Modern MLCC tests for silver, with a surprising result!

[Alondro]

I did tests on groups of MLCCs from boards that had manufacturing years printed on the board. I only tested for silver in this vid, because I did not expect ANY of these boards to use palladium in their MLCCs, and the solution color doesn't suggest the presence of palladium either.



But the silver test gave me a surprise! The board QUALITY, moreso than the age, was the deciding factor! If you get high-grade parts, don't assume just because they're new that they're trash! High-end stuff can have MUCH more in PMs than regular consumer-grade, even in the present-day boards.

I later followed up with a stannous test, which was absolutely negative for any palladium in any if the 3 tubes.

 

[Marcel]

I like your systematic approach
On the topic: The manufacturing date serves as a rough guideline only.

In fact, companies choose their electronic components based on various parameters. Some decisions are purely driven by cost. They require a fast capacitor, but it has to be inexpensive. In the early years, they didn't have as many choices. Most components in the market were made with expensive PMs. That has changed today. Depending on your budget and the technical requirements, a developer can choose from low-cost to high-grade components.

That's why the age of the component is just a rule of thumb. Low-cost components emerged in the 1980s to 1990s. So, if your MLCCs are from the 2000s, there's no way to predict what they contain. The only additional indication is the application of the product. Medical electronics, military or aviation electronics, measuring equipment, etc., are most likely made with those expensive PMs since the final product allows for the use of high-grade components.

 

[orvi]

This is what you want to see if you throw a piece of crushed MLCC to the AR The red spots on the bottom of the beaker are Pd dissolving to the liquid, unstirred. It has very characteristic colour and it is much more concentrated in the place of first contact with acid. On the surface, it works nicely, tho it slows down as acid penetrates deeper into the layer. Nitric isn´t very good at this.

 

[Marcel]

I once cooked MLCCs in hot HCl for about 2 days. The capacitors deintegrated and released the Pallium as thin foils. Some Palladium was in the mix with Silverchloride however. Note the orange color of the Palladium chloride that formed. Photos from my book "Palladium aus Elektronik" M.A. Buth, 2014.

 

[Alondro]

I once cooked MLCCs in hot HCl for about 2 days. The capacitors deintegrated and released the Pallium as thin foils. Some Palladium was in the mix with Silverchloride however. Note the orange color of the Palladium chloride that formed. Photos from my book "Palladium aus Elektronik" M.A. Buth, 2014.

Nice work! That's very useful information. A simple way to break down the MLCCs AND determine if they have palladium at the same time.

 

[Sabotaj]

I did tests on groups of MLCCs from boards that had manufacturing years printed on the board. I only tested for silver in this vid, because I did not expect ANY of these boards to use palladium in their MLCCs, and the solution color doesn't suggest the presence of palladium either.



But the silver test gave me a surprise! The board QUALITY, moreso than the age, was the deciding factor! If you get high-grade parts, don't assume just because they're new that they're trash! High-end stuff can have MUCH more in PMs than regular consumer-grade, even in the present-day boards.

I later followed up with a stannous test, which was absolutely negative for any palladium in any if the 3 tubes.

I'm confused on how your thread ends in it doesn't make sense

 

[Sabotaj]

I'm confused on how your thread ends in it doesn't make sense

I understand now the video needed to be watched.

 

[patnor1011]

Marcel, I saw those pesky foils quite a lot of times too.

 

[Brett Novak]

what's the trick for dropping the Palladium out of pregnant AR?

(and thanks, you just answered a question about a batch of weird colored AR I have waiting for SMB)

 

[andu]

I think it was DMG / Dimethylglyoxime ? But no idea if it can drop gold aswell.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

https://goldrefiningforum.com/threads/when-in-doubt-cement-it-out.30236/
If the only value you have left in solution is palladium, cementation eliminates creating any toxic salts and additional steps.

Dave

 

[Yggdrasil]

what's the trick for dropping the Palladium out of pregnant AR?

(and thanks, you just answered a question about a batch of weird colored AR I have waiting for SMB)

Depending on what you mean with pregnant, if only Pd then cement it out on Copper as Dave said.
If it is more values then Pd, drop the Gold with Copperas/Ascorbic/Oxalic acid and the Cement the Pd out on Copper.