Doug, Some of this was discussed a few months back, without any rewal conclusions being agreed upon. I pointed out a few observations at that time, & MGD & I exchanged a couple Emails, but it was dropped after my last one to him, so I can't say that it was ever clearly stated or understood.
Colloidal Silver makers aren't the first ones to use electrical current applied to a silver electrode to produce and manipulate metalic silver ions in a liquid medium; electreoplaters have been doing it for a olng time, and while their purposes are different, the chemistry is similar, and the dynamics of electroplating are relevant, I believe. (Yes, there are also differences, since electroplating is carried out in some form of 'plating bath' that initially starts with metalic compounds which dissociate into ions in the solution or 'bath'. Please bear with me, and I'll try to explain a few of the details which I consider significant; I'm certainly not an 'expert' on this subject, either, and am also looking for a clearer understanding of the details of this process.) Doug McMurtrie wrote: > > To All, > > I have been reflecting on the basic chemistry involved in the production > of CS. We place a charge through two silver electrodes in distilled > water. The concept is that microscopic particles of silver are sintered > off with a postive charge, i.e. the particles are "short" an electron. > The problem is, this is the same setup that is used in the elementary > demonstration of the electrolysis of water. > A charge is placed into the > water between two electrodes that causes the hydrogen/oxygen bond to > break resulting in H+ and O- ions that migrate to the oppositely charged > electrode. It may be easier to understand the dynamics if you think of the positive charge being applied to one (silver) electrode referred to as the ANODE , while the negative charge is applied to the other electrode, referred to as the CATHODE. Localized dynamics very near the surface of each of these electrodes are significant... > What I think we are seeing with the "black cloud" that gets > generated between the electrodes is silver oxide. The positively > charged silver particles react with the negatively charged oxygen. This > is the same stuff that builds up on fine silverware over time. I think > it's also why one electrode gets a thick black film over it. Positively charged silver ions are attracted to the negatively charged 'cathode' electrode; those that come in contact with it gain an electron, and are 'reduced'/ precipitated as non-charged elemental silver, which stays weakly attached to the surface of the 'cathode' electrode, where it builds up as the 'sludge', especially as the CS concentration and the current through the generator increases. My observation is that directly on the *surface of the anode* is where silver is oxidized, as evidenced by it's turning black, and that the silver that is oxidized there tends to stay weakly attached to the surface of the anode... Oxygen gas is evolved at the surface of the anode also, while Hydrogen gas is evolved at the surface of the cathode. Here's my question for further comment; are the dynamics such that oxidation of silver occurs predominantly (or nearly exclusively) *on the surface* of the anode, and that the silver ions in the solution are possibly not as prone to oxidation, (due to the differences in charge distribution and relative densities at various places between / around the electrodes.) Keep in mind: Electroplating doesn't plate out oxidized silver onto the object to be plated.<grin> Try a simple test & observe; when you remove the electrodes, (using a clean rubber glove to avoid reaction with your skin acids / oils) take a bit of the 'sludge' that has accumulated on the negatively charged electrode, and rub it on the surface of a clean piece of glass. You should see a 'silvering' as was used to produce the first mirrors. This is elemental silver, which has lost it's ionic charge... The residue you can wipe off the *positively charged* electrode, by contrast, should be a blackish residue (silver oxide). A reference to a book on Electroplating is on my website, in the article "Understanding Colloidal Silver"; it goes into the chemistry further in the introduction. Our work producing CS in pure distilled water changes the picture in some ways, but I believethe background info is valid for reference. >If this is so (and I look to those more sophisticated in chemistry than I for > comment) then what we are producing may not be "pure" colloidal silver. > I am concerned because all the negative biological effects of silver > seem to be associated with silver compounds. Med Line has numerous > instances of deleterious effects ranging from argyria to seizure > associated with compounds like silver proteins, silver nitrate, and > silver acetate. I have found no negative reports associated with pure > elemental or ionic silver. In fact there is at least one study of long > term handlers of elemental silver that showed no toxic effects. If this > analysis is correct, then it may be worthwhile investigating a way to > rapidly bind the ionic oxygen that is generated during the CS production > thus reducing the presence of silver compounds in the resulting liquid. > This would hopefully make CS an ever safer substance to consume than it > already is. > > Looking forward to your responses. > > Doug If others have a further explaination of the dynamics, I'll also welcome them! I know Bob Lee commented on this subject in the past... Hope these comments give 'food for thought'... Bruce K. Stenulson Applied Technology The Alternate Health Approaches Forum http://web.idirect.com/~showcase/althealth -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: silver-list-requ...@eskimo.com -or- silver-digest-requ...@eskimo.com with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the subject: line. To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@id.net>
