Developable images produced by x-rays using the nickel-hypophosphite system. 2: Exposure and development parameters for sodium hypophosphite

Abstract

Crystalline sodium hypophosphite was X-irradiated and then treated with an ammoniacal nickel hypophosphite solution. Treatment resulted in the precipitation of nickel metal. The yield of nickel metal varied directly with particle size, sample weight, X-ray voltage, target current, exposure time, and development time. These findings show the process to be potentially useful in X-ray type photography. The half-life for the latent image species was found to be relatively short; but this is not critical in most X-ray photography applications. Furthermore, the work can be interpreted on the basis that a hydrogen atom is involved in the mechanism and indicates that the autocatalytic development step may be self-poisoning.