An Experimental Study of the Problems at High Temperature Developments

Rochester Institute of Technology

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Theses

Thesis/Dissertation Collections

1965

An Experimental Study of the Problems at High

Temperature Developments

Pravin Lalwani

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AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OP THE

PROBLEMS AT HIGH TEMPERATURE DEVELOPMENTS

A THESIS

PRESENTED TO THE

THESIS COMMITTEE

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OP TECHNOIOGY

ROCHESTER,

NEW YORK

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE

BACHELOR OP SCIENCE IN PRINTING

By

Pravin C. Lalwani

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Introduction _I

The

Experiment

1

Discussion

4

Results ₁₁

Conclusion

14

Bibliography

15

Acknowledgements

17

List

of

Tables

Table Page

List of Figures

Figure

1M&

I The unit used to expose the films. 1

List

of

Graphs

Graph _Page

1 Time temperature chart.

5

2 Time - Temperature

graphs.

6

3

Continuous tone test results at higher temperatures ₁₂

by

using

S.D.R.

1 and without use of S.D.R. 1.

13

4

Apparent

dot area graphs at high temperatures both

Introduction

This paper is the discussion of a _study related to high

temperature

_processing of lith films. The results of high

temp

erature development _{vary considerably} compared to those of estab

lished

normal conditions. This proves true even though the other

variables are held constant.

"Elevation

of _{temperature may} increase the rate of

develop

ment

by increasing

dissociation of the

developing

agent,

by

in-creasing the rate of diffusion

transfer

of chemicals through

stagnant liquid

layers,

and

finally by

a effect upon the reaction

proper. In _general, the rate of _development increases

by

a factor

of about 2 for each 15 F rise in temperature upto 125 F at

which point it is 8 or 10 times that of 68 F."

-1-Upto a certain _extent, the effect of increase in temperature

upon the rate of _processing can be compensated

by introducing

some

chemical changes in the developer. To _study these effects in the

experiment,

developing

at various temperatures was carried out

and the

developing

time was kept constant. Use of Kodak SDR 1 *

was investigated. The amount of SDR 1 added to the developer varied

according to temperature changes introduced. The main aim was to

achieve normal results.

+(a restrainer recommended for Kodalith

developer)

1 Ives

C.E.,

Russell

H.D.,

and Crabtree

J.I.,

"Fundamental factors in rapid _processing", Research

Laboratories

Eastman Kodak Company. Communication

No.

1585

from the Kodak

Experiment

The theoratical discussion about the facts and problems of high

temperature development suggests the necessity of _using special

techniques at higher temperatures.

To _study the effects of higher temperature

development,

an

experiment was carried out, which is described here. A large Kodak

Step

Tablet 8 X 10 inchwas used on which strips of Kodak Magenta Contact Screen and of l.o. Neutral

Density

were stripped. This re

produced four even strips of 1

2

inch _wide, each _{yielding half} part 8

continuous tone and other half of halftone image at one exposure.

This was mounted in an acetate window and punched with Kodak

Register Punch. Kodalith Orthe Type

3,

Estar base

9

X 12 film was

punched and then exposed in contact _using a register pin bar in a

vacumm _printing frame.

Fig.

1

i

3rd - C

1st - A

2nd - B 3rd - C 4th D

H.T.Cont. Tone Half Tone Cont.Tone H.T.

r r '

1

[image:8.565.129.514.388.771.2]

Figure 2

Page 2

Kodak

Step

T

H.T.

j.1-1 ^y*-*m+m* -_*TT.

Cont.

Tone/

H.T.

t^<aj>-juo^^wwjM'

Til

.^,-u^WU' m

^

Emulsion down. Emulsion up.

All the film strips were given identical exposure in the entire experiment with tungston light source.

The system used to

identify

different strips is as follows

-Four film sheets were exposed and each cut in

4

strips. The first

four strips of each film were labeled as

Al,

A2,

A3,

A4,

. The

second, third and fourth strips were labeled so as

Bl,

B2,

B3,

B4;

CI,

C2,

C3,

C4,

and

DI, D2, D3, D4,

respectively. Each set of

As,

Bs,

Cs,

and Ds were kept in different boxes.

These

sets were developed at various temperatures.

A.S.A.

agitation system was used

throughout.

Kodalith developers A and

B l:l were used. An attempt was made to maintain the temperatures

of all other solutions at the developer

temperature.

The

following

table gives the processing details.

Table l

Film Strips

Developing

Time

Developer

Temperature

Kod^c

SDR-l

Agitation

l* _-^2*

3

*

4

*

Bl, B2, B3>

B4.

Gl

C2,

C-^,

C^.

Dx,

D2,

D3,

D4.

2^4

min.

2

l/4

min.

2

l/4

min.

2

l/4

min.

Page

3

A _{Welch Densichron densitometer} was used to measure the con

tinuous tone densities. Densities of each strips of all the sets

were _measured, and mean densities for each set was calculated.

Apparent

dot area of all halftone tests was measured on Densichron

Dot Area Meter of all strips and the mean calculated for each set.

To get exact dot area it is desirable to have hard dot negative;

but in this experiment, comparision between the sets

being

the

prominent

factor,

apparent dot area of soft dot test was measured.

Four strips of each particular sets were made togive more

consis-tant and reliable results.

The main perspective of this experiment was to obtain similar

characteristic curves of the tests at various temperatures

by

intro

ducing

changes in processing. Characteristic curves for each set

Page

4

Discussion

Temperature

Control is always desirable to get consistant re

productions. But in tropical climates, where the temperature goes

up to

120F,

it

is,

many

times,

not possible. At higher tempera

tures,

more _precautions, more equipments to control _processing

are required. The rate of development is much influenced

by temp

erature _changes, but the effect varies wi. th different types of

developers. Most

developers,

with the exception of

highly

alkline

developers

can be _safely used at _{temperatures up to} 75 F provided

the development time is _properly shortened and effective

hardening

rinse and

fixing

baths are used.

"In general normal room temperatures are satisfactory,

(excluding

tropical countries) and a level of 65 F or 68F is often recommend

ed. The solution brought to a temperature of 68F is then in

equilibrium with temperature of the ambient air and is

likely

to

remain so for a considerable period of time"-2

Below 68F reaction

is slow and becomes impracticable for the

busy

dark-room.

But there is no reason _why one should not have 70F or 75F as

a standard figure.

Only

the question is the criteria which is re

quired to be reproduced and the development time required to produce

the required criteria. Whatever normal temperature is _selected, it

is always best to

keep

it constant as far as possible.

^

Graham R.W. "Sensi tome

try

for the time

temperature

chart"

(The

British Journal of

Photography

-109,

June

15,

1962.)

(2 10

9.

8

7...

5..

4.Clix..

3-Mul

Time.

~\wpe.ta\ut

e,Glarf

5cak

-x _Pixh

-Tewpe&ature.iflF:

7 AxU- _T'rntCLo'f^

"4 I 4 i _T

Page

5

_

-. nn

i

.ZHEETt

2Jtiifl.

U.ttn. r I:

^fc

?f

UfcKrt

1

il-LoGarithMr 4sf 6

p 7of 8oP 85"F qoF _qsF

Sis

rzyr..

282 )00 qsl qo 6St eo Ts' 70 68"3 67 o tSS-60 i* Page

6

Sco|l * me. 4xi fix fe^peta

i

if

Nin irhE. Mptl tu N > to xaf & iult F.

^2^ll,. ^hv a^m;,

I-J

*

RJL

3M,Vi.

"Time m

Mum

les

-ji-y fM,'n

Min-Page

7

"More

extreme values of solution temperature can be used of

course. High speed _processing at elevated temperatures can be

undertaken at values of 90OF - 100F for _example; or these temper

atures are quite common in the tropics".

3

On the other

hand,

sometimes it is required to

develop

at

very low temperatures even. Hern and Crabtree4 studied low temper

ature developments

by

adding ethylneglycol to their developers, down

to

-25C.

They

found a linear relationship between temperatures

and the logarithm of time of development. This linear relationship

holds true irrespective of ranges.

With the information available from Kodak Pamphlet No.

Q-ll,,

which was used for this experiment, the time temperature charts were

constructed

by

1.

Plotting

the arithmetic values of temperature

agai nst the logarithmic values of time . and

2.

3By

plotting the arith

metic values of temperature against the development time. The graphs

prove the _existing straight linear relationships.

Mr. R.W.

Graham,

in his paper"Sensi tome

try

For The Time

-Temperature

Chart,

"5 gives the formula for the Evaluation of

Temper

ature Coefficient for

Developer/

Film Combination - Author

states,

"If with a given sensitive _material, the times of development requir

ed to produce a given value of gamma are known for two

temperatures,

then the TC

(Temperature

Coefficient)

can _easily be found for these

5

_Ibid.

^Mees

C.E.K. "The

theory

of the photographic process."

^Graham

R.W.

"Sensitometry

for the time temperature chart"

(The

British Journal of

Photography

-109,

June

15,

1962)

Page 8

conditions

by

the

formula:

Log

TC lo =

(Log

t

-log

t')

10

T'

- T

Where

t and t' represent the development times at temperatures

T and

T*.

Which shows _graphically that the logarithm of the

development

time is proportional to the temperature".

The

following

example given

by

the author proves this

readily-Suppose

the same gamma of 0*8 is obtained

by

developing

a film

for 6 minutes at 20C as

5

minutes at 23C - then:

log

TC10o

₌

(i0g

6 -

log 5)

10 23-20

=0.7782 -^0.

6990

10

=

0>792/j

_Qr

Q>264

TC10

=

1.83

It is expedient to obviate the above calculations

by

_plotting

the graphs. It is not _necessary to know the TC in order to determine

the time of development for various

temperatures,

but it _{is necessary}

to have the two time-gamma _curves,

(which

cover the practical values

of the gamma) Obtained

by developing

at two different temperatures

separated

by

10oC.5*

The temperature charts are useful i n

determining

new

develop

ment time at different temperatures. Temperature increase influences

and reduces the time factor greatly.

"One another effect of high temperature is the growth in the

fog

level than usual and for this reason the amount of _{Potassium Bromide}

in the developers may be increased upto about twice the normal

(this

increase can be even more in the case of developers which contain

Metol.)

The time of development _may then

have

to be

increased

and

Page

9

Most prominent requirement at higher temperature development

is to

keep

the

temperatures of all the solutions equal, and

fairly

constant.

Developer,

hardening

or _{non-swelling stop}

bath,

fixing

bath and even _{the washing} water must be at the same temperatures

as to avoid the _swelling and contraction of the gelatine layer."6

"If a swollen film is subjected to a sudden change in temper

ature, a

leather-like

network of line _may appear over part or all

the film. This effect is known as "reticulation". In mild _cases,

it may stimulate the effect of graininess of the silver image."7

"Excessive

_swelling and

softening

of gelatine _{may be} reduced

by

the addition of Sodium Sulphate

(Gauber's

salt) to the developer

in a proportion _up to

3

oz. to _{every 20} oz. of _working strength

developer. This does not harden the _gelatine, but reduces its

swelling; it does not have _any adverse effect on

development,

but

exposure and development times _may have to be increased. A harden

ing fixing

bath should be used."^

It is always advisable to immerse the film material in a

pre-hardening

bath before development to make the material susceptible

to endure the hightemperature. After thorough rinse, processing can

be done with usual developers and an acid

fixing

bath.

6Cartwright

H.M.,

F.R.P.S. " _Photographic Process."

Ilford Gr?hic Arts

Manual,

Volume

1,

Plioto

Engraving.

(Percy

Lund,

Humphries and Co.

Ltd.,

London and

Bradford

1962)

pp. 140-141.

^"Notes

on Tropical Photography" Kodak Sales

Service

pamplet No.

C-24

(Eastman

KacL dc Company.

Rochester,

N.Y. 14650 - 1958

)

p.20

Page 10

The final rinse _{in running} water or in several changes of water

can be reduced to about

10-15

minutes. The soluble salts are

washed out more _vigorously at higher temperatures. "But the in

sufficient _washing will cause rapid _staining of films stored in

tropical _areas, due to decomposition of residual silver

Drying

of the film which has been allowed to swell excessively

may

be

slow even at

fairly

high temperatures. To minimize the damage

to the emulsion, air circulation at high relative

humidity

is essen

tial. The emulsions are susceptible to abrasion at high temperatures

9

Page 11

Results

The perspective of this experiment was to obtain the character

istic curves of the sensitometric strips processed at higher temper

atures,

similar to those of normal development with required

chemical c hanges in the process. Here the term normal development

is referred to the sample

strip

processed _according to manufacturer's

recommendations at 680 F for 2

1/4

minutes.

Results of the experiment are seen

by

the graphs which depict

that the

Characteristic

Curves of the samples, processed at 83F

and 88F for 2

1/4

minutes with

3

parts of S.D.R. 1 and

5

parts of

SDR 1 _respectively mixed in the

developer,

are similar to the

C.

Curves of the normal. The Characteristic curve of the sample pro

cessed at 88 F without _any changes in developer solution, differs

greatly from the normal curve shapes. There is a lateral s lift in

the Characteristic Curves of 68F and 88F

(with

SDR 1). "The lateral

difference of two or more sensitometric curves is an indication of

differences in sensitivity."1^

This can be manipulated and the

desired results obtained

by

changes in the exposure time. The

sensitometric curve of 88F without _any modifications _{in processing,}

has greater contrast than other three _samples, this can be avoided

by

changes in

developing

time. The use of S.D.R. 1 in the developer

solution as is recommended

by

_{manufacturer,} gives us identical results

with normal established results.

i0Archer

H. Brent "The principales of Sensitometry" Part II

Reprints on Reproduction Photography, Rochester Institute of

e 12

^00

-?eJative

Locf

Exposure-o

4- to <

>

^

o _I

OZ

Page

14

Conclusion

The

development

and the processing results of lith films in

tropical

regions involve certain modifications in the process. This

can

be

_achieved

by

_{adjustments in exposure times and also}

by

_providing

the

facilities

to control the effects of temperature on development.

This

experiment has covered the approach to the processing of

lith films at higher temperatures

by

_using S.D.R. 1 in the

develop

ing

solution.

(By

makin: modifications in the developer solution.)

From the results of the study, it is concluded that the recommended

amounts of

S.D.R.

introduced in developer solution at higher temper

atures1

can produce identical results to those of the established

conditions. It is important to

keep

the temperature values

constant-whatever criteria is to be reproduced.

'Kodak Formulas for the Graphic Arts'

Kodak Pamphlet No.

Q-ll,

contains the table for the use of Kodak restrainer SDR-1 with

Literature

Cited

-Page

15

Archer H.

Brent

Cartwright H.M.

1962

Graham R.W.

1962

Ives

C.E.,

Russell

H.D.,

and Crabtree

J.I.,

1954

Mees

C.E.K.

"The

Principles of

Sensitomery

" Part

II,

Reprints

on

Reproduction

_Photography. Rochester

Institute

of

Technology, Rochester,

N.Y. p. 36.

"Photographic

Process". Ilford Graphic Arts

Manual.

"Vol.

1,

Photo

Engraving

p.p. 140-141.

(Percy

Land,

Humphries & Co.

Ltd,

London and

Bradford.

)

"Sensitometry

for the time temperature chart"

The British Journal of

Photography,

109,

June

15,

1962.

p.

434.

"Fundamental factors rapid Processing" The

Journal of

Photographic

Science

Vol.

2 p. 10.

"The

theory

of the photographic

process1*

"

Notes on Tropical Photography"

Kodak sales service pamphlet No. C-24- _{p. 20}

(Eastman

Kodak

Company,

Rochester,

N.Y.

14

650)

The

following

references are not cited _{specifically in} this

paper.

However,

the information these references contain is

closely related to the work described in the text.

Denstman Hal "The last word on

developing

of Lith films"

1962 In Plant Offset Printer

-July-Aug.

1962 p.p. 12.

Dupont Graphic Arts Register

1963

"Better Control of Film Process Variables"

Dupont Photo Products

department. Vol.

4,

No.

2,5.

ROCHESTER

INSTITUTEOfTB

Page 16

Hi slop

W.B.

1962

Parker J.T. and

Sugden

L.J.

1963

Shands F.L.

"Some

notes on lith Development"

Graphic

Technology

No.

9.

Sept-Oct. 1962

pp. 46-47.

"Determining

the Resistance of Photographic

Emulsions to Damage

during

Processing.11

Photographic.Scien.ee and Engineering.

Vol.7,

Number 1.

January

-February

1963. p.47.

"Film _processing variables are worth the

Effort."

The Photograver's Bulletin. Vol.52

Page

17

Acknowledgement

I am indebted to

Mr.

H. Brent Archer of Rochester Institute of

Technology

for his helpful discussions and guidance to me throughout

my experiment. I am also greatful to Eastman Kodak Research Labora

tories for their

help

and information.

The work reported here is based on the experiments conducted

at

R.I.T.,

Rochester. I express _my gratitude to the Institute and

the professors for the co-operation in _providing the

laboratory