Electrochemistry Question about using nitrate as an electrolyte

[Refine2017]

I'm trying to create silver crystals. If I were to use nitrate with silver electrodes what would happen?

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

I'm trying to create silver crystals. If I were to use nitrate with silver electrodes what would happen?

What nitrate salt? Silver nitrate dissolved in distilled water would work. Others, probably not. Would also probably need a little free nitric in the solution to work properly though.

If you had a silver nitrate electrolyte, with a silver anode and stainless steel cathode(fine silver would also work for cathode), you would indeed be making silver crystals of high purity.

Keep the voltage below 4, if you can set up constant current with a low voltage, and just let it slowly run, you can get some nice dense crystals. Electrode spacing is critical, keep it around 4" apart.

There are many many many other details that are equally important.
Search for "silver cell" in the search box, it will give you far more information than this post.

 

[Refine2017]

I'm trying to create silver crystals. If I were to use nitrate with silver electrodes what would happen?

What nitrate salt? Silver nitrate dissolved in distilled water would work. Others, probably not. Would also probably need a little free nitric in the solution to work properly though.

If you had a silver nitrate electrolyte, with a silver anode and stainless steel cathode(fine silver would also work for cathode), you would indeed be making silver crystals of high purity.

Keep the voltage below 4, if you can set up constant current with a low voltage, and just let it slowly run, you can get some nice dense crystals. Electrode spacing is critical, keep it around 4" apart.

There are many many many other details that are equally important.
Search for "silver cell" in the search box, it will give you far more information than this post.

Now what if I were to use sodium nitrate?
Also I've noticed in the past when I use sodium chloride or calcium chloride or any other electrolyte. With two silver electrodes. I noticed the anode mud/slime produced silver. A lot more, and when I measured my electrodes I lost only 2 grams but ended up with a solution of 60 grams silver. Very unusual indeed.

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

I honestly have no idea, but, I would think that it would cause more hassle than good results.

 

[Refine2017]

I honestly have no idea, but, I would think that it would cause more hassle than good results.

You think so? What do you mean? I just wanna know since you seem more knowledgeable than me on this topic. Thanks

 

[Topher_osAUrus]

I mean simply, sodium nitrate can come from caliche ore, which isn't JUST NaNO3. It has all sorts of other stuff in the mix, including (not limited to) sodium chloride. I know when I dissolved my sodium nitrate in water, it had all sorts of stuff floating around in it.

If by chance you did get the silver anode to decompose (it may, it may not I don't know), it would immediately begin to form silver chloride until all of the chloride ions are gone.

That's just the first issue I see arising, it might work, but probably not. GSP is far more knowledgeable when it comes to silver than anyone here put together. So he would be the one to ask.

I think you would be much better served to stick with the tried and true methods though. That way when something inevitably goes wrong, there are people who can give you guidance on how to fix the err.

 

[g_axelsson]

Also I've noticed in the past when I use sodium chloride or calcium chloride or any other electrolyte. With two silver electrodes. I noticed the anode mud/slime produced silver. A lot more, and when I measured my electrodes I lost only 2 grams but ended up with a solution of 60 grams silver. Very unusual indeed.

Not only unusual, it's impossible. You can't create mass from nothing.

If you ended up with 60 grams of powder with only a 2 gram loss on the electrodes then the powder isn't silver.

Göran