Formulary TEA now 85%

[ntenny]

This might be old news, but I just opened a bottle of TEA from the Formulary (bought about a year ago), and the contents were much thinner than past batches. Previously, I’ve found their TEA very difficult to draw into a syringe, and this batch flowed right up, about like the old HC-110 syrup. My ascorbic acid also seemed to dissolve faster in it than I’m used to, but that may be just because the stirrer had an easier time spinning in the thinner medium.

Checking the SDS revealed that the Formulary now list their TEA at 85%, with the rest claimed to be diethanolamine. I’m pretty sure it used to be listed higher. I went ahead and mixed up a batch of PC-TEA as usual, and my test roll looks fine to the eye, but I wonder if there are photographic implications to this change. Has anyone done real testing on developers mixed with 85% TEA vs. higher concentrations?

-NT

 

[John Wiegerink]

This might be old news, but I just opened a bottle of TEA from the Formulary (bought about a year ago), and the contents were much thinner than past batches. Previously, I’ve found their TEA very difficult to draw into a syringe, and this batch flowed right up, about like the old HC-110 syrup. My ascorbic acid also seemed to dissolve faster in it than I’m used to, but that may be just because the stirrer had an easier time spinning in the thinner medium.

Checking the SDS revealed that the Formulary now list their TEA at 85%, with the rest claimed to be diethanolamine. I’m pretty sure it used to be listed higher. I went ahead and mixed up a batch of PC-TEA as usual, and my test roll looks fine to the eye, but I wonder if there are photographic implications to this change. Has anyone done real testing on developers mixed with 85% TEA vs. higher concentrations?

-NT

The viscosity changes with temperature variations also.

 

[ntenny]

The viscosity changes with temperature variations also.

True. The temperature in my darkroom is very stable, though, and this is clearly much thinner than the old stuff in an apples-to-apples comparison.

-NT

 

[dcy]

The viscosity changes with temperature variations also.

Only gradually. I'm sure OP's darkroom isn't at 60°C.

 

[dcy]

Checking the SDS revealed that the Formulary now list their TEA at 85%, with the rest claimed to be diethanolamine. I’m pretty sure it used to be listed higher. I went ahead and mixed up a batch of PC-TEA as usual, and my test roll looks fine to the eye, but I wonder if there are photographic implications to this change.

Well, I guess I won't be buying my next batch of TEA from PF. I do not have the energy to try and figure out if or how to adjust the PC-TEA recipe or the way I use it in order to compensate for adulterated ingredients. ArtCraft chemicals has TEA.