Re: Palladium

Hello Jeffery,

Thanks for the information. I had originally thought about doing traditional
platinum/palladium prints and looking at the sensitizer formulas in the
appendix of Sullivan and Weeses' "The New Paltinum Print", I was wondering
if the sodium palladium chloride was a "shortcut" to the standard palladium
solution no. 3 (being a combination of palladium chloride and sodium
chloride). I was also wondering about the cost difference between the two
salts and whether it was better to buy one vs. the other (which one would
provide a greater number of prints to the gram). If the sodium palladium
chloride is the "shortcut" I thought it was, then the palladium chloride is
the better buy since I already have the sodium chloride. The problem was I
could find no mention on the net about using sodium palladium chloride in
the sensitizer.

If I go the route of the ziatype, which seems very likely since I work with
other POP processes, the above is pretty much a mote point. Temperature and
humidity are pretty stable (about 68F and 45-50%) year round so there
shouldn't be much deviation on those points. I plan on printing for neutral
to slightly cool tones.

In your opinion, are the prices Photographer's Formulary charges for
platinum and palladium relatively good? I was under the impression that
palladium was about 1/4 the cost of platinum but PF has platinum at about
$11 less than palladium. Is there a less expensive place you can recommend?
My thoughts were to buy around 50 grams at a time to get a better price.

Thanks again, Scott

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey D. Mathias" <jeffrey.d.mathias@att.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2004 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: Palladium

> Scott wrote:
> > I'm interested in beginning work with palladium printing (speciffically
> > Ziatype). I see that Photographer's Formulary lists Palladium II
> > Chloride and Sodium Palladium Chloride. Which is the prefered metal salt
> > and what would the differences be between the two salts?
>
> The first is PdCl2,
> the second Na2PdCl4
>
> The double salts of palladium are usually very hydrophilic, meaning they
> like to adsorb water. This can make for difficulties in weighing out
> proper amounts. Therefore, it is recommended to buy PdCl2 and whatever
> chloride salt is to be used.
>
> This brings up the second point. The type of variation on the PtPd
> process to which you refer typically uses the double salt Li2PdCl4. The
> lithium salt (LiCl2) is used. Complete directions for weighing and
> mixing solutions can be found in my e-guide from the link at the end of
> this message. One reason for the use of the lithium salt is that it is
> thought to help retain moisture in the coating which is important if
> looking to get the more neutral or bluish colors. Although other salts
> may be used with various effects. Another reason is that it is thought
> that the lithium salt helps with the printing out process. This however
> is more of a factor of the sensitizer used, that is ammonium ferric
oxalate.
>
> As you may expect the salts are interchangeable as well as the
> sensitizers and can even be used in combinations producing various
> results. However, only some of the many combinations give full printing
> out results.
>
> With lithium especially, note that your ambient relative humidity during
> coating and exposure can provide a variety of results. Also be
> concerned that ambient temperature plays a part. I have found the best
> consistency at temperatures in the low 60s F. Higher temperatures can
> produce a variety of problems. Lower temperaturs do not seem to be a
> problem until low enough to cause precipitation of the solutions
> (something to also be concerned of with saturated solutions.)
>
> --
> Jeffrey D. Mathias
> http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/
>
>
Received on Mon Jan 5 18:34:11 2004