Photographic element having improved backing layer performance

A photographic element comprising a polyester support and at least one light-sensitive layer on one side of the polyester support, an antistatic layer on the other side of the support, the antistatic layer including a conductive metal oxide in a hydrophilic binder, the antistatic layer being overcoated with a layer containing a cellulose ester binder, and a solvent cast subbing layer disposed between the antistatic layer and the polyester support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to photographic elements having improved backing 
layer performance and to a method of preparing such photographic elements. 
2. Description of Related Art 
It is widely known in the art that various layers of photographic elements 
are formed on a suitable substrate commonly referred to in the art as a 
film support. Cellulose triacetate and polyesters such as polyethylene 
terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate are materials which are 
commonly employed for this purpose. Polyester supports, primarily because 
of their hydrophobic nature, require the presence of one or more subbing 
layers (adhesion-promoting layers) on the surface of the support in order 
that the layers coated on the support will properly adhere thereto in 
further operations to which the photographic element is subjected. 
The layers coated on the backside or the side opposite to that bearing the 
light-sensitive photographic emulsions, also usually contain an antistatic 
layer. Conductive metal oxides in a hydrophilic binder have been found 
extremely useful for this purpose. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,769 is directed to radiation sensitive elements having 
an amorphous vanadium pentoxide antistatic layer. This antistatic layer is 
disposed on the film support on the side opposite the light-sensitive 
emulsion layers. It is also-disclosed in this patent that when polyester 
film supports are employed, subbing layers such as that described in U.S. 
Pat. Nos. 2,627,088 and 2,779,684 may be employed as anchoring layers. The 
antistatic layer may also be overcoated with a protective layer containing 
cellulose ester materials such as cellulose ether phthalate, and cellulose 
acetobutyrate. 
It has been found that when photographic elements are prepared on polyester 
film supports having the backing layers as outlined above, that upon 
processing through normal processing apparatus utilizing the C-41 
development chemistry, minute blisters are formed which is a serious 
disadvantage in that it interferes with the optical characteristic of the 
photographic element. The C-41 process and chemistry are described in The 
British Journal of Photography Annual (1988), pages 191-207. These 
blisters can be defined as minute areas where a loss of adhesion occurs 
between adjacent layers. This loss of adhesion or delamination occurs 
during the photographic processing operation and may remain after drying 
of the processed photographic element. The blisters can collapse and form 
crater-like structures which can be observed optically. 
Further, in certain embodiments of photographic elements, the cellulosic 
layer overlying the antistat layer may be a transparent magnetic recording 
layer containing ferromagnetic particles. This structure permits 
information to be written magnetically into the transparent magnetic 
recording layer for subsequent read-out and application. The formation of 
blisters or crater-like structures on the surface or at the interface of 
any of the layers present on the backside of the photographic element 
interferes with both the magnetic recording and readout of this 
transparent magnetic recording layer. Further, abrasion of the surface may 
readily occur as a direct result of this deficiency by contact with 
magnetic recording and reading heads. 
Therefore, there is a need to provide photographic elements free of the 
disadvantages outlined above. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention contemplates a polyester film support, photographic elements 
and a method of making such supports and elements having at least one 
light-sensitive layer on one side of the polyester support, an antistatic 
layer on the opposite side of the support where the antistatic layer 
includes a conductive metal oxide in a hydrophilic binder, the antistatic 
layer is overcoated with a layer containing a cellulose ester binder, and 
disposed between the antistatic layer and the polyester support is a 
solvent cast subbing layer. 
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The subbing layer coating compositions employed in the photographic 
industry are aqueous latex based materials as described in the 
above-mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,627,088 and 2,779,684, as well as U.S. 
Pat. Nos. 3,501,301; 3,944,699; 4,087,574; 4,098,952; 4,363,872; 
3,919,156; 4,394,442; and 4,689,359. While the problems of blister 
formation has not been observed in commercial photographic films or 
described in the literature; with the particular physical structure 
assemblies and of the backside layers as described above, blisters are a 
serious problem when the subbing layer is applied as an aqueous latex. 
The invention is applicable with regard to the formation of photographic 
backing layers and photographic elements on polyester film supports such 
as, for example, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate; 
polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate having included 
therein a portion of isophthalic acid, 1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid 
or 4,4-biphenyl dicarboxylic acid is used in the preparation of the film 
support; polyesters wherein other glycols are employed such as, for 
example, cyclohexanedimethanol, 1,4-butanediol, diethylene glycol, 
polyethylene glycol; ionomers as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,024, 
incorporated herein by reference, such as polyester ionomers prepared 
using a portion of the diacid in the form of 5-sodiosulfo-1,3-isophthalic 
acid or like ion containing monomers, polycarbonates, and the like. It is 
preferred in the operation of this invention that the film support be 
polyethylene naphthalate and most preferably that the polyethylene 
naphthalate be prepared from 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acids or 
derivatives thereof. 
In a preferred embodiment, the film support is initially treated with an 
adhesion promoting agent such as, for example, resorcinol, orcinol, 
catechol, o, m, and p-cresol, o, m, and p-chlorophenol, pyrogallol, 
1-naphthol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, 4-chlororesorcinol, 
2,4-dihyroxytoluene, 1,3-naphthalenediol, 1,6-naphthalenediol, acrylic 
acid, the sodium salt of 1-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid, benzyl alcohol, 
trichloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, o-hydroxybenzotrifluoride, 
m-hydroxy-benzotrifluoride, o-fluorophenol, m-fluorophenol, 
p-fluorophenol, chloral hydrate, and p-chloro-m-creosol. Mixtures of two 
or more adhesion promoters can be employed, if desired. p-Chloro-m-cresol 
is preferred. 
The film support may also be treated with corona discharge, glow discharge, 
flame, electron bombardment, UV and the like to increase the adhesion to 
subsequently applied layers. 
Following the treatment with the adhesion promoting agent and/or energy 
treatments, a suitable subbing layer to further promote adhesion of the 
layers applied subsequently is coated onto the film support. Any suitable 
subbing layer to promote adhesion may be used such as, for example, 
addition polymers including acrylic resins such as polymethyl 
methacrylate, polymethyl acrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, 
poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate); ethylenemethylacrylate copolymers, 
ethylene-ethylacrylate copolymers, ethylene-ethyl methacrylate copolymers; 
polystyrene and copolymers of styrene with any of the unsaturated monomers 
mentioned above; polyvinyl resins, such as, polyvinyl chloride, copolymers 
of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, 
ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, 
ethylene-allyl alcohol copolymers, ethylene-allyl acetate copolymers, 
ethylene-allyl benzene copolymers, ethylene-allyl ether copolymers, and 
ethylene-acrylic copolymers; condensation polymers, such as, polyesters, 
polyurethanes, polyamides, polycarbonates, mixtures and blends thereof and 
the like. Preferred polymers suitable for the subbing layer include 
addition copolymers of monomers such as, vinyl chloride, vinylidene 
chloride, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, alkyl acrylates where the 
alkyl group contains from one to six carbon atoms, such as, methyl, ethyl, 
propyl, butyl, isopropyl, pentyl, hexyl, and the like, acrylic acid, 
iraconic acid, monomethyl iraconic, and maleic acid, and the like. 
Suitable addition polymers for the formation of the subbing layer are 
described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,627,088; 3,501,301; 3,944,699; 4,087,574; 
4,394,442; 4,098,952; 4,363,872; and 4,857,396; all of which are 
incorporated herein by reference. 
The polymers per se disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,501,301 are particularly 
preferred for operation in accordance with this invention. The most 
preferred polymers for use as a subbing layer in accordance with this 
invention are a terpolymer of vinylidene chloride, acrylonitrile, and 
acrylic acid and a copolymer of vinylidene chloride and acrylonitrile. 
It is a requirement in accordance with this invention in order to solve the 
problem of blisters, outlined above, that the subbing layer be applied 
from an organic solvent solution. Any suitable solvent for applying the 
subbing layer to the substrate may be employed such as, for example, 
dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, trichloromethane, 
carbon tetrachloride, ethylene chloride, trichloroethane, toluene, xylene, 
cyclohexanone, 2-nitropropane, and the like. Dialkyl ketones, for example, 
acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, diethyl ketone, methyl propyl ketone, methyl 
isopropyl ketone and the like are preferred. Methyl ethyl ketone is most 
preferred. Alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, 
isopropanol, and the like may be used in mixture with the above-mentioned 
solvents. In applying the subbing layer to the substrate, the ratio of 
polymer to solvent is not critical; however, the polymer to solvent ratio 
employed is preferably from about 0.1 to about 10 percent by weight. The 
subbing is then dried to remove the solvent and the antistat layer is next 
applied to the subbed film support. 
The antistatic layer comprises conductive metal oxide particles in a 
hydrophilic binder. Any suitable conductive metal oxide can be employed 
including ZnO, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, In.sub.2 
O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, MgO, BaO, MoO.sub.3, metal antimonates, as described 
in U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,995 issued Nov. 29, 1994, and incorporated herein 
by reference, preferably ZnSb.sub.2 O.sub.6 and InSbO.sub.4 ; and V.sub.2 
O.sub.5 or composites thereof. Vanadium pentoxide as described in U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,203,769, incorporated herein by reference, is particularly 
preferred. When vanadium pentoxide is employed in the antistatic layer, it 
is preferred that the ratio by weight of vanadium pentoxide or silver 
doped vanadium pentoxide to polymer be from 1:100 to 2:1 and most 
preferably from 1:20 to 1:1. 
The conductive metal oxide is dispersed in a suitable hydrophilic binder 
and applied to the subbed film support. Any suitable hydrophilic binder 
may be employed in the antistatic layer such as, for example, proteins 
including gelatin, colloidal albumin, or casein; cellulose compounds such 
as, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, cellulose diacetate 
or cellulose triacetate, cellulose nitrate and blends of the 
above-mentioned cellulosics; saccharide derivatives, such as, agar, sodium 
alginate or starch derivatives; synthetic hydrophilic colloids, for 
example, polyvinyl alcohol, poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, acrylic acid 
copolymers, polyacrylamide and derivatives and partially hydrolyzed 
products of these vinyl polymers and copolymers such as polyvinyl acetate 
or polyacrylic acid ester; natural materials such as rosin or shellac, and 
derivatives thereof; and other synthetic resins. Further, it is possible 
to use aqueous emulsions of styrene-butadiene copolymer, polyacrylic acid, 
polyacrylic acid ester or derivatives thereof, polyvinyl acetate, vinyl 
acetate-acrylic acid ester copolymer, polyolefin or olefin-vinyl acetate 
copolymer; polyamides, styrene and maleic anhydride copolymers, copolymers 
of ethylenically unsaturated monomers including methyl acrylate, methyl 
methacrylate, vinylidene chloride, iraconic acid, acrylonitrile, acrylic 
acid, and the like. The antistat layer may be applied as an aqueous or 
solvent dispersion of the metal oxide particles in the binder polymer. A 
terpolymer of acrylonitrile, acrylic acid and vinylidene chloride or a 
terpolymer of methyl acrylate, vinylidene chloride and itaconic acid are 
preferred. 
In the application of the antistatic layer to the subbed film support, a 
suitable coating composition would employ from about 0.1 to about 10 
percent by weight of the hydrophilic polymer, from about 0.1 to about 10 
percent by weight of the conductive metal oxide particles and the balance 
water or an appropriate solvent mixture. Those solvents mentioned above 
with regard to the application of the subbing layer may be used here. 
Dispersing aids or coating aids are generally required in order to assure 
wettability and strong adhesion to the underlying layer. Also, the 
antistatic layer may be applied from solvent solutions of the binder 
polymer containing conductive metal oxide particles as described in U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,356,468 issued Oct. 18, 1994, incorporated herein by reference. 
In accordance with the invention, a cellulose ester layer is provided over 
the surface of the antistatic layer in order to provide protection 
therefor. Any suitable cellulose ester layer may be employed, such as, for 
example, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate 
butyrate, cellulose ether phthalate, cellulose nitrate, and mixtures 
thereof. The cellulose ester layer is applied from any suitable solvent 
such as, for example, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, 
trichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, ethylene chloride, 
trichloroethane, toluene, xylene, cyclohexanone, 2-nitropropane, methanol, 
ethanol, propanol, acetone, and the like. It is preferred to use a mixture 
of the above solvents for this purpose. 
The cellulose ester layer coated over the antistatic layer may also serve 
another purpose, that being as a binder for ferromagnetic particles. When 
ferromagnetic particles are employed in the cellulose ester layer coated 
over the antistatic layer, they are used in an amount in order to achieve 
a transparent magnetic layer for the purpose of recording information 
magnetically independently of the photographic function of the element. In 
this regard, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/173,793 filed Dec. 22, 
1993 entitled "Photographic Element Having a Transparent Magnetic Layer 
and a Process of Preparing the Same" assigned to the same assignee as this 
application is incorporated herein by reference. 
When the cellulose ester layer described above contains ferromagnetic 
particles and serves as a magnetic recording layer, it may be desirable to 
interpose between the antistatic layer and the magnetic recording layer an 
additional polymeric layer. This polymer layer may include any suitable 
polymer, such as polymers and copolymers of methacrylate esters, acrylate 
esters, styrene, vinyl acetate, olefins, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, or 
vinylidene chloride, as well as the cellulose esters and ethers previously 
mentioned. Cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, and polymethyl 
methacrylate are preferred polymers. This layer is applied from a solvent 
solution wherein the solvent can be any of the previously mentioned 
materials for application of the cellulose ester layer. 
Finally, a lubricating overcoat layer may be applied to the cellulose ester 
layer if desired in order to bring about satisfactory friction 
characteristics to the surface of the element. Suitable lubricants are 
described in Hatsumel Kyoukai Koukai Gihou No. 94-6023, published Mar. 15, 
1994. Carnauba wax is a preferred lubricant for this purpose. 
The opposite side of the support is coated with a plurality of layers, at 
least one of which is a silver halide containing light-sensitive layer. 
The various layers applied to the support film can be coated on the film by 
various coating procedures used in coating films, including dip coating, 
air knife coating, curtain coating, or extrusion coating using hoppers of 
the type described in Beguin U.S. Pat. No. 2,681,294 issued Jun. 15, 1954. 
While the invention is particularly applicable to color negative film, it 
is to be understood that the invention applies also to color reversal and 
black and white formats as well. 
The invention will be further illustrated by the following examples:

EXAMPLE 1 
To one surface of polyethylene naphthalate film support having a thickness 
of about 90 micrometers, the following steps are conducted sequentially: 
Adhesion Promoting Treatment 
A solution of 0.8 g of 4-chloro-3-methyl phenol and 99.2 g of ethyl alcohol 
are applied at 23.7 ml/m.sup.2 and dried at 90.degree. C. for 2 minutes. 
Application Of Subbing Layer 
The treated support structure above is coated at 18.3 ml/m.sup.2 with a 
solution of 1.3 g of a copolymer of vinylidene chloride, acrylonitrile, 
and acrylic acid (monomer weight of ratio 78:15:07) dissolved in 98.7 g of 
methyl ethyl ketone and dried at 90.degree. C. for 5 minutes. 
Application of Antistatic Layer 
A dispersion of 0.18 g of a latex copolymer of vinylidene chloride, 
acrylonitrile, and acrylic acid (monomer weight percent ratio 78:15:07); 
0.25 g of silver doped vanadium pentoxide; 0.23 g of Triton TX-100 (a 
surfactant sold by Rohm and Haas) and 99.34 g of de-ionized water is 
applied at a coverage of 23.7 ml/m.sup.2 to the subbing layer and dried at 
90.degree. C. for 2 minutes. 
Application of Magnetic Layer in Cellulose Ester Binder 
The following formulation is applied to the antistatic layer at a coverage 
of 44.1 ml/m.sup.2 and dried at 70.degree. C. for 2 minutes. 
______________________________________ 
Cellulose diacetate 2.51 g 
Cellulose triacetate 0.115 g 
Magnetic oxide Toda CSF-4085V2 
0.113 g 
Surfactant Rhodafac PE510 
0.006 g 
Alumina Norton E-600 0.076 g 
Dispersing aid, Zeneca Solsperse 2400 
0.004 g 
3M FC431 0.015 g 
Dichloromethane 67.919 g 
Acetone 24.257 g 
Methyl acetoacetate 4.851 g 
______________________________________ 
Application of Lubricating Layer 
An overcoat of carnauba wax at a coverage of mg/m.sup.2 is applied. 
EXAMPLE 2 
Example 1 is repeated, except that the film base is polyethylene 
terephthalate having the thickness of about 100 micrometers. 
EXAMPLE 3 
Example 1 is repeated except that the antistatic layer is changed in 
accordance with the following formulation: 
______________________________________ 
AQ29 (aqueous dispersible polyester from 
0.18 g 
Eastman Chemicals) 
Silver doped vanadium pentoxide 
0.25 g 
Triton TX-100 0.23 g 
de-ionized water 99.34 g 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE 4 
Example 1 is repeated except that the binder for the subbing layer is a 
copolymer of vinylidene chloride and acrylonitrile (monomer weight ratio 
80:20). 
COMATIVE EXAMPLE C-1 
Example 1 is repeated except that the following aqueous latex is applied in 
place of the subbing layer of that example at a coverage of 18.3 
ml/m.sup.2 and dried at 90.degree. C. for 5 minutes. 
______________________________________ 
Latex copolymer of vinylidene chloride, 
0.80 g 
acrylonitrile, and acrylic acid (monomer 
weight ratio of 78:15:07) 
Resorcinol 0.27 g 
Saponin 0.10 g 
De-ionized water 98.83 g 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE 5-8 AND COMATIVE EXAMPLE C-2 
A color photographic recording material is prepared by applying the 
following layers in the given sequence to the opposite side of each of the 
supports of Examples 1-4 and Comparative Example C-1, respectively, each 
of which is subbed with the composition described in Example 1 of U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,689,359. The quantities of silver halide are given in grams of 
silver per m.sup.2. The quantities of other materials are given in g per 
m.sup.2. 
Layer 1 {Antihalation Layer} black colloidal silver sol containing 0.236 g 
of silver, with 2.44 g gelatin. 
Layer 2 {First (least) Red-Sensitive Layer} Red sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 1.3 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 0.55 
microns, average thickness 0.08 microns! at 0.49 g, red sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 4 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 1.0 microns, 
average thickness 0.09 microns! at 0.48 g, cyan dye-forming image coupler 
C-1 at 0.56 g, cyan dye-forming masking coupler CM-1 at 0.033 g, BAR 
compound B-1 at 0.039 g, with gelatin at 1.83 g. 
Layer 3 {Second (more) Red-Sensitive Layer} Red sensitive silver 
iodobromide emulsion 4 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 1.3 microns, 
average grain thickness 0.12 microns! at 0.72 g, cyan dye-forming image 
coupler C-1 at 0.23 g, cyan dye-forming masking coupler CM-1 at 0.022 g, 
DIR compound D-1 at 0.011 g, with gelatin at 1.66 g. 
Layer 4 {Third (most) Red-Sensitive Layer} Red sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 4 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 2.6 microns, 
average grain thickness 0.13 microns! at 1.11 g, cyan dye-forming image 
coupler C-1 at 0.13 g, cyan dye-forming masking coupler CM-1 at 0.033 g, 
DIR compound D-1 at 0.024 g, DIR compound D-2 at 0.050 g, with gelatin at 
1.36 g. 
Layer 5 {Interlayer} Yellow dye material YD-1 at 0.11 g and 1.33 g of 
gelatin 
Layer 6 {First (least) Green-Sensitive Layer} Green sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 1.3 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 0.55 
microns, average grain thickness 0.08 microns! at 0.62 g, green sensitized 
silver iodobromide emulsion 4 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 1.0 
microns, average grain thickness 0.09 microns! at 0.32 g, magenta 
dye-forming image coupler M-1 at 0.24 g, magenta dye-forming masking 
coupler MM-1 at 0.067 g with gelatin at 1.78 g. 
Layer 7 {Second (more) Green-Sensitive Layer} Green sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 4 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 1.25 microns, 
average grain thickness 0.12 microns! at 1.00 g, magenta dye-forming image 
coupler M-1 at 0.091 g, magenta dye-forming masking coupler MM-1 at 0.067 
g, DIR compound D-1 at 0.024 g with gelatin at 1.48 g. 
Layer 8 {Third (most) Green-Sensitive Layer} Green sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 4 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 2.16 microns, 
average grain thickness 0.12 microns! at 1.00 g, magenta dye-forming image 
coupler M-1 at 0.0.72 g, magenta dye-forming masking coupler MM-1 at 0.056 
g, DIR compound D-3 at 0.01 g, DIR compound D-4 at 0.011 g, with gelatin 
at 1.33 g. 
Layer 9 {Interlayer} Yellow dye material YD-2 at 0.11 g with 1.33 g 
gelatin. 
Layer 10 {First (less) Blue-Sensitive Layer} Blue sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 1.3 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 0.55, 
average grain thickness 0.08 microns! at 0.24 g, blue sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 6 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 1.0 microns, 
average grain thickness 0.26 microns! at 0.61 g, yellow dye-forming image 
coupler Y-1 at 0.29 g, yellow dye forming image coupler Y-2 at 0.72 g, 
cyan dye-forming image coupler C-1 at 0.017 g, DIR compound D-5 at 0.067 
g, BAR compound B-1 at 0.003 g with gelatin at 2.6 g. 
Layer 11 {Second (more) Blue-Sensitive Layer} Blue sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 4 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 3.0 microns, 
average grain thickness 0.14 microns! at 0.23 g, blue sensitized silver 
iodobromide emulsion 9 mol % iodide, average grain diameter 1.0 microns! 
at 0.59 g, yellow dye-forming image coupler Y-1 at 0.090 g, yellow 
dye-forming image coupler Y-2 at 0.23 g, cyan dye-forming image coupler 
C-10.022 g, DIR compound D-5 at 0.05 g, BAR compound B-1 at 0.006 g with 
gelatin at 1.97 g. 
Layer 12 {Protective Layer} 0.111 g of dye UV-1, 0.111 g of dye UV-2, 
unsensitized silver bromide Lippman emulsion at 0.222 g, 2.03 g. 
This film is hardened at coating with 2% by weight to total gelatin of 
hardener H-1. Surfactants, coating aids, scavengers, soluble absorber dyes 
and stabilizers are added to the various layers of this sample as is 
commonly practiced in the art. 
The formulas for the component materials are as follows: 
##STR1## 
Examination for Blisters 
Each of the coated substrates in accordance with Examples 1 to 4 and C-1, 
and each of the photographic elements in accordance with Examples 5 to and 
C-2 are processed in a photographic development processor with the known 
C-41 color process as described in The British Journal of Photography 
Annual of 1988, pages 191-198. After the process, about 25 cm.sup.2 each 
of the coated substrates and the photographic elements are examined for 
blisters on the backside of the film support, opposite to the photographic 
emulsion. Examination is assisted with an Olympus System Microscope, Model 
BH-2, with magnification set at 50X. 
The results are set forth in Table 1. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Blister Propensity 
Sample Blisters 
______________________________________ 
Example 1 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example 2 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example 3 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example 4 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example C-1 
(comparison) 
more than a hundred of blisters 
Example 5 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example 6 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example 7 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example 8 (invention) 
no blisters 
Example C-2 
(comparison) 
more than a hundred of blisters 
______________________________________ 
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to 
preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations 
and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the 
invention.