> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Monett [mailto:mzmvdd...@sneakemail.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, 15 July 2003 4:57 a.m.
> To: silver-list@eskimo.com
> Subject: RE: CS>The color of silver
>
>
> url: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/m61192.html
> RE: CS>The color of silver
> From: Ivan Anderson
> Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 03:03:44
>
>   > Hello Mike,
>
>   > I am back on board for a while, and am glad to help where I can.
>
>   This is great! There are many questions I would like to ask:)
>
>   > The mobility  of  ions   (movement   under   the
> influence  of an
>   > electrical gradient) in aqueous solution is measured
> as m2s-1V-1.
>   > That is,  metres  squared  per  second  per  volt.
> Metres squared
>   > because of the relationship between mobility and diffusion.
>
>   > Silver ion Ag+     6.4 x 10^-8
>   > Hydroxyl ion OH-  20.5 x 10^-8
>
>   > As you can see the mobility of ions is extremely slow,
> 0.02mm per
>   > second for  Ag+ at 30V. Notice that the hydroxyl  ions
> travels at
>   > three times the speed of the silver ion.
>
>   Ugh. Thanks  for  the information. This is  a
> potentially crippling
>   blow to my theory, but I'll think about it and see what develops.
>
>   > I have  seen  some  mists  leaving the  anode,  but
> only  at high
>   > potentials or in contaminated water.
>
>   Yes, I  don't  see mist at the anode very often,  and
> only  at high
>   current. Here is an example of a 3 nines misting at both
> electrodes:
>
>   http://www.utopiasilver.com/images/gen3.jpg

Well, it looks like it is only emanating from one electrode to me.


>   > Some food  for thought: OH- is generated at the
> cathode  in equal
>   > quantities to  Ag+ at the anode, until some silver ions
>  reach the
>   > cathode.
>
>   Yes, this  brings  up a small problem.  Several  people
> have posted
>   observations of  misting  with a 3 nines after  only  10
> minutes of
>   operation. This  does not seem to allow enough time for
> silver ions
>   to reach the cathode.

Not quite sure what you mean. Ions don't need to reach the other
electrode in order for the current to rise, indeed that would limit
the current increase somewhat.


>   > At that  time  both water and silver ions  are  reduced
>  here (and
>   > perhaps silver ions preferentially given the
> over-voltage required
>   > to reduce water) so the amount of OH- available for
> reaction with
>   > Ag+ is lower, perhaps halved at least.
>
>   Something funny  seems  to  be happening  at  the
> cathode  with low
>   current density (for example, 87 uA/sq.in.)
>
>   With high current density, both electrodes are covered
> with  a black
>   film. Even if you wipe it off, the electrodes remain dark.
>
>   When the  same electrodes are run at low current density,
>  the anode
>   remains dark,  but  the  cathode residue  is  removed
> down  to bare
>   silver. Steve  mentioned  that he tried running at  low
> current and
>   observed the same thing.


Yes, I use that fact, and a generous distance between electrodes to
design generators that don't require stirring, and yet still have an
acceptable generating time (< 2hrs @ 500mL) because of the 30V
starting voltage. If you get the parameters correct, by the time
silver ions reach the cathode an acceptable concentration has been
reached (10 - 15 ppm), and at 20 ppm only a very fine grey cathode
coating. In my view the black coating on the anode is the look of
silver metal disassociating into ions... I doubt that there is much in
the way of silver oxide in this coating as oxygen is not generated in
this process. Indeed this layer should not be disturbed, in my view,
and should be left intact between batches.

>   > Also, for  ions to interact they must pretty much
> collide  head on
>   > with each other and with sufficient velocity to break
> through the
>   > shield of  water molecules they drag with them and
> which  form the
>   > ions hydrated  radius. For example, the radius of the
> Ag+  ion is
>   > about 0.126nm while its hydrated radius is 0.212nm
>
>   > What does  all  this mean? well my view is:  The
> concentration of
>   > silver ions will rise in the solution as long as water
> is reduced
>   > to H2(gas)  at  the cathode. The interaction between
> Ag+  and OH-
>   > forming AgOH  or 2AgO (the two are interchangeable
> depending upon
>   > pH) is  minimal,  perhaps only 1 or 2%.  There  is
> some Ag(solid)
>   > colloids infused from Ag+ reduction at the cathode.
>
>   > Regards
>   > Ivan
>
>   Yes, it seems the probability of silver ions combining
> with hydroxyl
>   seems to  be  very low. The thing that strikes  me  is
> when misting
>   starts, it  occurs very suddenly. This has always
> surprised  me. If
>   the process is continued, the entire solution turns black
>  and coats
>   the sides of the glass.

Yes, I believe that some form of micro arcing occurs and the electrode
is sputtering rather than subject to electrolysis.

>   However, misting  does  not seem to occur  below  a
> certain current
>   density. Near the end of the process, I sometimes see
> very tiny gray
>   fingers growing on the cathode. Perhaps you see them also
>  since you
>   run at low current.

Yes, I have grown some beauties in my time (dendrites are the
technical term).


>   If I stop the process at this point and wipe the cathode,
>  the trace
>   deposit looks  shiny  instead of black. If  I  continue
> the process
>   after the fingers start growing, the solution starts
> turning yellow.

The dendrites are formed mainly of elemental silver powder (and
perhaps some AgOH) and as such are only tenuously held together and
some inevitably enters the solution as colloids and gives colour to
the brew depending upon size and concentration.

>   One thing that might help explain this is the
> concentration  of ions
>   depends on  the  current density. At low  current
> density,  the ion
>   cloud is  too diffuse to allow many interactions, and
> few particles
>   are produced. As the current is increased, two things happen:
>
>   1. the number of ions increases, which makes a denser cloud.
>
>   2. the  stronger electric field compresses the ion  cloud
>  closer to
>   the electrodes. This also makes it denser.

As the current increases the production of ions increases and the
potential field decreases, and so the speed of the ion slows and
therefore so does its rate of escape from the electrode area.

>   With a denser cloud, 1% or 2% becomes a large number,
> since  it only
>   applies to the local ion concentration, and not the
> concentration of
>   the entire solution.

Don't forget the same thing happens on the other side of the cell at
the other electrode.

>   However, you  have  thrown a monkey wrench into my
> theory  with the
>   hydroxyl mobility.  I'll have to take my daily walk and
> think about
>   it some more.
>
>   But thanks  very  much  for  the  replies.  I'd  love  to
>  hear your
>   description of how the misting starts.
>
>   I'll collect the links to my process as you requested and
>  post them
>   later.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Mike Monett

OK, talk to you later.
Ivan.


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