Re: X-ray film capacitors

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>

>Original poster: "Fred Bultman by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" 
><royaloakmin-at-home-dot-com>
>
>Hi all
>
>With some of the recent discussion of home made capacitors, I decided to 
>try to
>make my own. I used a 4x10 sheet of Kodak dental x-ray film, with a sheet 
>of Al
>foil on each side. I tested it up to 15 kvac, and the discharge was very 
>hot
>and loud. My only concern was what material the film is made out of. Could 
>it
>be lossy at RF like Mylar? How many sheets would I need for 30nf?
>Thanks,
>Jim Bultman in MI

The Geek Group, has access to a LARGE amount of X-ray film sheets in the 
standard sizes. Both dental (long spools of about 5" wide) and regular, 
(about 12X18" or so...it's been a few years since I operated a process 
camera, lol).

I'll ask around and get the exact compoud they're made from. I'll also put a 
micrometer on a sheet. Anyone who wants to pursue this let me know, I'd be 
happy to scrounge a bunch of film.

Remember, some films (I don't know if X-ray works this wa or not) contain 
Silver Halide as the photoreactive chemical. Last time I checked silver was 
a rather good conductor. This could have catastrophic results in a 
capacitor.  But I don't know enough of the chemistry of X-ray photography to 
really say. Anyone out there know?

Chris "Your packet-switched-electro-lithographic" Boden
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