# Nitric acid?



## bisjac (Feb 15, 2012)

After some research, i have decided i wont go through the effort making my own. to dangerous and messy for my home setup right now.

For refining sterling plate, what % (at least) should i try to buy?
and does this community have recommended places to buy it.

thanks in advance


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## Geo (Feb 15, 2012)

you should not use nitric acid on silver plated scrap. research instead silver stripping cell. try this thread http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=12530 

good luck.


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## bisjac (Feb 15, 2012)

There is only one thing on that page im struggling on;
"first i dissolve some copper in a sodium persulfate solution"

im not fully familiar with the effects of sodium persulfate on copper. does a distilled water+Na2S2O8 solution fully dissolve copper? (and thats whats required?)


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## Geo (Feb 15, 2012)

ive ask the same questions and even though i havent yet built the cell, i have studied it from here and other sources. the electrolyte is copper sulfite, he used sodium persulfate because that is what he had on hand to use. dilute sulfuric acid (i plan on using brand new battery acid) will attack copper and even more so if it is warmed. WARNING: hot sulfuric acid will cause sever chemical burns and cause blindness on contact with eyes. be very careful if you warm this acid to speed up the process. you can just place clean copper in dilute sulfuric acid and leave it till the solution is deep emerald green, dilute being 25% sulfuric to 75% water by volume.


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## butcher (Feb 16, 2012)

Geo is color blind, copper sulfate is blue.


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## Geo (Feb 16, 2012)

sad, but true.


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