Summary

Alternate Names: Glass jar, bottle

Demijohn used at Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd to dilute nitric acid for making silver nitrate, for the photographic emulsion making process at Kodak's Abbotsford factory late 1950s.

The donor of this object, and former Kodak Australasia Emulsion Department worker, Barrie Edwards, remembers that Kodak Chemical Engineer Matt Korise designed a system using about 8 or 10 of these glass bottles to dilute nitric acid to the required strength to dissolve silver to make silver nitrate. As the nitric acid moved from one bottle to the next its concentration was reduced. The silver nitrate crystals that were produced were then used in emulsion making. The system was introduced when a new building and laboratory setup was established, after a 1956 fire destroyed the original Silver Nitrate Department. Barrie believes the jars were made in Italy. Originally the jar would have had a rubber bung when in use, but it has not survived.

The glass jar dilution system was not transferred to the new Coburg factory when it replaced the Abbotsford factory in the late 1950s-early 1960s. This type of chemical receptacle became obsolete and surplus to requirements when the new factory opened as stainless steel apparatus was used instead of the glass, wood and copper apparatus that was typically used at the original Abbotsford factory.

Physical Description

Large glass jar with green tinge, with narrow neck and opening at top. Originally the jar would have had a rubber bung when in use, but this is no longer in existence.

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