Photographic film unit with protective, limited swell polymer for silver halide grains

A silver diffusion transfer film unit comprising a support carrying, in order, a silver precipitating layer, a non-nucleated layer, a photosensitive layer and a barrier polymer, said photosensitive layer comprising silver halide grains in a geometric, planar spaced array or a random array of silver halide grains having an associated gelatin level such that the dry thickness of said gelatin is less than 10% of the average grain thickness;

• said barrier polymer located intermediate said grains and overlying said grains;
• said barrier polymer being permeable to aqueous alkaline photographic processing composition but having a swell ratio in alkali of less than about 1.5.

A photographic process which comprises the steps of:

• (a) exposing a film unit comprising a support carrying, in order, a silver precipitating layer, a non-nucleated layer, a photosensitive layer comprising silver halide grains in a geometric, planar space array or a random array of silver halide grains having an associated gelatin level such that the dry thickness of said gelatin is less than 10% of the average thickness of said grains and a layer of sodium cellulose sulfate, said sodium cellulose sulfate being disposed intermediate said grains and overlying said grains;
• (b) contacting said exposed photosensitive layer with a silver halide developing agent and a silver halide solvent adapted to provide a positive silver image in said layer comprising said silver precipitating layer;
• and contacting said sodium cellulose sulfate layer with sufficient potassium ions to convert said sodium cellulose sulfate to an irreversible gel.

A photosensitive element comprising a support carrying a photosensitive layer and a barrier polymer;

• said photosensitive layer comprising silver halide grains in a random array of silver halide grains having an associated gelatin level such that the dry thickness of said gelatin is less than 10% of the average grain thickness;
• said barrier polymer located intermediate said grains and overlying said grains, said barrier polymer permeable to aqueous alkaline photographic processing composition but having a swell ratio in alkali of less than about 1.5.

A silver diffusion transfer film unit comprising a support carrying, in order, a silver precipitating layer, a non-nucleated layer, a photosensitive layer and a barrier polymer, said photosensitive layer comprising in a random array of silver halide grains having an associated gelatin level such that the dry thickness of said gelatin is less than b 10% of the average grain thickness;

• said barrier polymer located intermediate said grains and overlying said grains;
• said barrier polymer being permeable to aqueous alkaline photographic processing composition but having a swell ratio in alkali of less than about 1.5.