Need help identifying

[Mcnew32(Ag)]

This is a solid AL base with what looks to be silver playing all over the whole thing. These items came from a control module. There were gold plated connections leading to each with AL tubing with a plastic casing around a wire inside. If you have any idea what these are please let me know. I will have a little more information tomorrow about the item.

 

[g_axelsson]

Microwave cavity filters. They come in all shapes and forms.
https://www.google.com/search?q=microwave+cavity+filter&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjV-pvf7tjOAhUH1iwKHfYmAosQ_AUICCgB

They need the precious metal as the microwave travels only skin deep in the metal, any oxidation looks like resistance and can throw the frequency off.

Göran

 

[Mcnew32(Ag)]

Ok thank you. Is there any danger from the dismantling of them? Looks like I will have to build a silver electrolytic cell to de plate these items. Or just sell on eBay or something.

 

[g_axelsson]

Just dissolve the silver in nitric. It was discussed the last week in another thread.

There should not be any dangerous materials in these. The filter works with the geometry of the cavities, where the openings are and the length of the rods.

Göran

 

[Mcnew32(Ag)]

Can you please send me the link to the thread talking about how to process cavity filters. I would appreciate it.

 

[Lou]

In my opinion--not worth doing unless you have a mountain of them.

One of my coworkers had done these in a large 304 stainless rectangular trough that I believe heated. He used 1:1 nitric and water and they took a few minutes to strip. Periodically he would pump the liquor out, do a titration, add HCl and use the acid over and over. Can't remember how many thousands of lbs he did but I seem to remember these being 1-1.2% by weight silver averaged out.

 

[Mcnew32(Ag)]

I have about 10-12 of them various sizes. Might just sell or just put them in a larger cell.

 

[darinventions]

I did some searching an from what I understand is that aluminum willnot alloy with silver if melted down,,,Now I don't know this to be fact,,,but if it doesn't then you could cut it all up with some tin snips an melt it all down,,,let it set molten for 15 to 30 minutes allowing all the silver to settle to the bottom of your crucible,,then simply dip out the majority of the aluminum with a metal dipper,,leaving mainly your silver with just a little aluminum to deal with,,,an to deal with the aluminum,, you can use muratic acid,,mixing it with water to a 30%acid to 70%water ratio,,,I once attempted to recover the platinum off of hard drive disc's,,,I had over a hundred of them with a aluminum core,,,I learned two things,,,the proper way to dissolve aluminum an don't mess with hard drive disc's,,,I think that I would wait on doing any process with your items until you have enough to make it worth while,,,good luck

 

[anachronism]

Personally I wouldn't go anywhere near melting these to separate the aluminium and silver.

Edit for melting.

 

[Mcnew32(Ag)]

Thank you for all of your comments. I may just try and sell them on eBay or something like that. If anyone has any further advice I would appreciate it thank you.