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  #1  
Old 6th February 2020, 10:34 AM
Benny Benny is offline
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Default Salt Printing question

Hi all,
I have recently started salt printing after buying a kit from fotospeed in the UK. The kit specifies that it requires Ammonia to be added to the silver nitrate. I have had a look online, and by my understanding it is Ammonium Chloride I require, which I now have in crystal form.
I can't seem to find a strength for the solution, and was wondering if anyone would know the dilution.
Many thanks

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Old 6th February 2020, 02:43 PM
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johnmargetts johnmargetts is offline
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Adding the ammonia slowly until the precipitate redissolved increase the sensitivity of the salt paper - and it is ammonia, not ammonium chloride. It is not necessary - the system works fine with salt and silver nitrate.

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Old 6th February 2020, 02:47 PM
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Thanks for the reply. I will order some straight ammonia, I spoke to customer service at fotospeed, who were great, and talked me through it.
I did try to mix ammonium chloride and the silver nitrate solution, wouldn't recommend it! Not quite sure what I created, but suffice to say, I declined to coat my paper in it!

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Old 7th February 2020, 08:53 PM
DavidMB DavidMB is offline
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Ammonia plus Silver Nitrate makes what I used to use as Tollen's Reagent for chamical analysis. We always had to be careful with left over reagent as if allowed to dry out forms highly explosive Silver Nitride adding dilute acid prevents the formation of that. Adding Ammonium Chloride to Silver Nitrate will give you Silver Chloride and the slightly less explosive Ammonium Nitrate.
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Old 10th February 2020, 02:13 PM
Benny Benny is offline
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I can only seem to find ammonia solution at a max strength of 33-34%, I'm sure I was advised 37%. Not quite sure if it will work, but will give it a go.
If anyone knows where to get 37% strength in the UK it would be appreciated.

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Old 10th February 2020, 03:11 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Boots used to sell all sorts of useful items like Ammonia, but I was told they stopped that practice years ago.

The Range have it listed on their website, for just a couple of quid, but my local branch doesn't stock it.

Only other place I've seen it, is on ebay, (search: liquid ammonia) but you'd have to email the seller to ask your question. The cheapest listed on there is:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ammonia-E...cAAOSw8e5a4QhT

This is still cheap but is dearer because of weight and i.e. postage.

Terry S
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Old 10th February 2020, 06:31 PM
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B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
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I usually mix the silver nitrate in a citric acid solution (aka Christopher James) which has worked for me.

But best stick with what FotoSpeed say if you are working from their kit.

Neil.
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Old 10th February 2020, 07:38 PM
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Thanks for the replies, I will have a look at the citric acid option, may be a good alternative.

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Old 10th February 2020, 08:24 PM
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B&W Neil B&W Neil is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Benny View Post
Thanks for the replies, I will have a look at the citric acid option, may be a good alternative.

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This is what I used for coating Fabriano Classico HP paper:

25ml H20 + 5g silver nitrate

25ml H2O + 3g citric acid

Mix the two solutions separately then combine.

NB.
Best to use distilled or deionised water.

The 5g of silver nitrate worked well with Fabriano – it may need adjusting with other papers.

Neil.
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Old 10th February 2020, 08:36 PM
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Thanks Neil, I will give it a shot!

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