Re: LC-1 developer question
The solubility of sodium sulfite is above 120g/l at room temperature, and sodium sulfite does not make needle shaped crystals. Needle shaped crystals are more likely Metol, or mixed crystal of Metol and hydroquinone. The solubility of these organics are significantly lower at a lower pH, and also with a high salt content (which is provided by sulfite). Developing agents that are more soluble than Metol are, almost always, less effective and less potent than Metol as a developing agent. One exception is the agents of Phenidone family, discovered in 1940s. Historically, developers in liquid concentrate form did not come to a widespread practice until 1960s, when people became increasingly lazy, and when Phenidone became commercially manufactured. Now, if I want to bring powder developers to the market to save fuel consumption during transportation, reduce the number of plastic bottles that will have to be recycled, and prolong the shelf life of the developer, all in the interest of better overall environmental impacts, the business people tell me that's not going to sell at all. -- Ryuji Suzuki "Make something religious and people don't have to deal with it, they can say it's irrelevant." (Bob Dylan, Biograph booklet, 1985)
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