Converted Silver Chloride

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Shark

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 8, 2014
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Location
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I have started working on some silver lately and have been a bit surprised with some of the results. Here is a button (?) that I converted from silver chloride using iron and sulfuric acid. I done this as a test to see how difficult it might be and and to compare it with the lye/karo process. I am thinking I will stick with the iron/sulfuric process for now.

First metalic silver from silver chloride.jpg
 
I may be wrong but I believe that both 4metals and Lou have both described their preference for the Sulphuric/Iron method as well.

Jon
 
I'm not sure who it was, but I chose that route for simplicity. I am out of lye and had no karo sryup so I simply used what I had on hand, :)

Syrup and lye just seemed like a mess to clean as well. I will try it one day I am sure, if for no other reason than the experience of it. But after trying with the sulfuric and iron I won't be in a big rush.
 
I think one or the other (or both of them) have stated "why on earth would anyone want to use that godawful lye method" or words to that effect. 8) 8)
 
I would only entertain sugar and lye (so called aldose method) if it was pure AgCl.

If you’re doing any type of production work, the sulfuric and iron method is hard to beat.
 
Wasn't it you that had the little bucket spinner mortar mixer shark? That's where the method really shines. Start tumbling the iron.


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snoman701 said:
Wasn't it you that had the little bucket spinner mortar mixer shark? That's where the method really shines. Start tumbling the iron.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Or I could use an electric ice cream maker with the replaceable paddles on the mixer made of iron. :D
 
anachronism said:
Or use the skillet method that 4metals described. That's a good one.

I think it was 4metals that was unsure of using a skillet that had been used for food. If you have an old iron skillet you want to use, to remove any embedded oils just heat it to a low red glow for a few minutes. If the oil is heated out it should start to show rust almost immediately upon cooling.

This brings up another point also. I really thought it would take several hours, maybe days to complete the reaction using this method, the reason for the complicated setup. It wasn't instant by any means, but way faster than I expected. I also have close to a gallon left to do and I am hoping the larger mixer will hold it all for one run.
 
It is done, for now.

Ran that button in a mini cell. Originally set up to test with.

mini cell.jpg

Solution has been emptied out and rinsed the crystals in the bowl.

In the cell.jpg

To the rewashed and dried crystals ready to be locked away till a later date.

crystals.jpg
 
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