Full-Colour (Polychromatic) Photosensitive Glass

The Corning Glass works of New York has for many years past been involved in the development of photosensitive glasses. On 13 March 1978 the Company announced the successful development of Full-colour Photosensitive Glass. In this country, Dr. John Wall, Editor of the National Photographic Record (a Department of The Royal Photographic Society), has been closely following these develop-ments out of a long-standing interest and involvement in the possibilities of photosensitive glass for the faithful and permanent reproduction of colour-photographic archives. This report is his adaptation of the paper presented to the 175th Annual Meeting of the American Chemical Society, which signalled the disclosure of this new and, in many respects, photographically revolutionary, family of glasses, together with an assessment of its significance for photog-raphers and archivists in Britain.

Abstract

A photochemical method is described for precipitating subcolloidal silver particles, having controlled variations in anisotropy, in a rigid glass matrix. Such particles, too small to scatter light, exhibit brilliant colours, covering the full visible spectrum.

Notes

The Corning Glass works of New York has for many years past been involved in the development of photosensitive glasses. On 13 March 1978 the Company announced the successful development of Full-colour Photosensitive Glass. In this country, Dr. John Wall, Editor of the National Photographic Record (a Department of The Royal Photographic Society), has been closely following these develop-ments out of a long-standing interest and involvement in the possibilities of photosensitive glass for the faithful and permanent reproduction of colour-photographic archives. This report is his adaptation of the paper presented to the 175th Annual Meeting of the American Chemical Society, which signalled the disclosure of this new and, in many respects, photographically revolutionary, family of glasses, together with an assessment of its significance for photog-raphers and archivists in Britain.