Silver Chloride Conversion Problem - Sulfuric / Iron in Tumbler - Heat / Caking

[Yggdrasil]

Yes, I'm melting silver oxide (what I assume to be silver oxide).

Molten silver oxide is one thing I was wondering. But everywhere I've seen on this form is along the lines of simply "melt the silver oxide directly". I could, of course, be assuming too much.

There are a few scientific demonstration videos [on YouTube] where silver oxide is heated to produce silver powder - but these demonstrations stop there. The silver is not actually melted. So I also wonder if the oxide to elemental silver conversion needs to be a more controlled heating step, and I've made things complicated by putting in too much heat too quickly?

Thank you

I did a search on the net.
Silver Oxide decompose at 195C so a slow heating to some 200-250C and good stirring might be the way.
If it becomes liquid it will have much less surface area to give off the Oxygen.
According to Wikipedia it decomposes at 280C.
One question. Did you use some kind of flux?

 

[MGH]

One question. Did you use some kind of flux?

Just borax. There was some already in the dish, and I added a little more during the melt.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Just borax. There was some already in the dish, and I added a little more during the melt.

Maybe try without.
After all you shold be way below the melting point of Borax.

 

[snoman701]

You lost silver. That looks crumbly, which means it has minimal water.

 

[snoman701]

Oh, and when melting silver that you have converted, you should always melt with soda ash and borax, then melt as slow as possible with a lid. The goal being if there is any chloride remaining, it gets reduced by the sodium carbonate.