Photographic element having surface protective layer

Abstract

The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer, and a light-insensitive protective overcoat. The light insensitive protective overcoat includes a hydrophilic binder and polymer particles having a glass transition temperature of at least 70.degree. C. The polymer particles prepared by the process of mechanically forming oil-in-water droplets having a size less than 400 nm of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having hydrophobic groups, the hydrophobic groups having a logP.sub.(calc) greater than a logP.sub.(calc) of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer by at least 1 unit in an aqueous medium. A hydrophilic colloid is added to the aqueous medium in an amount sufficient to render the polymer partice compatible with the hydrophilic binder. The droplets are polymerized to a size of less than 400 nm. The present invention is also a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer, and a light-insensitive protective overcoat. The light insensitive protective overcoat includes a hydrophilic binder and polymer particles having a glass transition temperature of at least 70.degree. C. The polymer particles prepared by the process of mechanically forming oil-in-water droplets having a size less than 400 nm of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a logP.sub.(calc) greater than 4, preferably greater than 6 in an aqueous medium. A hydrophilic colloid is added to the aqueous medium in an amount sufficient to render the polymer partice compatible with the hydrophilic binder. The droplets are polymerized to a size of less than 400 nm.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.