Solubility of Silver Chloride in common solvents

[Irons]

http://www.saltlakemetals.com/Solubility_Of_Silver_Chloride.htm

Lots of good data.

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Many texts state that Silver Chloride is soluble in Sodium Thiosulfate. It is, about like Ammonia, above, but more Silver Chloride dissolves when the solution is heated. The thing that the texts don't tell you, is that the solution is NOT clear. The solution looks like metallic water with brown mixed in with it. The solution filters well in a buchner funnel, but smells bad -- like the stinky geysers at Yellowstone. Also, as the Silver chloride is dissolving (it does not dissolve quickly) light affects it. The light reduces the Silver Chloride in the Thiosulfate solution to fine Silver powder much more aggressively than if the Silver Chloride were not in solution.

Dissolving Silver Chloride in Sodium Thiosulfate is more suited to small quantity lab experiments. At about $5 per pound (2006 prices) for Sodium Thiosulfate, it's an expensive way to dissolve Silver Chloride. Silver can, however be reduced from the hot solution using the sugar: 'Sorbitol'. (Works better than Glucose.)

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Note the reduction method

 

[4metals]

Nice chart to have, thanks.

I prefer sodium thiosulfate for dissolving silver chloride when cleaning up gold pieces that have been refined whole for the purpose of stone removal. A tumbler with a small scoop of the crystals (Prismatic rice) and enough water to make a slurry will polish up the undissolved gold nicely, solubilize the silver chloride and it doesn't stink. (no white cloud either like with ammonia) For a refiner the recovery of the silver can be as simple as passing it through a steel wool cartridge to collect the silver.