d76 variation

[rore]

Hi, i´ve come across a variation of d76 that calls for 40g of ammonium chloride per litter of d76 for achieving this "super fine grain". The formula allso states that exposure and development time -for the original formula- should be doubled.

my question is, what does the chloride do?

rore.

 

[waynecrider]

Well if it gives you

super fine grain

then I guess it must be some type of a solvent. Just now doing a Google search you'll find the compound having mildly acidic properties and I don't think you'll want it to break down into ammonia. It has many uses including health related. Google it.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Ammonia was an old additive / alkali for fine grain developers, but has a tendancy to form dichroic fog. It slows speed and decreases contrast. The same is true for Ammonium Chloride. You would have to adjust the pH after adding it and the smell will be pretty bad.

But, there is no "magic bullet" in film processing. Researchers have tried for years to come up with a family of developers that offer the best of all possible worlds to all products and these are either available prepackaged or in formulas that require nothing exotic. For example, Sodium Chloride is used in Microdol-X to get the same effect without the odor and it has a restrainer to prevent dichroic fog.

PE

 

[rore]

thanks!

 

[Claire Senft]

It is also, ammonium chloride, used in compounding rapid fixers.