Sodium Sulphide (Flake) question.

[Keith Tapscott.]

Can sodium Sulphide Flake be used to make a direct sulphide toner?
I know that Potassium Polysulphide is suitable, but is difficult to find in dry form.

 

[koraks]

Yes. Works.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

You can make your own polysulphide toner concentrate quite easily:

Kodak Polytoner and alternative sepia/sulfide toners

There may be a substantial difference, whether you use this substitute directly or indirectly. Used directly the Ammonium Thiosulfate probably doesn't hurt at all, whereas it could make indirect toning a gamble. As I always used it directly, that was never a question to me. But if you want to...

www.photrio.com

 

[Rudeofus]

There's a toner formula using Sodium Sulfide posted here. Please keep that Sodium Sulfide solution alkaline at all times, since Hydrogen Sulfide is quite poisonous. Please read all the safety information you can find before you use this compound. If you can get Thiourea, this would be much preferred, just a bit more difficult to use, yet a lot safer.

 

[Keith Tapscott.]

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to know if it can be used as a direct toner without bleaching the image first.

 

[john_s]

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to know if it can be used as a direct toner without bleaching the image first.

The link above of Raghu Kuvempunagar does that. The simple direct brown toner formulas are polysulphide in a very alkaline solution. For example, the MSDS of Agfa Viradon (later version without selenium) shows potassium polysulphide in a solution at pH 11.4 (stock). It's diluted for use.

I personally prefer the brown of the direct toner to the sepia versions.