Curiousity, Silver capped contacts.

[adam mizer]

I did not read what I wanted to know from the Hoke section of silver. She did not include anything on silver contacts.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I did not read what I wanted to know from the Hoke section of silver. She did not include anything on silver contacts.

Electronics was not around much in her time.
But the chemistry is the same.

 

[anarxi]

Most are these magnetic ones.
Now I will separate the non magnetic pieces.

if the contacts are from old equipment, then some of them may be an alloy of palladium and silver.
in different relays (not power ones) 70-80 years is a common occurrence.
they are not visible under the "patina"
in addition, if they were made before the directive rohs, then they may contain cadmium and lead.
I would just dissolve them in nitrogen and do it through chloride.
Because dancing with a tambourine while separating the base is just a waste of time.
IMHO.

 

[adam mizer]

if the contacts are from old equipment, then some of them may be an alloy of palladium and silver.
in different relays (not power ones) 70-80 years is a common occurrence.
they are not visible under the "patina"
in addition, if they were made before the directive rohs, then they may contain cadmium and lead.
I would just dissolve them in nitrogen and do it through chloride.
Because dancing with a tambourine while separating the base is just a waste of time.
IMHO.

Yes I believe very minor amount of Palladium alloy in here, the patina of a few were mirror like and there also were a few other miniature that are suspect.
Okay nitric or water nitric and salt. Will just do hot concentrated nitric at this point maybe I can get a fractional amount of palladium.
I'm so good at wasting time in a good way, however its a learning curve. Dancing with a tambourine

Funny thing the black waste in beaker made a color change a day later?
From black to blue? EDIT: NO
Zinc reaction took a long time and salt formed as liquid evaporated. EDIT: no this was a different batch.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Yes I believe very minor amount of Palladium alloy in here, the patina of a few were mirror like and there also were a few other miniature that are suspect.
Okay nitric or water nitric and salt. Will just do hot concentrated nitric at this point maybe I can get a fractional amount of palladium.
I'm so good at wasting time in a good way, however its a learning curve. Dancing with a tambourine

Funny thing the black waste in beaker made a color change a day later?
From black to blue?
Zinc reaction took a long time and salt formed as liquid evaporated.

Do not add any Chlorides to a solution if you are dealing with Silver, at least not until you are ready to drop Silver Chloride.

 

[adam mizer]

Do not add any Chlorides to a solution if you are dealing with Silver, at least not until you are ready to drop Silver Chloride.

Okay got it....

 

[adam mizer]

Kinda messy with just nitric.
I should have worked harder at base metal removal.
Also I added some more low grade contacts I wanted to get done.
These low grade contacts are time consuming and almost a waste of time, unless possibly a person might acquire a large amount.
DMG test dropped blue again. This is only nitric and hcl to drop silver chloride, wash and filter.
Meanwhile I finished up my gold foils, the first refine. Near 11gm, that made me happy.
Silver I got just under 2 oz.
Also started working on the ugly wastes. One of the wastes dropped some nice metal. Last Pic attached. EDITThis was the black stuff drop).