A
Anonymous
Guest
I was trying an experiment using potassium nitrate as the electrolyte with 15 percent silver brazing filler for the cathode and anode. I used a saturated solution with and excess of KNO3 in the bottom of the container. I am using a 6volt battery from an emergency exit light for the power (I used the recharging ciruit in the exit light to recharge, got this all free). The reaction was going as expected with the solution turning blue and the anode dissolving away. I noticed at the cathode black powder deposit, I guess this was the silver being locally reduced by the hydroxide. Heres were it gets interesting though, the reaction came to nearly a stop with bubbles now barely evolving at the cathode and a blue curdly material all though the electrolyte. I stirred the solution and a lot of the black powder formed in the solution. I added some, about 1/8 of the volume of hcl to make the silver form chloride and be insoluble so that it would not precip out as a black powder (thinking it was shorting my cell)
Then I notice that the KNO3 at the bottom of the container was bubbling and the black poweder was alternating floating and sinking. I disconnected the power and the reaction kept and the even more disturbing part is the anode kept dissolving but the cathode was unaffected
they were made of the same alloy and were not touching. This reaction continued until the KNO3 at the bottom of the container was gone.
Do not really know what to make of all of this.
Then I notice that the KNO3 at the bottom of the container was bubbling and the black poweder was alternating floating and sinking. I disconnected the power and the reaction kept and the even more disturbing part is the anode kept dissolving but the cathode was unaffected
they were made of the same alloy and were not touching. This reaction continued until the KNO3 at the bottom of the container was gone.
Do not really know what to make of all of this.
