Dissolved 2 Litre Graduated Cylinder

Kilgallb · Nov 15, 2008

I have several plastic graduted cylinders for photographic use. A few weeks ago I mixed Dektol, D76, Kodak Hypo Clear and Kodak Rapid Fixer. I thought I had cleaned the 2 liter cylinder thouroughly after each chemical. Or so I though.

I week later a reached for it and discovered white crystals at the bottom of the cyclinder and the plastic had become very soft. It was like I had throw acetone in the product. (I do not have acetone in the house)

There is no residual odour. Does anyone have a clue what can cause this. The last chemical mixed was Kodak Hypo Clear Agent. Obviously I have to do a better job cleaning. Could the residual from a poorly mixed product do this?

Ian Grant · Nov 15, 2008

Over time many plastics break-down. I've certainly had early plastic measures appear to crumble and perish. Sounds like it's time to throw away and buy new ones.

Ian

Kilgallb · Nov 15, 2008

Ian Grant said:
Over time many plastics break-down. I've certainly had early plastic measures appear to crumble and perish. Sounds like it's time to throw away and buy new ones.

Ian

Actually, it was only one year old. It was not a clear hard plastic but a translucent white plastic similar to what they use to make tupper ware or plastic combs.

Ian Grant · Nov 15, 2008

Then it shouldn't react with any photographic chemical, but I guess it might depend on where it was made and what quality of plastic was used.

Ian

Poohblah · Nov 15, 2008

could be that the base of the cylinder came in contact with a heat source or was heated in some other manner (possibly from an exothermic reaction taking place while mixing chemicals)

Nicholas Lindan · Nov 15, 2008

Sounds like it was made of polyethylene and nothing in the chemicals you have listed should have attacked it. I have had PE go gooey with long exposure to S. Hydroxide / Lye.

pentaxuser · Nov 15, 2008

This has prompted me to check both my Paterson containers which sound as if they are just like yours. Both have faint marks on the bottom like scouring marks, suggesting that at some stage I have made these with a cleaning sponge which is designed for non scratch surfaces such as Teflon.

It may be that such sponges can mark plastic but whether this was simply caused by "elbow grease" or made worse by slight softening of the plastic due to chemicals I don't know.

Anyway no harm has been done and at this rate it will take many years before the plastic wears away. If your containers are actually going soft after one year and you have only ever used the kind of chemicals they were designed for then you may have a case against the supplier.

I'd raise the issue with whomsoever they were purchased from.

pentaxuser

Claire Senft · Nov 16, 2008

Sounds very much as if you had purchased and used a piece of crap.

Ian Grant · Nov 16, 2008

Claire's comment is probably apt because quite strong & also concentrated solutions of many acids like Hydrochloric, Hyrofluoric and Nitric as well as corrosives like Sodium Hydroxide and Sodium Hypochlorite are commonly sold & stored in plastic containers and these have a shelf long life.

It's far more likely that the cylinder was made of an inappropriate material.

Ian

Phillip P. Dimor · Nov 16, 2008

Kodak made a real nice graduated cylinder back in the day. My dad used one to mix his drinks. Beautiful, thick glass. And their stirrers, even the ones from the 70s with the spring at the end.. I still use mine.

Ah well. I've a Paterson one, bought it used too. It's fine. I do get white crud and I mix a lot of the typical stuff (d76, stop, fix, rapid fix, rodinal, pmk, hc110, sepia/polytoner, selenium) etc. Mine is still good, it's old.. Usually the bottom edges get cracked off, the top gets chipped away, etc.

I'm not sure what to say, i've seen ones become brittle after being used at school darkrooms for years. One at our lab had been used for E6 and it was crusty and funny but not dissolved.

Dissolved 2 Litre Graduated Cylinder

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