Investigations into Potential Reactivity between Silver-Halide and Digitally Printed Photographic Images in Long-Term Storage

摘要

The purpose of this project was to investigate the possibility that digital prints, i.e., electrophotographic, inkjet, and dye sublimation, stored in direct contact with silver-halide prints in mixed collections will cause accelerated degradation of the silver-halide prints. It cannot be assumed that these prints will be chemically compatible during long-term keeping. Since consumer collections of printed images may contain mixtures of both digital and traditional photographs, it is important that they do not adversely interact with one another. The method outlined in ISO 18916 Imaging Materials-Processed Imaging Materials-Photographic Activity Test for Enclosure Materials was used to predict potentially harmful interactions between these print types. Some digital prints were reactive with silver-halide prints while others were not. The fact that some digital print materials could degrade adjacent materials also suggests that their own chemical compositions are unstable in ways not previously identified; thus, results from this project should be useful for manufacturers looking to improve the formulations of their products.