The role of paper in RC paper

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

I was reading about the Ilfochrome process the other day, and saw that it was a 100% polyester base, with emulsion on top of it. Which made me think: why is there a paper base in RC paper? Why don't companies go all plastic, if the paper is not for absorbing chemicals the way FB paper does. Is it only a cost/environment question?

 

[Photo Engineer]

Cost, environment and feel. RC feels a bit more like paper. Just a bit more especially compared to an Ilfochrome print.

Ilfocolor is forced to be on that support, as the process would dissolve RC or FB due to the high acidity.

PE

 

[roteague]

Cost, environment and feel. RC feels a bit more like paper. Just a bit more especially compared to an Ilfochrome print.

Ilfocolor is forced to be on that support, as the process would dissolve RC or FB due to the high acidity.

PE

Interesting, Fujichrome Supergloss is also on a polyester base, but doesn't use the dyes that Ilfochrome uses.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Interesting, Fujichrome Supergloss is also on a polyester base, but doesn't use the dyes that Ilfochrome uses.

That is merely a choice, not a requirement.

PE

 

[roteague]

That is merely a choice, not a requirement.

PE

I wonder if Fuji is just trying to get the look and feel of Ilfochrome.

 

[Lopaka]

I wonder if Fuji is just trying to get the look and feel of Ilfochrome.

Fujichrome is a dye coupler process like the discontinued Kodak product. Ilfochrome incorporates azo dyes in the print material. The Fuji product used R3 chemistry which is no longer made - so it would seem the paper no longer has a use.

Bob

 

[glennfromwy]

I have heard of folks who, after processing, peel the poly layer and emulsion off the paper. I don't know what the do with it, though.

 

[L Gebhardt]

Cost, environment and feel. RC feels a bit more like paper. Just a bit more especially compared to an Ilfochrome print.

Ilfocolor is forced to be on that support, as the process would dissolve RC or FB due to the high acidity.

PE

Do you mean Ilfochrome? If so what is the support for the RC Ilfochrome papers. It seems just like RC color paper, but with a thicker emulsion layer (takes much longer to dry).

 

[Photo Engineer]

Sorry, I did mean Ilfochrome. Typo I didn't catch.

Ilford (Ciba) uses an entirely artificial polymeric support that is resistant to the pH 1 Sulfamic acid or Sulfuric acid used in the dye bleach bath. This is a requirement, as other types of real paper or laminates like RC will decompose or frill in the acid bath.

It has up to 3 extra layers compared to chromogenic color papers, to avoid the speed loss due to having incorporated dyes. Therefore, it is rather thick. Also, the extremes in pH will cause a lot of swell.

PE