Method of manufacturing, by photographic means, external, electrically conductive noble-metal patterns on non-metallic, electrically non-conductive, macromolecular supports and products obtained by these methods

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PRODUCING BY PHOTOGRAPHIC MEANS AN EXTERNAL ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE NOBEL-METAL PATTERN ON AN AT LEAST SUPERFICIALLY NON-METALLIC,ELECTRICALLY, NONCONDUCTIVE, AT LEAST SLIGHTLY HYDROPHILIC MACRO-MOLECULAR SUPPORT COMPRISING THE STEPS OF SENSITIZING SAID SUPPORT WITH AT LEAST ONE LIGHT-SENSITIVE COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE SILVER HALIDES AND THOSE OGANIC COMPOUNDS THE LIGHT REACTION PRODUCTS OF WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF REACTING IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER WITH A WATER SOLUBLE METALLIC COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF WATER SOLUBLE SILVER AND MERCUROUS COMPOUNDS TO FORM FREE SILVER AND MERCURY METAL AT THE EXPOSED PROTIONS, SAID WATER SOLUBLE METALLIC COMPOUND BEING PRESENT PRIOR TO DEVELOPMENT, SELECTIVELY EXPOSING SAID SUPPORT FOR A TIME AT LEAST EQUIVALENT TO AN OUTGROWTH EXPOSURE, TREATING SAID SELECTIVELY EXPOSED SUPPORT WITH SAID WATER SOLUBLE METALLIC COMPOUND IN THE PRESENCE OF MOISTURE, THEREBY FORMING AN INTERNAL LATENT IMAGE CONTAINING FREE METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SILVER AND MERCURY AT THE EXPOSED AREAS AND PHYSICALLY DEVELOPING SAID LATENT IMAGE BY TREATMENT WITH A DEVELOPING SOLUTION COMPRISING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A WATER SOLUBLE REDUCIBLE SALT OF A NOBLE METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SILVER, GOLD AND PLATINUM, SAID DEVELOPING STABILIZED SOLUTION BEING STABILIZED WITH AN IONIC SURFACE ACTIVE COMPOUND FOR A TIME AT LEAST SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE SAID INTERNAL IMAGE TO GROW INTO AN EXTERNAL ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PATTERN OF SAID NOBLE-METAL.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PRODUCING BY PHOTOGRAPHIC MEANS AN EXTERNAL ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE NOBEL-METAL PATTERN ON AN AT LEAST SUPERFICIALLY NON-METALLIC,ELECTRICALLY, NONCONDUCTIVE, AT LEAST SLIGHTLY HYDROPHILIC MACRO-MOLECULAR SUPPORT COMPRISING THE STEPS OF SENSITIZING SAID SUPPORT WITH AT LEAST ONE LIGHT-SENSITIVE COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE SILVER HALIDES AND THOSE OGANIC COMPOUNDS THE LIGHT REACTION PRODUCTS OF WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF REACTING IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER WITH A WATER SOLUBLE METALLIC COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF WATER SOLUBLE SILVER AND MERCUROUS COMPOUNDS TO FORM FREE SILVER AND MERCURY METAL AT THE EXPOSED PROTIONS, SAID WATER SOLUBLE METALLIC COMPOUND BEING PRESENT PRIOR TO DEVELOPMENT, SELECTIVELY EXPOSING SAID SUPPORT FOR A TIME AT LEAST EQUIVALENT TO AN OUTGROWTH EXPOSURE, TREATING SAID SELECTIVELY EXPOSED SUPPORT WITH SAID WATER SOLUBLE METALLIC COMPOUND IN THE PRESENCE OF MOISTURE, THEREBY FORMING AN INTERNAL LATENT IMAGE CONTAINING FREE METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SILVER AND MERCURY AT THE EXPOSED AREAS AND PHYSICALLY DEVELOPING SAID LATENT IMAGE BY TREATMENT WITH A DEVELOPING SOLUTION COMPRISING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A WATER SOLUBLE REDUCIBLE SALT OF A NOBLE METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SILVER, GOLD AND PLATINUM, SAID DEVELOPING STABILIZED SOLUTION BEING STABILIZED WITH AN IONIC SURFACE ACTIVE COMPOUND FOR A TIME AT LEAST SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE SAID INTERNAL IMAGE TO GROW INTO AN EXTERNAL ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PATTERN OF SAID NOBLE-METAL.