Caffenol

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35 mm film developed in caffenol. 35mm caffenol man.jpg
35 mm film developed in caffenol.

Caffenol is a photographic alternative process whereby phenols, sodium carbonate and optionally vitamin C are used in aqueous solution as a film and print photographic developer. [1] [2]

Contents

Other basic (as opposed to acidic) chemicals can be used in place of sodium carbonate; however, sodium carbonate is the most common. [1]

There are many formulas for caffenol, all based on preparations that contain caffeic acid (i.e., coffee or tea) and a pH modifier, most often sodium carbonate. [2] [3] The chemistry of caffenol developers is based on the action of the reducing agent caffeic acid, which is chemically unrelated to caffeine. [1]

History

The 1995 technical photographic chemistry class at Rochester Institute of Technology, led by Scott Williams, developed a method of developing photographic film using standard household items. They tested mixtures of tea and coffee combined with agents to balance the pH and successfully made printable images for exposed film. [1]

Since then, the process has successfully been adapted for beer, [4] red wine, [5] and infusions with polyphenol-rich foods, such as cloves, rosemary, and mesquite seed pods. [6]

Related Research Articles

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Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogencarbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt composed of a sodium cation (Na+) and a bicarbonate anion (HCO3). Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline, but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty, alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda (sodium carbonate). The natural mineral form is nahcolite. It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs.

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2
H
3
CO
6
. It is an adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide whose formula is more properly written as 2 Na
2
CO
3
 · 3 H
2
O
2
. It is a colorless, crystalline, hygroscopic and water-soluble solid. It is sometimes abbreviated as SPC. It contains 32.5% by weight of hydrogen peroxide.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Scott. "A Use for that Last Cup of Coffee: Film and Paper Development". Rochester Institute of Technology.
  2. 1 2 Film Photography Project: Coffee Break – Develop Film at Home with Caffenol Archived June 24, 2021, at the Wayback Machine , Film Photography Project.
  3. "Digitaltruth Photo: Caffenol Formulas". Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  4. Moschetti, Vincent (March 15, 2017). "How to Develop Film with Beer". PetaPixel.
  5. "Wineol – Red Wine developer". June 20, 2012.
  6. Keating, Daniel (August 18, 2020). "Polyphenol Developer Alternatives – A World full of Options". 35MMC.