Re: sensitizing for carbon

Charles Berger (cb@ultrastable.com)
Sat, 21 Dec 1996 16:12:34 -0700

Pollmeier Klaus wrote:
>
> Sandy asked: <Does the ammonia have any impact on image contrast? Logic would
> suggest that if the tissue is slower with ammonia the contrast will be
> increased? Is this so?>
>
> Yes. Low speed - high contrast.

> Klaus

Ammonia "slows" the tissue as a result of its raising the pH of the
dichromate sensitizer. Furthermore, the addition of ammonia to
dichromate also changes its color from a deep reddish-orange to a light
lemon yellow. This change in color reduces the light filtering effect
of the sensitizer, allowing the exposing light to penetrate more deeply
into the pigment film, resulting in an increase in "contrast".

Charles