Direct-positive photographic material and method for its production

A photographic material capable of yielding on imagewise exposure to radiation a direct positive image, which material comprises:

• a non-metallic carrier base;
• and on the carrier base, a layer of metal salt selected from the group consisting of halides of divalent tin, divalent lead, trivalent titanium and stannous sulfide and a layer of at least one photo-sensitive compound selected from the group consisting of the halides of silver, cadmium, lead, bismuth, thallium, zinc, copper and mercury and chalcogenides or oxides of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and antimony, said photosensitive compound being capable when activated upon exposure to radiation of reacting chemically with said metal salt layer in a manner such that in any region exposed to radiation the metal salt layer loses its catalytic activity to a metallization baths, and in any region not exposed to radiation the said metal salt layer remains intact, thereby forming a positive latent image which is visualized on intensification by chemical metallization.