Silver Nitrate wont cement

[mrtexaninnc]

Hello everyone,

I've recently bought some sterling silver dinning sets. I've put my refining process below.

1. Melted sterling silver down to shot, using borax to help remove some of the initial impurities in the metal.
2. Took shot and began dissolving it with nitric acid, and distilledwater.
a. Product that was produced at first was green in color before I attempted to cement it out.
3. During the cementing process I used copper wire with a diluted silver nitrate solution.
4. Initially the silver cemented out, however later on the solution began to form a shinny crystal like material "Silver Chloride? maybe?
5. The solution also started to cement and stick to the copper, and not flake off. The solution is still green
6. I attempted to boil the solution to help dissolve whatever salt type material was in it, and filtered it.
7. This didn't help as the solution cooled it still crystalized.
8. I'm still stuck with silver appearing to cement out, but stick to the copper wire and not flake off.

I'm lost at what to do now. I have silver in solution, copper with silver stuck on it, and some cement silver with a crystal type substance mixed in with it.

If you can help that would be appreciated.

 

[Gwar]

Sounds like a disaster, and the steps were not in order and some not even needed..

 

[eaglekeeper]

Hello everyone,

I've recently bought some sterling silver dinning sets. I've put my refining process below.

1. Melted sterling silver down to shot, using borax to help remove some of the initial impurities in the metal.
2. Took shot and began dissolving it with nitric acid, and distilledwater.
a. Product that was produced at first was green in color before I attempted to cement it out.
3. During the cementing process I used copper wire with a diluted silver nitrate solution.
4. Initially the silver cemented out, however later on the solution began to form a shinny crystal like material "Silver Chloride? maybe?
5. The solution also started to cement and stick to the copper, and not flake off. The solution is still green
6. I attempted to boil the solution to help dissolve whatever salt type material was in it, and filtered it.
7. This didn't help as the solution cooled it still crystalized.
8. I'm still stuck with silver appearing to cement out, but stick to the copper wire and not flake off.

I'm lost at what to do now. I have silver in solution, copper with silver stuck on it, and some cement silver with a crystal type substance mixed in with it.

If you can help that would be appreciated.

Do you have any pictures of the solution as it is... It almost sounds like its not dilute enough.

Silver chloride is white with a cottage cheese consistency.

Copper wire/sheet will work, but you risk the chance of copper pieces breaking off and mixing with the cemented silver. A copper bus bar or something more bulky will reduce that chance.

 

[mrtexaninnc]

Do you have any pictures of the solution as it is... It almost sounds like its not dilute enough.

Silver chloride is white with a cottage cheese consistency.

Copper wire/sheet will work, but you risk the chance of copper pieces breaking off and mixing with the cemented silver. A copper bus bar or something more bulky will reduce that chance.

You were right, it was not diluted enough. I added more distled water and it started to work.

 

[mrtexaninnc]

Do you have any pictures of the solution as it is... It almost sounds like its not dilute enough.

Silver chloride is white with a cottage cheese consistency.

Copper wire/sheet will work, but you risk the chance of copper pieces breaking off and mixing with the cemented silver. A copper bus bar or something more bulky will reduce that chance.

 

[lazersteve]

Use a sheet/bar of copper and periodically knock the silver off of it.

Your thin copper wire is still working below the layer of silver, albeit slowly. Best to use a higher surface area copper and keep a fresh copper surface exposed. Consider the silver layer a form of passivation of sorts. No exposed copper equals little to no cementation.

Steve

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Circulation helps a lot. See When In Doubt, Cement It Out.

Dave

 

[eaglekeeper]

Copper wire/sheet will work, but you risk the chance of copper pieces breaking off and mixing with the cemented silver

Maybe I should clarify.. when I mentioned sheet of copper, I meant not recommending really thin sheets. Copper plumbing pipe split and flattened out is okay.