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What purpose does the viscosity of HC-110 serve?

cmacd123

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I have been using the freestyle variant that subsitutes for HC-110, (Kentmere K-110, soon to be Legacy Pro whatever) I ran low and bought a bottle of Kodak HC-110 from the local chain store.

The Freestyle stuff is fairly easy to measure and mix coming as a "normal" concentrate. The Kodak Seems to have an extra ingredient or two that make it pour like corn syrup. I was finding I was having to run all the dilution water through the small graduate that I used to measure the concentrate. The K-110 on the other hand almost all poored out of the garduate and their was no residue with just one rince.

I know Kodak spends a lot on product development so WHY did that add this feature to HC-110 which to my limited observation makes it significantly harder to use compaired to the Substitute, which seems to produce rather similar results.
 
Just to note: it is a concentrate meant to mix up to a "stock solution". From there, you dilute further to make a "working solution". It wasn't really meant to be measured out as concentrate.

Jon
 
K-110 is the copy. HC-110 was originally meant to be diluted 1:4 then further diluted for use. But most figured to just do the final dilution and skip making the so call stock solution. That 'thick' stuff prevents oxidation and it helps establish the pH of the working solution.

Get a syringe for child cough syrup dosing. Will have a stopper to that will allow you to dose the few ml you need and then plunger it out. No need for a graduate or lots of water to get it all into the tank.
 
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Meauring HC-110 can be easily done with a syringe. It is not so easy with a measuring cylinder though, as bubbles can make measurement inaccurate. The syrupy nature is due to the high concentration and this the main reason for it's legendary long shelf life until diluted for use with water.
 
Add HC110 syrup to water in graduate

I've been using my HC110 in a different way recently, and it seems to be working.

First, I transfer the HC110 to smaller bottles with caps that permit pouring small quantities, or a pump bottle (see photos below).

Then I take a small Paterson 45ml graduate and put a quantity (usually 24 or 30 ml) of 20 C water into it.

Then I slowly add the HC110 to the graduate, at 6ml per roll, until the volume is up to the proper indication (30 ml, 36 ml, 42 ml or ?).

Then I rinse the graduate several times into my larger graduate, using 20 C water. Finally, I add enough 20 C water to bring the total volume and dilution to my final target (I've standardized on 1 part HC110 syrup plus 49 parts water, or just about dilution E).

I waste a little bit of the syrup by transferring it, but I'm willing to accept that.

Matt

PS as I understand it, HC110 is as viscous as it is because it contains no water, and it is that lack of water that gives it it's long life
 

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If you think HC-110 is viscous, try PC-TEA. Actually, HC-110 is sort of like a mutated version of "PQ-Glycol"...

...OK, I'm exaggerating a little. But if you believe the formula in Anchell & Troop, HC-110 basically consists of P and Q in a base of glycols, with some sulfite, a couple of accelerants, and an antifoggant. I've always assumed the viscosity of the concentrate basically comes from the glycol base, and while it could obviously be thinned by diluting it, that would give up the longevity advantage of using the organic solvents in place of water.

That's my half-baked theory, anyway.

-NT
 
The “viscous stuff” serves a double purpose; 1. is the main alkali for the development (similar to triethanolamine TEA) and 2 prevents the oxidation of the developer agents, thus giving it a very long shelf life (low water activity)
 
Keeps it from running off the pancakes...
 
Hi people's, this is Vaughn's son, Bryce and I just wanted to say hi and that I have good grades!
 
I'm so bored right now, don't tell my dad that I'm on here. -Bryce
 
Well, well, obviously I need to teach my son, Bryce, a few things about the internet...and perhaps something about HC-110 one of these days...LOL!

Vaughn
 
The high viscosity allows the use of diethylene glycol as solvent and diethylamine as alkali in the concentrate.
 
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