Re: Palladium

Scott,

A good source is Engelhard. Current price is about $8 a gram for
Palladium (II) Chloride.

Contact information is:

        Engelhard Corp.
        554 Engelhard Drive
        Seneca, South Carolina 29678
        (800) 336-8559
        (864) 882-9841

Rick Clayton is at extension 4. Several people on this list report
good dealings with Mr. Clayton.

Just remember that you should mix all of the 50 grams into solution
fairly soon after purchase because palladium (II) chloride is
unstable in the powder state.

Sandy King

>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 20:46:46 2004