I once
had occasion so soak some whites (laundry) in household bleach & water for
hours. The clothing, cotton and cotton/poly, came out of the following
wash with some tears in the fabric. The clothing proceeded to disintegrate
in subsequent washings.
I
could not find much info on the internet for the phenomena of bleach-rot, but
this article discusses it and mentions two "stop-action" chemicals to clear
bleach (Bleach-Stop and Anti-Chlor).
Javelle water sounds very close to (if not the same thing as)
"household
chlorine bleach" (6% sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) -per Wikipedia) and
would similarly be a strong oxidizer. So I would think
twice before soaking a cotton-fiber paper in "Javelle water," except for a
short period of time in a low dilution, followed with a reducing stop and long
wash. Even contemporary spot bleaching, etc., gives me the
willies.
It could be that there are no surviving Arvel prints
because of the oxidative chemistry involved.
- Dan
-----Original Message----- From:
John Grocott [mailto:john.grocott403@ntlworld.com] Sent: Monday,
November 26, 2007 5:57 AM To:
alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca Subject: Re: Eau de Javelle ( Javel
)
Javelle water or Javel water (both: zh?vel`), Fr. eau de Javelle,
aqueous solution of sodium or potassium hypochlorite. It was originally
made near the French town of Javelle (now part of Paris) and was the first
chemical bleach, a use first demonstrated by C. L. Berthollet in 1785. It
was produced by passing chlorine gas through a water solution of potash
(potassium carbonate potassium carbonate, chemical compound, K2CO3, white,
crystalline, deliquescent substance that forms a strongly alkaline water
solution. It is available commercially as a white, granular powder
commonly called potash, or pearl
ash. After the invention of bleaching
powder bleaching powder, white or nearly white powder that is usually a
mixture of calcium chloride hypochlorite, CaCl(OCl); calcium hypochlorite,
Ca(OCl)2; and calcium chloride,
CaCl2. Javelle water was
sometimes produced by reacting the bleaching powder with potash or soda
ash (sodium carbonate sodium carbonate, chemical compound, Na2CO3, soluble
in water and very slightly soluble in alcohol. Pure sodium carbonate is a
white, odorless powder that absorbs moisture from the air, has an alkaline
taste, and forms a strongly alkaline
water. Now usually sodium hypochlorite
solution, it is used in bleaching bleaching, process of whitening by
chemicals or by exposure to sun and air, commonly applied to textiles,
paper pulp, wheat flour, petroleum products, oils and fats, straw, hair,
feathers, and wood. and as a
disinfectant.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 12:10
PM
Subject: Eau de Javelle ( Javel )
Hi,
Since someone may be interested in Javel Water, its mentioned on
the Internet and also by Lluis Nadeau, ''Gum Dichromate'' 1 9 8 7
. Page 7 6. ''ARVEL''
Quote:-
'' For a period of about fifteen years preceding World
War 11 the Fabrique de papier FRESSON commercialized a
''different'' Direct Carbon paper called ARVEL. In an attempt to do
away with the sawdust development, the paper was exposed under a negative
for a period considerably longer than usual i.e. 5 to 20 times
longer. After exposure, the paper was soaked in a 3 to
4% solution of Javelle water and the (relatively ) unhardened parts of
the image were then dissolved, leaving a positive image.''
......................................................................
I guess there must have been a great number of photographers making
successful Arvel prints over this 15 year period of time. Where
are they, now.........the prints and the photographers ?
John - Photographist - London - UK.
..................................................................................
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 10:00 AM
Subject: Re: Eau de Javel if you are interested.
> Hi Chris and
ALL, >
Nice with a dash of lemon on a sunny summer > day. > I wonder
if anyone on this list has ever used this refreshing cocktail ? ? >
Spelt with two ''L 's'', of course. > > Chin, chin.
Down the hatch ! > Seasonal greetings. > John. Photographist -
London - UK > > E.J.Wall's Dictionary of Photography , eighteen
ninety seven gives :- > ''Eau de Javelle is used for eliminating the
last traces of hypo from the > film, and also for reducing over-dense
negatives, its action being due to > hypochlorous acid. It is a
solution containing an alkaline hypochlorite, > and can be made as
follows :-----'' > > Chloride of lime
.............................
2 ozs. > Carbonate of potash
............................. 4 ozs > Water
......................................................40 ozs. >
> Agitate the chloride of lime with 30 ozs. water, dissolve the
potash in the > remainder, mix and filter. >
............................................................................................ >
----- Original Message ----- > From: "Christina Z. Anderson" <zphoto@montana.net> > To:
"Alt, List" <alt-photo-process-L@usask.ca> >
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 3:26 AM > Subject: Eau de Javel if you
are interested. > > >> For what it is worth--eau de
Javel (one "l" is the correct spelling so the >> article says) is
said to be 4 g. sodium carbonate and 3 g. sodium >> hypochlorite
mixed each separately with a bit of water and then combined >> in
a total water amount of 500ml. This was used to develop "direct
>> carbon" prints or paper such as Fresson, Arvel, Artigue, also a
couple >> "direct carbon" papers from Germany
(Hochheimer-Gummidruckpapier and >> Buhler's direct carbon
paper). These are prints made with gelatin, not >>
gum. This is with a 6 min sun exposure in summer, a 2-3% pot bi
>> sensitizer. Eau was put in a tray and print face down in
it.This comes >> from a 1943 article in the BJP. I am going back
through about 200 sources >> I have on gum and this doesn't apply
to me per se but thought someone >> might have use for it before I
toss it.
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