Well, i've messed up my first batch and couldn't get samples good enough to compare them. But looks like citric acid does help a bit (not sure how much though). Will try to make new test by covering with already sensitized emulsion instead using sensitizer on gelatine layers and green laser instead near-uv one (which does produce something as gelatine stays on exposed areas but i can't see real hologram, possible because blue shift in UV area or just bad coherency of the laser).I'm looking forward to learn about your tests.
In my experience adding citric (or tartaric, oxalic, lactic) acid didn't enhance speed.
Going to try this with safranin-o and methylene blue dyes with speedball diazo emulsion when it arrives. There is also talks about another variant of the process with "4,4'-Diazidostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, disodium salt, tetrahydrate" which gives even better results (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/a ... ive.99071/), but i couldn't find supplier for the chemical.Diazo was a direct replacement for Dichromate in gum and screen prints. From what I have read it was 2x faster as well.
How hard would it be to extend the spectral sensitivity of Diazo?