Sodium Sulfate?

pgomena · Feb 2, 2017

I recently was given a sealed gallon jar of sodium sulfate. Big, thick, light-brown flakes. I have never used this chemical in photographic processing and outside of perhaps a toner formula, I don't know what it might be used for. Would someone clue me in please?

dE fENDER · Feb 2, 2017

It's rather useless in photography. It can be added to some b/w film developer at about 20-40g per liter, if you are going to develop at high temperature (25-30 C) as emulsion hardener.

Gerald C Koch · Feb 2, 2017

Doesn't sound like sodium sulfate but more like sodium sulfide. The sulfate would never be brown flakes. The description sounds more like sodium sulfide especially if a toner formula is given on the jar.

Bob Carnie · Feb 2, 2017

pgomena said:
I recently was given a sealed gallon jar of sodium sulfate. Big, thick, light-brown flakes. I have never used this chemical in photographic processing and outside of perhaps a toner formula, I don't know what it might be used for. Would someone clue me in please?

If it smells like rotten eggs then it probablly is sodium sulfide, use in sepia toning

pgomena · Feb 3, 2017

My mistake, it is indeed sodium sulfide. I now have enough of that ingredient to make a boatload of sepia toner, I guess.

Rudeofus · Feb 3, 2017

Yes, sepia toner for prints, and for black&white slides, of course. Please look at safety and handling instructions carefully, Sodium Sulfide is not your friend if you don't treat it nicely: keep in firmly sealed container sitting in a cool, dry place, solutions always alkaline, not neutral or acidic, ideally used in tanks, not trays. Hydrogen Sulfide is about as toxic as Hydrogen Cyanide!

jim appleyard · Feb 3, 2017

Isn't this the chemical you're supoposed to keep away from photo materials like paper and film? IIRC, this stuff will fog film & paper.

RauschenOderKorn · Feb 3, 2017

jim appleyard said:
Isn't this the chemical you're supoposed to keep away from photo materials like paper and film? IIRC, this stuff will fog film & paper.

Yes, the fumes will fog photographic materials.

pgomena · Feb 3, 2017

Aha! Well, since it's sealed, I'll leave it that way and pass it on to someone who wants it.

darkroommike · Feb 3, 2017

Can it also be used in second developers for reversal processing. If you want a browntone?

Gerald C Koch · Feb 3, 2017

darkroommike said:
Can it also be used in second developers for reversal processing. If you want a browntone?

Yes several uses. It can be used to produce very lovely sepia colored slides. It will act as a fogging developer. You can also use it to test for residual silver in film and prints. Also to tone prints.

Sodium Sulfate?

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