aluminum bottles for E-6 chemicals?

[kmallick]

Sorry if this has been asked before...
Is it OK to store E-6 chemicals like those in Arista's E-6 Rapid kit in an aluminum bottle like this? My thinking was that the aluminum may help to get the temperature up to the recommended 105 F quickly (as opposed to a plastic one).

The 1L aluminum bottle will store a quart of the chemical nicely as well. But its no good if the aluminum gets attacked by the chemicals. Just want to make sure.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dunno, but on the basis off A-level chemistry (probably similar to US early undergraduate courses) I'd not risk it.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Particular]

It is probably fine. Those bottles have a coating, so there is no contact between liquid and aluminum. I would examine yours carefully to confirm that is true, and perhaps do some kind of test.
I would also label it well so you don't use it for beverages accidentally.

 

[kmallick]

It is probably fine. Those bottles have a coating, so there is no contact between liquid and aluminum.

That is what I was thinking. I will check.

I would also label it well so you don't use it for beverages accidentally.

Absolutely! Maybe I will look for the designer ones with skull and bones figures... 😱

 

[Roger Hicks]

It is probably fine. Those bottles have a coating, so there is no contact between liquid and aluminum. I would examine yours carefully to confirm that is true, and perhaps do some kind of test.
I would also label it well so you don't use it for beverages accidentally.

Yes, but the smallest pinhole in the coating could rapidly lead to bigger problems. That was my concern...

Cheers,

R.

 

[RobVinc]

I would just get some used Beakers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaker_%28glassware%29) from the bay or so..

They are designed for something like that, are llight enough, have a good scale normally and can be put in the dishwasher..

And they are normaly not used in the kitchen for making food 😉

And for storage I would use the typical chemical bottles made from plastic (PE I assume)

 

[delft]

As I recall, Alumin(i)um can be used to store acids, but will not stand alkalines. This would mean that at least the developper-parts, which i assume to be alkaline are better kept away from Al.
Thin-plastic storage-bottles warm up pretty quickly too.

Good luck,

Dirk

 

[MartinP]

The aluminium bottles cost as much as six rolls of film. Bottles of very thin plastic, used to contain fizzy water, cost less than half a roll of film - and that's including the contents. If you have spare money, please buy the plastic bottles send me the extra film.

Oh, also the alloy bottles are fragile chemically as the coatings are meant for drinkable stuff like water. A compromise might be to find yourself some glass bottles of the appropriate size.

Edit: Talking of glass . . . I have just recalled that my first slide-film developing was done on the cheap when I was a student. To warm the chemicals (stored in 'proper' plastic bottles) I put the 290ml of each bath in glass jam-jars inside a water-bath made from a washing bowl. This worked fine.

 

[Freakscene]

You should not use that kind of bottle. Those bottles are for drinking water and are not suitable for chemical products. They have a coating but the aluminium is exposed a little between the inner coating and the outside finish; thus the aluminium is exposed when you pour the liquid in and out. Some chemicals in the E6 process are quite alkaline - aluminium reacts with a variety of acids and alkalis, some explosively, and even if unremarkable, these reactions contaminate the liquids with aluminium ions.

Get some glass bottles with airtight, non reactive plastic lids.
http://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin1.html

Marty

 

[kmallick]

Fair enough! I am ditching the idea of aluminum bottles to store E-6 chemicals. Thank you all for your valuable advice and tips.