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US 5,118,356 AGranted
Process for cleaning a photographic processing device
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsCharles M. Darmon, William G. Henry, Paul A. Schwartz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Photographic processing devices such as stainless steel racks and tanks are cleaned to remove contaminants such as silver by contacting the devices with a cleaning solution comprising water, a mineral acid such as nitric acid, a soluble cerium (IV) salt such as ceric ammonium nitrate, and acetic acid. The cleaning solutions have a pH no greater than 1. The acetic acid inhibits the formation of a brown stain on the stainless steel.
Claims4
Process for cleaning a stainless steel photographic processing device to remove silver therefrom, said process comprising;
- contacting said device with an aqueous solution having a pH no greater than 1, and having dissolved therein a cerium (IV) compound, a mineral acid, and a brown oxide stain eliminating amount of acetic acid;
- said process being further characterized by removal of silver from said device without the formation of a brown oxide stain on the surface of said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.