Understanding Ilfosol-S

[Alan Johnson]

Ilfosol-S is obsolete,replaced by Ilfosol-3.
I opened an old bottle of Ilfosol-S,probably at least 2 years old.The concentrate,measured pH~9.5,has gone Rodinal-like orange,but diluted 1+9 it still developed film OK,though I cannot measure density.
This suggests that by keeping air out it might be possible to make a home brew ascorbate acutance developer pH~10 ,that could,say,be kept in sealed bottles or under inert gas.Here is the msds of Ilfosol-S:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/pdf/msds/ilford/ILFOSOL-S.PDF
It's a question of what could be simplified or left out:
(1)Why hydroquinone,is it a preservative?
(2)1 phenyl 4 methyl etc is dimezone-S,could it be replaced by phenidone?
(3)Dietylenetriamine etc -is this just to treat tapwater?
(4)Phenylmercapto etc -is this an anti foggant?
(5)Sodium Acetate -what does that do?
It may be the manufacturers technology is so far ahead of what is generally known that some of these questions cannot be answered,but all efforts appreciated,thanks.

 

[Ian Grant]

It's probably better to go back to the original roots, Ilfosol was a Phenidone Glycin developer, but some Glycin developers keep badly and suffer sudden death.

Dimezone & Phenidone can be switched, the acetate is a buffer, why is there ascorbate as well as Hydroquinone, there's 3 developing agents, many answers are in the fact that Ilfosol S was a replacement for Ilfosol II and so ultimately the original Ilfosol, they are trying to emulate or improve on some of the original qualities.

Ian

 

[brianmquinn]

Here are my ideas on what they maybe for. I don't know anything for sure:
(1)Why hydroquinone,is it a preservative?
(A)No, it it a developer.
(2)1 phenyl 4 methyl etc is dimezone-S,could it be replaced by phenidone?
(A) I don't know.
(3)Dietylenetriamine etc -is this just to treat tapwater?
(A) No, it is a base to adjust Ph.
(4)Phenylmercapto etc -is this an anti foggant?
(A) I don't know. But I am sure it stinks.
(5)Sodium Acetate -what does that do?
(A) Maybe works with (3) to buffer the solution.

Also "This suggests that by keeping air out it might be possible to make a home brew ascorbate acutance developer pH~10 ,that could,say,be kept in sealed bottles or under inert gas."
(A) Xtol is just that and there are home brew formulas for Xtol. I have mixed the Kodak packets of Xtol and stored the stock in small full glass bottles (about 330ml) for years. Works fine even years after I mixed it. No inert gas, just several glass bottles. 330 ml Perrier bottles from Sam's club are my bottles of choice.

 

[Alan Johnson]

Thanks for the info regarding the ingredients that are buffers,they can be replaced by carbonate/bicarbonate.
Phenylmercaptotetrazole is almost certainly an antifoggant, a search reveals.It can be left out,as can benzotriazole to start with.
Xtol & Mytol are solvent developers pH~8, I am looking to make low sulfite acutance developer substitute for Ilfosol-S ,pH~10.
DS-2 here seems the nearest, Ryuji Suzuki details it:
www.apug.org/forums/forum37/8897-ds-12-stock.html
Metol...................0.4g
Ascorbic acid.........1.0g
Sodium Carbonate...4.0g
Sodium Bicarbonate.1.0g
Sodium Sulfite........20.0g
Water to 1 liter (target pH 9.8)
Make a 5x concentrate.
I will make a second lot with some hydroquinone added to see if that improves the keeping properties.I realise that de-aerated Xtol keeps OK at pH~8 but at pH~10 hydrolysis cannot be ruled out.
Any comments on this?