# Mylars, need help



## seawolf (Oct 23, 2011)

I have read all of the posts on the processing of mylars and watched the videos on you tube.
I have 39+ pounds of mixed mylars pulled and cut to a manageable size. I have mixed 200 ml 3% peroxide and 200 ml 70% nitric and poured it into a 9 X13 baking dish. Placed the dish on a plate warmer and heated the solution to about 140 F.

Now the question; how long should the solution take to remove the silver? 
After 20 minuets there is no change in color of the traces or dots (some silvery tan, some black, some dark brown) on the mylars. I have observed some small bubbles building under the mylars and the solution is making a very light steam. (Outside temp. 72 F.)

Is there a step I have missed?
Thanks in advance, Mark


----------



## Barren Realms 007 (Oct 23, 2011)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh hmmmm.... Did you add distilled water to dilute your nitric 50%?


----------



## qst42know (Oct 23, 2011)

The 3% peroxide at 50% of the solution would dilute it enough wouldn't it?

I seem to recall that not all the traces on these are silver. If the nitric didn't effect it, it could be carbon or some other conductive ink.


----------



## Barren Realms 007 (Oct 23, 2011)

qst42know said:


> The 3% peroxide at 50% of the solution would dilute it enough wouldn't it?
> 
> I seem to recall that not all the traces on these are silver. If the nitric didn't effect it, it could be carbon or some other conductive ink.



Yes it would, glad you cought that. And correct on your second statement as well. Also the silver could have been removed and he not notice it bacause some traces still show up after the process on some material.


----------



## sena (Oct 23, 2011)

For me it works with dilute nitric , till the mylars become black (the white printed ), then the usual converting silver nitrate to silver using your favourite method..


----------



## Smack (Oct 24, 2011)

I use distilled water with nitric on mylars and don't even have to heat it at all. Minimal fumes, they create no additional heat in any reaction. I use the same kind of pan you use, put 1" of acid in bottom and put a stack of mylars in, about 20 at a time. Leave them sit for about 10min. while I do something else, come back and they have all turned black. Take them out one at a time, let drip, move over rinse pan and spray with distilled water to rinse them off, let drip for a second then move on to the next one.

Yup, all was done in my fume hood Sam.


----------



## samuel-a (Oct 24, 2011)

seawolf 

Any silver printing will be dissolve in a matter of seconds. Without heat.
I mentioned it in my video...
I estimate, since you heat your acid, as soon as the mylar hit the solution, the silver is gone and you didn't noticed... 

On a side note, i really hope you have some good ventilation or you are doing this under the hood.
Nitric vapors are bad for your lungs.


----------



## seawolf (Oct 24, 2011)

Thanks for the help. I don't have a hood yet so I am outside with fans blowing from my back to keep the fumes moving away from me. (I have read and saw the damage nitric can do)
I have had some of the mylars strip but on some of them I think I will have to shred as there is a layer of paint/sealer over the traces.
Again thanks for the replies and help GRF is the best.
Mark


----------



## Smack (Oct 24, 2011)

It would be better to have a cross flow of air as it can swirl back in your face if it is from behind and hitting you in the back.


----------



## Rodthrower18 (Oct 26, 2011)

Hello everyone i am new to the forum (long time lurker first time poster). I have a question about this process further down the process line. Once you've extracted all values from the mylars couldm't you feasibly cement the silver with copper vs using the AgCl method(s) ? I ask this question since everyone avoids AgCl like the red headed step child. Another slightly off topic question. For those that dismantle the keyboards, how many of the clipped wires does it take to make up a lb of insulated copper for further scrapping? Does anyone recycle the plastics as well? Sorry to get off topic but I didnt honestly feel like these couple of questions warranted an entirely new thread all things considered. Thanks for all answers and replies, and by the way I LOVE this forum.


----------



## samuel-a (Oct 26, 2011)

Rodthrower18 said:


> Hello everyone i am new to the forum (long time lurker first time poster). I have a question about this process further down the process line. Once you've extracted all values from the mylars couldm't you feasibly cement the silver with copper vs using the AgCl method(s) ? I ask this question since everyone avoids AgCl like the red headed step child.



Normally, this is true, AgCl is a pain, mainly since it's hard (if not impossible) to clean completely from contaminants...
But this is not the case here, the silver on mylayrs is pure enough to be reduced with non selective reducing agents (either to solid salt or the metal) such as HCl(s), ascorbic acid(m), NaOH(o), soda carbonate(s), hydrazine, electrochemical deposition and more...
You can just as well heat the silver nitrate solution to dryness, place the crystals in a crucible and slowly heat it to decomp' (nitrate -> oxide -> metal)

In my mind, reducing to the carbonate is probably the easiest way to go...

By cementing with copper, you contaminate an already pure metal.


----------



## Rodthrower18 (Oct 26, 2011)

Makes a lot of sense when explained that way. Thanks for clearing that up so clearly. I'll be taking a stab at some mylars in the next couple of weeks so this will help me out a great deal.


----------



## goldsilverpro (Oct 26, 2011)

Even though that warming tray would tend to distribute the heat, I wouldn't take a chance in directly heating the Pyrex dish in that way.


----------

