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Wetting agents in Ilford films?

KOG

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DFW - TX
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Do all Ilford films have wetting agents incorporated in the emulsion?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Why do you ask?
 
I don't know if all Ilford Film Emulsions do but HP5, FP4 & Delta 100 do (thankfully)

It isn't so much a Wetting Agent like Photo Flo but a surface tension breaker which allows more even absorption of developer when first immersed.

Martin
 
All films manufactured today contain wetting agents. It is an essential part of the manufacturing process.

PE
 
A wetting agent is needed to coat any film or paper properly. Without a wetting agent, the coating has many many defects. Often, wetting agents have an influence on processing and a number of patents have been granted on this subject. One single chemical has many uses sometimes. Kodak has used wetting agents for nearly 100 years in all films and papers. Both Kodak and Ilford use many of the same wetting agents or combinations of these agents.

PE
 

How does a buit-in wetting agent affect the use of a final wetting agent such as PhotoFlo?
 
Not at all. All wetting agents, by their nature, are water soluable. Those incorporated in coatings wash out during processing. Since they are generally high in molecular weight, this may be a slow or fast process depending on wetting agent and coating thickness. In many cases, the wetting agent is the same as Photo Flo in many ways.

PE
 
KOG said:
I had read that Delta 100 & 400 had wetting agents in them, but not sure if FP4+ and HP5+ also had them.
Click to expand...

The use of wetting agents in an emulsion for coating reasons has long since ceased being a "charm" or sales point, so I suspect whatever you read was in relationship to better processing. Is that correct? Just curious, but what exactly did it say?

Ray
 

I am not concerned with any marketing points.

Trying to determine why I get more density and higher film speed with Delta 100 & 400 then with FP4+ or other films. The developer (D-76h 1:1) and processing steps (no pre-wet, Ilford time recommendations for each film, etc.) were the same for all films

Each film printed the same scene with basically the same contrast range, so increasing the developing time of FP4+ is not an option.

This was my first time using the Delta films, and I am trying to figure them out.
 
Tom;

It is more than just wetting agents, as they mostly wash out during processing. It has to do with overall hardness, thickness and a whole host of other factors.

PE
 

I don't see why you would even consider increasing the developing time of FP4+... since it is the delta films you are new to...
Are you unhappy that they are different?
Do you want them to be the same?

What am I missing?
 
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