Does cold affect HC-110 concentrate?

Does anyone know? I have a couple of bottles on the way from Freestyle, but the weather's cold, around freezing here and who knows what's going on between CA and MA. Kodak's datasheet doesn't say anything on the subject.

Thanks!

I truly wouldn't worry about it, that stuff could survive the apocalypse...

I checked the MSDS and could find no warnings about cold temperatures.

msds provides safety information only

case and bottles say "store in a cool place"

contents indicate both water AND ethylene glycol--just like car anti-freeze.

never seen anything warning about freeze damage to this product--ever.

As others have noted, I doubt your HC-110 will be any the worse for wear. The only thing I could see happening is a bit of crystallization, which could be remedied with household room temperature and a gentle swirling around in the bottle. It's a poor photographer's lava lamp!

I kept an opened bottle of HC-110 in an unheated garage in Vermont for a winter. The stuff still seems fine.

Since the solvent used is most likely propylene glycol which is used as anti-freeze in RV water tanks, cold will do it no harm.

johnielvis said:

msds provides safety information only

Click to expand...

This is a common mis-understanding, An MSDS provides much more than just safety information. It may include such things as the chemical formula, molecular weight, specific gravity of solutions, melting and boiling points, odor, physical appearance, storage concerns, etc.

From the HC-110 MSDS

Physical form: liquid
Colour: brown
Odour: amine
Specific gravity: 1.20
Vapour pressure (at 20.0 °C (68.0 °F)) : 24 mbar (18.0 mm Hg)
Vapour density: 0.6
Volatile fraction by weight: 65 %
Boiling point/range: > 100.0 °C (> 212.0 °F)
Water solubility: complete
pH: 9.5
Flash point: does not flash
Stability: Not fully evaluated. Materials containing similar structural groups can decompose if heated.
Incompatibility: Strong oxidizing agents. Contact with acids liberates toxic gas.

I have been storing HC110 in my basement (ranges from 60-65F) for a couple of years and there was about 1/2" of gel in the bottom of an unopened bottle. I couldn't dislodge it without hot water. I decanted the liquid part to other small containers and tested the developer. Seems to be okay but I feel a bit antsy about using it for anything critical. YMMV....

Fred Aspen said:

I have been storing HC110 in my basement (ranges from 60-65F) for a couple of years and there was about 1/2" of gel in the bottom of an unopened bottle. I couldn't dislodge it without hot water. I decanted the liquid part to other small containers and tested the developer. Seems to be okay but I feel a bit antsy about using it for anything critical. YMMV....

Click to expand...

Same here. Except my unopened bottle has been in the refrigerator for around 6 years (I got hooked on XTOL instead). The gel is not visible because it has the same colour as the liquid. But when I turned the bottle upside-down just now, it was obvious. Hmm, maybe this stuff shouldn't be stored cold.

Mark Overton

Try warming it and agitating gently. See if the gel re-dissolves.