This page will be for lab notebook notations (which may be sketch) to detail various attempts to find a 'ghost busting' additive or additives other than purchased bubble juice -- which seems to work quite well. (See this related blog entry .) I apologize for the sketch nature of the write-ups. Limited time prevents me from extensive investigation or blogging at this time. But, perhaps, a few minutes at a time, I may capture some data that will either shed light OR save someone else time reproducing my own failures.
2012 10 12
It has been noted that when Mr. Bubbles is added to homebrew juice that a few things happen. Ghosts are reduced or eliminated and bubbles pop with a whoosh rather than silently.
I recalled from past experiments that when enough propylene glycol is added to some mixes that the bubbles start popping audibly. I have also been made aware that many commercial bubble mixes use a lot of propylene glycol (both as a humectant to increase bubble longevity but also to help preserve viscosity).
Rather than add a little PG at a time (as I have done in the past), I decided to start off with an amount of PG that I know would not be reasonable and then to add bubble juice (in this case PHC 1.0) to see if it ghosted.
With 11 grams of propylene glycol and 11 grams of PHC 1.0, with a small wand, I got 1 fairly colorless bubble per dip (if done with great care) that popped with a prominent ghost.
With an additional 13 grams of PHC 1.0 (for a bit over 2:1 bubble juice to pg ratio), I got 6-12 very colorful bubbles per dip that popped very loudly -- with a prominent ghost.
I added a squeeze of a 2% HEC solution -- ghosting was not reduced.
I added a squeeze of 2% CMC solution -- ghosting was not reduced.
As a control, I also tried a straight water/Dawn Ulta mix. The bubbles popped as a spray of fine droplets with no ghost.
.... to be continued...