Regarding Coffee Developer, I did exchange email back in April with Dr.
Scott Williams. It seemed pretty simple with Coffee, Baking Soda, and
Potassium Hydroxide ("added to pH 9.0"). Being chemically clueless, I
thought I'd ask him a few questions.
Dr. Williams said:
> ... We used real potassium hydroxide. As it turns out,
> you would have to use the "old" formulation of Drano,
> one where the active ingredient is sodium or potassium
> hydroxide. The new formulation does not contain this
> active ingredient in useful amounts....
>
> On another note, we later found that mint leave extract
> - boiled extract from one store package of fresh mint
> leaves - works better than coffee and can be activated by
> just using sodium bicarbonate (again about a tablespoon
> full per liter) - much safer.
I did learn later that Potassium Hydroxide is also known as Caustic Potash
("Chemical compound with formula KOH. Pure potassium hydroxide forms white,
deliquescent crystals. For commercial and laboratory use it is usually in
the form of white pellets. A strong base, it dissolves readily in water,
giving off much heat and forming a strongly alkaline, caustic solution. It
is commonly called caustic potash. It closely resembles sodium hydroxide in
its chemical properties and has similar uses.")
Genuine Potassium Hydroxide is available from www.bostick-sullivan.com, but
if anyone comes up with any substitutions for Potassium Hydroxide, let me
know (as I am still chemically clueless). Off-list replies welcome.
Regards,
Michael Georgoff
San Jose, CA
georg...@trendmicro.com
