Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Chemistry > Chemical formulae

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10th February 2015, 03:56 PM
ashfaque ashfaque is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bangladesh & UK
Posts: 127
Default Requesting open source Microphen formula

Hi Everyone,

I recently got my Microphen. It's a bit expensive - both money and time-wise. My friend brought it for me all the way from Germany. So can you please suggest a publicly available formula that is the closest to Microphen. Even better if you can share the Microphen formula. :P

Another simple query: How long does this 1 liter stock solution last if I were to keep it under the following conditions:
(1) half empty glass bottle with Butane gas to remove the air
(2) a relative humidity and temperature of up to 85-99% and 37 deg C., respectively. Perhaps, I'm thinking too much, but it's better to be aware of any potential issues before I make the stock solution. Thanks

Last edited by ashfaque; 10th February 2015 at 04:13 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10th February 2015, 05:10 PM
marty marty is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Italy
Posts: 340
Default

There you go, according to Anchell:
"Microphen type developer"
Water 125°F/52°C 750ml
Sodium Sulfite 100.0gr
Hydroquinone 5.0gr
Borax, granular 3.0gr
Boric Acid, granular 3.5gr
Potassium Bromide 1.0gr
Phenidone 0.2gr
Water to make 1.0lt

This is as close as we can go since the commercial patented formula is undisclosed. As for development times you'll have to test...
Anchell recommends 4 1/2' to 6' at 20°C for HP5+ rated at 650 in stock sol., or 8-11" 1:1, or 14-21' 1:3.

The commercial formula is guaranteed 6 mo. in full capped bottle or 1mo. if the bottle is not full.
That said more than a tiny hint of yellow and I'd toss it without looking back.
In the extreme conditions you mentioned I would be way more conservative than Ilford recommendation.

The home brew stock solution I don't expect to last as much gas or not, so I would use it in a short term.

Cheers, M.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10th February 2015, 06:01 PM
ashfaque ashfaque is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bangladesh & UK
Posts: 127
Default

Thanks a lot for the formula and the yellow thingy, Marty.

Just out of curiousity, is it possible to make the "microphen type developer" long lasting - say in propylene glycol? For e.g., like preparing Instant MYTOL in TEA and propylene glycol.

I should've mentioned that this will not be temperature and humidity inside the house as we have air conditioner set at 21-24 deg C. I hope it will not be a big problem for me.

Bests,

Ashfaque
__________________
Analogue in digital
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10th February 2015, 06:11 PM
Rob Archer's Avatar
Rob Archer Rob Archer is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Kings Lynn, Norfolk - flatlands and big skies.
Posts: 1,244
Default

I use this formula with the development test given by Ilford for Microphen. Gives lovely results with HP5+ at 800. As for keeping qualities I usually mix it up and do a batch of films and rarely keep it more than a week or so
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10th February 2015, 06:19 PM
marty marty is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Italy
Posts: 340
Default

You're welcome.
Using glycol might be possible but my chemisty knowledge unfortunately doesn't go beyond the basics...

M.-
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11th February 2015, 07:32 AM
ashfaque ashfaque is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bangladesh & UK
Posts: 127
Default

Rob and Marty: Thanks for your tips.

The longevity of the solution (of the open source version) is a bit of a problem. But shouldn't be a big deal as none of the ingredients is too toxic or expensive.

Bests,

Ashfaque
__________________
Analogue in digital
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11th February 2015, 06:40 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Midlands/Aegean
Posts: 1,988
Default This is Autophen NOT Microphen

Quote:
Originally Posted by marty View Post
There you go, according to Anchell:
"Microphen type developer"
Water 125°F/52°C 750ml
Sodium Sulfite 100.0gr
Hydroquinone 5.0gr
Borax, granular 3.0gr
Boric Acid, granular 3.5gr
Potassium Bromide 1.0gr
Phenidone 0.2gr
Water to make 1.0lt

This is as close as we can go since the commercial patented formula is undisclosed. As for development times you'll have to test...
Anchell recommends 4 1/2' to 6' at 20°C for HP5+ rated at 650 in stock sol., or 8-11" 1:1, or 14-21' 1:3.

The commercial formula is guaranteed 6 mo. in full capped bottle or 1mo. if the bottle is not full.
That said more than a tiny hint of yellow and I'd toss it without looking back.
In the extreme conditions you mentioned I would be way more conservative than Ilford recommendation.

The home brew stock solution I don't expect to last as much gas or not, so I would use it in a short term.

Cheers, M.

The above is the Axford & Kendall PQ photo finishing developer sold by Ilford as Autophen in powder and liquid form with a replenisher for top-up processors and another for bleed replenishment. Essentially it's a PQ version of ID-11. A series of articles in the BJP in the 1950's trace the way that Autophen was evolved from ID-11, written by Ilford chemists.

The US Photo Lab index mistakenly assumed it was Microphen. Steve Anchell has the correct formula in the DCB 3rd Edition.


The Microphen formula differs with less Sulphite which helps increase the effective film speed alongside the use of Phenidone. Ilford themselves pointed out when Microphen was launched that it was a new formula, they sold both Autophen and Microphen for some time.


ID68 / Microphen

Water 125°F/52°C 750 ml
Sodium Sulphite 85 g
Hydroquinone 5 g
Borax, granular 7 g
Boric Acid, granular 2 g
Potassium Bromide 1.g
Phenidone 0.13 g
Water to make 1 litre


ID-68 / Microphen Replenisher

Water 125°F/52°C 750 ml
Sodium Sulphite 85 g
Hydroquinone 8 g
Borax, granular 10 g
Phenidone 0.22 g
Water to make 1 litre

Times and uses as per Microphen.

Ian
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11th February 2015, 09:38 PM
ashfaque ashfaque is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bangladesh & UK
Posts: 127
Default

Thanks a lot, Ian. Any chance of making a concentrated (read 'long lasting') version of ID-68 (Microphen) alternative with glycerol, propylene glycol or anything else? I'm thinking of something like Jay DeFehr's super concentrated Obsidian Aqua - i.e., one shot developer.

Bests,

Ashfaque
__________________
Analogue in digital
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11th February 2015, 10:18 PM
marty marty is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Italy
Posts: 340
Default

Thank you for the clarification, Ian. I have in fact the 2nd edition of the Cookbook.

Cheers, M.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11th February 2015, 10:25 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Midlands/Aegean
Posts: 1,988
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashfaque View Post
Thanks a lot, Ian. Any chance of making a concentrated (read 'long lasting') version of ID-68 (Microphen) alternative with glycerol, propylene glycol or anything else? I'm thinking of something like Jay DeFehr's super concentrated Obsidian Aqua - i.e., one shot developer.

Bests,

Ashfaque
When I used Microphen/ID-68 regularly I used it replenished and it lasted a long time.

With that much Sodium sulphite making a concentrate would be difficult, solubility is 270g/l, you could make it up double strength, the increased Sulphite level would help it keep longer.

The reality nos though it keeps well I never had any go off. The usual reason developers don't keep is poor storage and that's usually due to using plastic bottles that allow slow permeation of Oxygen, low density plastics,. You need to use glass or high density plastics with tops that seal well.

Concentrated developers need a different approach.

Ian
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
butane, microphen, open source formula
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
UV light source Jack Lusted Alternate printing processes 37 5th January 2011 09:56 PM
Ilford ID-11 & Microphen, Batch-Numbers Recall. Keith Tapscott. Manufactured brews 11 6th September 2010 05:05 PM
HP5/Microphen? Richard L Monochrome Film 7 15th July 2010 08:44 AM
Ilford Microphen - The Old Days Mike O'Pray Photography in general 15 10th April 2010 06:11 PM
Microphen Formula pentaxpete Chemical formulae 5 15th March 2009 08:50 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 02:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.