2. However, this patent
publication does not refer to whether or not such light-sensitive
materials may solve the aforesaid problems when development treatment is
conducted with a smaller amount of a replenisher for a developing
solution.
As examples of the heterocyclic residue represented by Q in formula I there
are mentioned oxazole, thiazole, imidazole, selenazole, triazole,
tetrazole, thiadiazole, oxadiazole, pentazole, pyrimidine, thiadia,
triazine, thiadiazine rings, and rings fused with other carbon rings or
hetero rings, such as benzthiazole, benztriazole, benzimidazole,
benzoxazole, benzselenazole, naphthoxazole, triazaindolizine,
diazaindolizine, tetrazaindolizine rings.
Particularly preferred mercapto heterocyclic compounds of formula I include
those represented by the following formula II and III:
##STR1##
In formula II, Y and Z independently represent a nitrogen atom or CR.sup.4
wherein R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl
group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group. R.sup.3 is an organic
residue substituted with at least one selected from a group consisting of
--SO.sub.3 M.sup.2, --COOM.sup.2, --OH and --NR.sup.1 R.sup.2, more
specifically a thus substituted alkyl group of 1 to 20 carbons such as
methyl, ethyl, propyl, hexyl, dodecyl or ocadecyl group, or a thus
substituted aryl group of 6 to 20 carbons such as phenyl and naphthyl
groups. L.sup.1 represents a connecting group selected from a group
consisting of --S--, --O--, --N--, --CO--, --SO-- and --SO.sub.2 --. n is
zero or 1.
Those alkyl and aryl groups may be substituted with other substituents, for
instance, halogen atoms such as F, Cl and Br, alkoxy groups such as
methoxy and methoxyethoxy, aryloxy groups such as phenoxy, alkyl groups in
the event that R.sup.2 is an aryl group, aryl group in the event that
R.sup.2 is an alkyl group, amido groups such as acetamido group and
benzoylamido group, carbomoyl groups such as unsubstituted carbamoyl
group, phenylcarbamoyl group and methylcarbamoyl group, sulfonamido groups
such as methansulfonamide group and phenylsulfonamide group, sulfamoyl
groups such as unsubstituted sulfamoyl group, methylsulfamoyl group and
phenylsulfamoyl group, sulfonyl groups such as methyl sulfonyl group and
phenylsulfonyl group, sulfinyl groups such as methylsulfinyl group and
phenylsulfinyl group, cyano group, alkoxycarbonyl groups such as
methoxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl groups such as phenoxycarbonyl
group, and nitro group.
When two or more substituents, --SO.sub.3 M.sup.2, --COOM.sup.2, --OH and
--NR.sup.1 R.sup.2, are present on R.sup.3, those may be the same with or
different from each other.
M.sup.2 is the same as defined in formula I.
In formula III, X represents a sulfur atom, oxygen atom or
##STR2##
wherein R5 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group
or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group.
L.sup.2 represents
--CONR.sup.6 --, --NR.sup.6 CO--, --SO.sub.2 NR.sup.6 --, --NR.sup.6
SO.sub.2 --, --OCO--, --COO--, --S--, --NR.sup.6 --, --CO--, --SO--,
--OCOO--, --NR.sup.6 CONR.sup.7 --, --NR.sup.6 COO--, --OCONR.sup.6 or
--NR.sup.6 SO.sub.2 NR.sup.7 --. R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 each represent a
hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or a substituted
or unsubstituted aryl group.
R.sup.3 and M.sup.2 are the same as defined in formulae I and II, and n
represents zero or 1.
As examples of substitutents for alkyl and aryl groups represented by
R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7, there are mentioned those named for
R.sub.3.
In the general formula, R.sup.3 is preferably --SO.sub.3 M.sup.2 or
--COOM.sup.2.
The following are examples of preferred compounds represented by the
general formula I:
##STR3##
The compounds represented by general formula I are known, and can be
synthesized according to the methods described in the following materials:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,585,388 and 2,541,924, Japanese Patent Publication
21,842/1967, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) 50,169/1978, G.B.
Patent 1,275,701; D. A. Berges et al., Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry,
vol. 15, No. 981 (1978); "The Chemistry of Heterocyclic Chemistry"
Imidazole and Derivatives part I), pp 336-339; Chemical Abstracts 58, 7921
(1963), pp 394; E. Hoggarth, "Journal of Chemical Society", pp 1160-7
949); S. R. Saudler, W. Karo, "Organic Functional Group Preparation"
Academic Press pp 312-5, (1968); M. Chamdon, et al., Bulletin de la
Societe Chimique de France, 723 (1954); D. A. Shirley, D. W. Alley, J.
Amer. Chem. Soc., 79, 4922 (1954); A. Wohl, W. Marchwald, Ber. vol. 22, pp
568 (1889); J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 44, pp 1502-10;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,270, G.B. Patent 940,169, Japanese Patent Publication
8,334/1974, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) 59,463/1980; Advanced
in Heterocyclic Chemistry, 9, 165-209 (1968); West Germany Patent
2,716,707; The Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds Imidazole and
Derivatives, vol 1, pp 384; Org, Synth., IV., 569 (1963); Ber., 9, 465
(1976); J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 45, 2390 (1923); Japanese Patent Publications
(unexamined) 89,034/1975, 28,426/1978 and 21,007/1980; and Japanese Patent
Publication 28,496/1965.
The compounds represented by general formula I may be included in a silver
halide emulsion layer or a hydrophilic colloid layer such as an
intermediate layer, a surface protective layer, a yellow filter layer, an
antihalation layer and so on.
They are preferably included in the silver halide emulsion layer or its
vicinal layers.
A preferred amount of them to be included is in a range of from
1.times.10.sup.-5 to 1.times.10.sup.-5 g/m.sup.2, more preferably from
1.times.10.sup.-4 to 4.times.10.sup.-3 g/m.sup.2, most preferably from
5.times.10.sup.-4 to 2.times.10.sup.-3 g/m.sup.2.
Various couplers may be used in the silver halide color photographic
materials according to the present invention. For instance, cyan, magenta
and yellow dye forming couplers disclosed in the patents cited in Research
Disclosure, December, 1978, 17643 VII-D; and November, 1979, 18717, are
mentioned. Couplers are preferably those which are rendered resistant to
diffusion by introduction of ballast groups or by dimerization or
polymerization. 4-Equivalent or 2-equivalent couplers may be used. A
coupler which permits to improve a granular property by diffusion of
formed dyes or a DIR coupler which releases a development restrainer
through a coupling reaction to cause an edge effect or an interlayer
effect may also be used.
Further, compounds which release through a coupling reaction, a group that
accelerates development or a group that causes fogging of silver halide
may be used, such as those described in Japanese Patent Publication
(unexamined) 150845/1982, 50439/1984, 157638/1984 and 170840/1984;
Japanese Patent Application 146097/1983.
Larger effects by the compounds according to the invention may easily be
obtained with a lower ratio of a 4-equivalent coupler and a higher ratio
of a 2-equivalent coupler. It is preferred in practice that the ratio of
the 4-equivalent coupler to the whole couplers included in a
light-sensitive material should be 50 mol % or less, more preferably 40
mol % or less, most preferably 30 mol % or less.
Preferred yellow couplers include .alpha.-pivaloyl or
.alpha.-benzoylacetanilide type couplers which split off at a oxygen or
nitrogen atom. As examples of these particularly preferred 2-equivalent
couplers, there are mentioned yellow couplers of an oxygen atom
splitting-off type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,408,194; 3,447;928;
3,933,501; and 4,022,620, and yellow coupler of a nitrogen atom
splitting-off type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,973,968; 4,314,023;
Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) 132926/1975, DEOS 2,219,917;
2,261,361; 2,433,812. For magenta couplers, 5-pyrazolone type couplers,
pyrazolo (5, 1-c) (1, 2, 4) triazoles described in U.S. Pat. No.
3,725,067, and pyrazolo (5, 1-b) (1, 2, 4) triazole described in European
Patent 119,860, may be used. Preferred is also a magenta coupler which is
made 2-equivalent by a splitting-off group bound to a coupling active site
through a nitrogen or sulfur atom. Preferred couplers are those resistant
to moisture and heat. As typical examples for them, there are mentioned
phenol type couplers described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,002; 2,5-diacylamino
phenol type couplers described in Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined)
31953/1984 and 133293/1983, and Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined)
166956/1984; phenol type couplers having a phenylureido group at
2-position and an acylamino group at 5-position described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,333,999; naphthol type couplers described in Japanese Patent Publication
(unexamined) 237448/1985.
Colored couplers which are colored yellow or magenta may be used in
combination in order to compensate for unnecessary subabsorption present
in short wave side of main absorption of coloring dyes. These couplers are
used in a form of an emulsion in an aqueous medium using high boiling
organic solvents such as phthalic esters of 16 to 32 carbon atoms or
phosphoric esters and further, if necessary, other organic solvents such
as ethyl acetate. The standard amount of colored couplers to be used is
0.01 to 0.5 mole for yellow couplers, 0.003 to 0.3 mole for magenta
couplers and 0.002 to 0.3 mole for cyan couplers, per mole of
light-sensitive silver halide.
Any silver halide grains may be selected from silver bromide, silver
iodobromide, silver iodochlorobromide, silver chlorobromide and silver
chloride to be used in a photographic emulsion layer of the
light-sensitive materials according to the invention. Preferred silver
halide grains are silver iodobromide or silver iodochlorobromide including
not higher than 3 mol % silver iodide. Particularly preferred is silver
iodobromide including 2 to 25 mol % silver iodide.
In a process of development where the amount of a replenisher to a
developing bath is decreased, effects of an average ratio of silver iodide
to the whole silver halide included in light-sensitive materials on
sensitivity in finished development have been examined under conditions
that the compounds of general formula I are not added to the
light-sensitive materials. It has been found that, when an average ratio
of silver iodide becomes higher, there is a tendency that the sensitivity
in finished development lowers. This tendency was not improved by the
inclusion of the compounds of general formula I into the light-sensitive
materials. As one reason for the above phenomenon, it is believed that,
when a light-sensitive material with a high average ratio of silver iodide
is developed, iodide ion is accumulated in a developing solution and, as a
result, the performance of the developing solution deteriorates. As
another reason, it is believed that in the case where an average ratio of
silver iodide in a light-sensitive material is high, developing activity
decreases and influence of development factors becomes prevailing, so that
such a small change of the development solution as causing no problem in a
light-sensitive material of a low average ratio of silver iodide may
reveal itself as apparent change in finished development in the case of a
light-sensitive material of a high average ratio of silver iodide.
As described above, it is desirable to lower an average ratio of silver
iodide to the whole silver halide included in light-sensitive materials in
the event that the amount of a replenisher to a developing bath is
decreased. However, on the other hand, a decrease of the average ratio of
silver iodide to silver halide in a light-sensitive material causes a
problem of increased fog and increased changes in fogging and sensitivity
during storage of the raw material.
When the compounds of general formula I according to the invention are used
together in light-sensitive materials having a relatively low average
ratio of silver iodide, the aforesaid problems, i.e., the increase of fog
value and the change during the storage of raw materials, are
simultaneously solved and, in addition, the fluctuations of results of
finished development caused by the decrease of the amount of a replenisher
becomes smaller.
In light of the above, it is preferred that an average ratio or silver
iodide to the whole silver halide included in the light-sensitive
materials according to the invention should be 8 mol % or less, more
preferably 7 mol % or less, particularly 6 mol % or less.
The shape of silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion
of the present invention in which an average silver iodide content is 8
mol % or less is not particularly limited and may be so-called regular
grains having a regular crystal form such as cubic, octahedral or
fourteen-hedral, or may be of an irregular crystal form such as spherical
or a form having crystal defects such as a twinning plane, or complex form
thereof.
Regarding the size of silver halide grains, they may be micrograins of 0.1
micron or less, or large size grains having a diameter of projection area
of up to 10 microns. Both a monodisperse emulsion which has a narrow
distribution or a multi-disperse emulsion which has a broad distribution
may be used.
Typical monodisperse emulsions contain silver halide grains having an
average grain size of 0.1 micron or more and grain sizes of at least 95%
by weight of the grains fall within the average grain size .+-.40%. It is
preferable to use such an emulsion that contains silver halide grains
having an average grain size of about 0.25 to 2 microns, grain sizes of at
least 95% by weight or by number of the grains falling within the average
grain size .+-.20%.
It is possible to use silver halide grains having uniform crystal
structure, those having different halogen composition in inner and outer
portions, and those having layer structure, examples of which are
disclosed in British Patent 1,027,146, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,505,068 and
4,444,877 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication 60-143331. It is also
possible to use silver halide grains to which different kinds of silver
halide grains have been bonded through epitaxial bonding.
As explained earlier, it is important in the present invention that an
average silver iodide content of the whole silver halide grains coated is
8 mol % or less. It is also preferable that an average silver iodide
content of each emulsion layer is lower, more specifically lower than 20
mol %, more preferably 15 mol %, and most preferably 10 mol %, but higher
than 1 mol %, preferably 2 mol %.
Photographic emulsions to be used in the present invention may be prepared
according to, for instance, the methods described in P. Glafkides, Chimie
et Physique Photographique, Paul Montel, 1967; G. F. Duffin, Photographic
Emulsion Chemistry, Focal Press, 1966; and V. L. Zelikman et al, Making
and Coating Photographic Emulsion, Focal Press, 1964.
Further, such flat grains as having an aspect ratio of 5 or more may also
be used in the invention. Flat grains may briefly be prepared according to
the method describes in Cleve, Photography Theory and Practice (1930), pp
131; Gutoff, Photographic Science and Engineering, vol. 14, pp 248-257
(1970); U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,434,226; 4,414,310; and 4,433,048; and G.B.
Patent 2,112,157.
Silver halide emulsions which are usually chemically sensitized though
non-sensitized emulsions called a primitive emulsion, may also be used.
For chemical sensitization, there may be used the method described in H.
Frieser ed., Die Grundlagen der Photographischen Prozesse mit
Silberhalogeniden, Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft (1968).
That is, sulfur sensitization using sulfur-containing compounds capable of
reacting with active gelatin or silver, such as thiosulfates, thioureas,
mercapto compounds and rhodanines, reduction sensitization using reducing
compounds such as stannous salts, amines, hydrazine derivatives,
formamidine sulfinic acid, silane compounds, noble metal sensitization
using noble metals such as gold compounds, and complex salts of metals of
group VIII of the periodic law system such as platinum, iridium, palladium
may be used alone or in combination.
Photographic emulsions used in the invention may be spectrally sensitized
by methine dyes or others. Dyes to be used include cyanine dyes,
merocyanine dyes, complex cyanine dyes, complex merocyanine dyes,
holopolar cyanine dyes, hemicyanine dyes, styryl dyes and hemioxonol dyes.
Particularly useful dyes are those belonging to cyanine dyes, merocyanine
dyes and complex merocyanine dyes. In those dyes, any nuclei usually used
in cyanine dyes may be adopted as basically reactive heterocyclic nuclei.
Namely, pyrroline nucleus, oxazoline nucleus, thiazoline nucleus, pyrrole
nucleus, oxazole nucleus, thiazole nucleus, selenazole nucleus, imidazole
nucleus, tetrazole nucleus, pyridine nucleus etc.; nuclei composed by
fusing an alicyclic hydrocarbon ring with the aforesaid nuclei; and nuclei
composed by fusing an aromatic hydrocarbon ring with the aforesaid nuclei,
such as indolenine nucleus, benzindolenine nucleus, indole nucleus,
benzoxazole nucleus, naphthooxazole nucleus, benzthiazole nucleus,
naphthothiazole nucleus, benzselenazole nucleus, benzimidazole nucleus,
quinaline nucleus, may be used. Those nuclei may be substituted on their
carbon atoms.
For merocyanine dyes or complex merocyanine dyes, 5 or 6 membered
heterocyclic nuclei, such as pyrrazoline-5-one-nucleus, thiohydantoin
nucleus, 2-thiooxazalidine-2,4-dione nucleus, thiazoline-2,4-dione
nucleus, rhodanine nucleus, thiobarbituric acid nucleus, may be used as a
nucleus having a ketomethylene structure.
These sensitizing dyes may be used alone or in combination. A combination
of sensitizing dyes are often used, particularly, for the purpose of
supersensitization.
Dyes having no spectral sensitization effect per se or substances absorbing
substantially no visual lights and showing supersensitization may be
incorporated in the emulsions together with the sensitizing dyes. For
instance, aminostilbene compounds substituted with a nitrogen-containing
heterocyclic group, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,933,390 and
3,635,721, aromatic organic acid formaldehyde condensate, such as
described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,510, cadmium salts and azaindene
compounds may be incorporated. The combinations described in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,615,613; 3,615,641; 3,617,295; and 3,635,721, are particularly
useful.
For the purpose of preventing fogging during preparation, storage or
development of the light-sensitive materials, or stabilization of the
performance, known antifoggants or stabilizers may be used in addition to
the compounds represented by the aforesaid general formula I. Examples
thereof and methods of use thereof are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
3,954,474 and 3,982,947; Japanese Patent Publication 28660/1977; Research
Disclosure 17643 (December 1978) VIA to VIM; and E. J. Birr, Stabilization
of Photographic Silver Halide Emulsions, Focal Press (1974).
The light-sensitive materials used in the invention may include one or more
surfactants for various purposes, for instance, as a coating aid or an
antistatic, for improvement of slipping, emulsifying dispersion,
prevention of adhesion or improvement of photographic properties such as
development acceleration, contrast development and sensitization.
The light-sensitive materials used in the present invention may further
include, in addition to the aforesaid additives, various stabilizers,
anti-staining agents, developing agents or a precursor thereof, hardening
agents, lubricants, mordants, matting agents, antistatic agents,
plasticizers, anticolorfoggants, antidiscoloration agents, UV absorbing
agents and other additives useful in photographic light-sensitive
materials. Typical examples of those additives are described in Research
Disclosure 17643 (December 1978) and 18716 (November, 1979).
The silver halide color light-sensitive materials used in the invention
include color negative light-sensitive materials and color reversal
light-sensitive materials which may or may not contain couplers.
The present invention may preferably be applied to high sensitive
photographic color films which comprises a substrate having provided
thereon, at least two emulsion layers which are the same in color
sensitivity but different in speed. Layer arrangement is typically in an
order of red-sensitive layers, green-sensitive layers and, then,
blue-sensitive layers from the substrate, though high sensitive layers may
be provided in such a reversed layer arrangement as being sandwiched with
emulsion layers of different color sensitivities.
The amount of coated silver in the color light-sensitive material is
preferably 10 g/m.sup.2 or less, more preferably 7.5 g/m.sup.2 or less,
and particularly 5.5 g/m.sup.2 or less.
It is preferred that in the color light-sensitive materials used in the
invention, a non-light-sensitive silver halide micrograin emulsion should
be used in the hydrophilic colloid layer outside the photographic emulsion
layer remotest from the substrate.
The non-light-sensitive fine silver halide grain emulsion layer which is
provided outside the photographic emulsion layer furthest from the
substrate bring effects of decreasing the amounts of substances such as
the compounds of general formula I and so on, which have been absorbed on
silver halide, to be eluted from the light-sensitive material into a
developing solution and consequently, of preventing the above substances
accumulated in the developing solution during continuous processing of
various light-sensitive materials from acting on the light-sensitive
silver halide in the light-sensitive materials.
The characteristic effect of the invention is small fluctuations of the
results of finished development when the light-sensitive materials
containing the compounds of general formula I is continuously treated with
a decreased amount of a replenisher to a developing bath. In addition,
this effect can be elevated by the use of light-sensitive materials
wherein a non-light-sensitive fine silver halide grain emulsion layer is
provided outside a photographic emulsion layer furthest from the
substrate.
It is preferred that such fine silver halide grains are not substantially
developed in a development process of silver halide color photographic
light-sensitive materials. Further, it is preferred, as well, that the
aforesaid fine silver halide grains are relatively non-light-sensitive.
The expression, "relatively non-light-sensitive" used herein preferably
means sensitivity lower by 0.5 or more in log unit, preferably 1.0 or
more, than that of light-sensitive silver halide.
Such fine silver halide grains may be any of pure silver chloride, pure
silver bromide, pure silver iodide, silver chlorobromide, silver
iodobromide and silver chloroiodobromide with preference for grains
containing at least 60 mol % silver bromide, 30 mol % or less silver
chloride and 40 mol % or less silver iodide. Particularly, silver
iodobromide grains with a silver iodide content of 10 mol % or less is
preferred. The average grain size is 0.2 .mu.m or less, preferably 0.15
.mu.m or less, more preferably 0.1 .mu.m or less.
The fine silver halide grains may have a relatively broad grain size
distribution, but preferably have a narrow grain size distribution.
Particularly, it is preferred that the size of 90%, in terms of weight or
number, of the whole silver halide grains is within the average grain size
.+-.40%.
The amount of the coated fine silver halide grains is preferably 0.03 to 2
g/m.sup.2, more preferably 0.05 to 1 g/m.sup.2. A binder of the layer
containing the fine silver halide grains may be any hydrophilic polymers
with particular preference for gelatin. The amount of the binder is
preferably 250 g or less per mole of silver halide.
When colloidal silver is used in an antihalation layer or a yellow filter
layer of light-sensitive materials, the colloidal silver may be stabilized
by the use of water-insoluble mercapto compound such as
phenylmercapto-tetrazole having a ballast group described in U.S. Pat. No.
3,376,310 together with the colloidal silver.
The processing of the light-sensitive materials according to the invention
is continuously conducted while supplying a replenisher to a developing
bath. Any known manner may be used in this processing. Moreover, the
treatment liquid may be any one known in the art. The temperature of
treatment is usually set in a range of from 18.degree. C. to 50.degree.
C., although a temperature below 18.degree. C. or above 50.degree. C. may
also be chosen.
A color developing solution generally consists of an aqueous alkaline
solution containing a color-developing agent. As the color-developing
agent, known aromatic primary amines may be used, such as phenylene
diamines including 4-amino-N,Ndiethylaniline,
3-methyl-4-amino-N,N-diethylaniline,
4-amino-N-ethyl-N-.beta.-hydroxyethylaniline,
3-meth | | |
