Make Silver Powder by Electrochemistry

In this video we make silver powder using electrochemistry.
The process is pretty simple. Make a solution of 1g silver nitrate in 50mL water. Submerge an anode made of pure silver (i'm using silver coins) and a cathode of carbon. Connect the anode (silver) to the positive terminal of a variable power supply and connect the cathode (carbon) to the negative terminal. Apply a current and raise it until the cathode just starts to bubble hydrogen and then lower it about 25%. Magnetic stirring and a stir bar should be applied to constantly shred the silver dendrites as they grow.
Eventually the anode will be consumed and the solution is decanted to recover the silver powder. The silver powder is washed a few times with water and then dried by heating on the hot plate.
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[@NurdRage]

Still looking for a lab and a job. So i'll keep editing and releasing videos in my backlog until then. I'll likely also film a few simpler videos in my bathroom to fill the gaps as well. A lot of chemistry can still be done without a fume hood.

[@EgonSorensen]

Good luck, a man with your skills shouldn't have any issues finding a lab and a job 🤩 Perhaps doing a video on making your own fume hood? I for sure would love that, could use one myself in my hobby area, but have some questions/worries about extracting/accumulating acids in the vent. (corroding metals in fan motor, fluid condensation that might run back, etc) 👍

[@utsuhoreiuji6155]

good luck!

[@theguru18]

I to would like to see a DIY approach to a fume hood

[@Cautionary_Tale_Harris]

Good luck with the job search. I know it can be very stressful. This, too, shall pass.

[@SomnolentFudge]

If you're using a bathroom as a lab you could do a series on flushable chem, reactions performed in a toilet that can be flushed afterwards. It would bring in the views.

[@kreynolds1123]

Adding a strong magnet below will cause a lorentz force on the electrolyte and dendrites when the electric current flows. Maybe that will be large enough to break up the dendrites. Maybe even change how the crystals grow.

[@Dynaboy1]

Magnet might lose the force when heated overtime

[@kreynolds1123]

@@Dynaboy1 that could happen with some magnets but this electro chemistry is probably happening below 60c.

[@shiroakaishi]

"... At which point we submerge more of the anode..." made my brain immediately jump to "insert coin to continue"

[@AsymptoteInverse]

I like the way you think.

[@HiwasseeRiver]

I've seen large scale processes that yield long silver needles intentionally since a large crystal has fewer contaminates than a lot of tiny crystals

[@Zachmman1997]

Can this be done with aluminum? I’ve wanted to try to make thermite for a while just for the giggles. What’s been stoping me is I can’t seem to get the aluminum fine enough and I don’t want to buy a ball mill. Any tips?

[@Hiney]

Just buy powdered oxides they're pretty cheap, look at the series on KZbin called Exotic Thermites by the Gayest Person On KZbin.

[@randolph_eastwood]

your sound is wonderful

[@ianbottom7396]

Would it be possible to use a similar method to produce copper powder and could a copper sulphate electrolyte be used?

[@surajitbasak5260]

Another awesome class... Thank you #Nurdrage

[@a0cdhd]

Hmm. Your video tweaked a vague memory of somebody doing something similar using a stainless steel cathode. I wonder what would happen if you used a 316 stainless steel kitchen bowl as the cathode and hung a lump of impure silver in a nylon bag in the centre of the bowl as the anode and used a silver nitrate solution as the electrolyte as in your video. I vaguely recall that the silver which should be pretty pure could be scraped off the bowl without too much trouble. The silver would probably be dendritic though and not powder. Could be wrong though.

[@joaquimdsouza4749]

sir what would be the size of this powder

[@chethanchethan4110]

wr available carbon rod

[@RobertSzasz]

Would a basic electrolyte work? Nitric is the only common acid that won't create an insoluble salt, but could any bases work?

[@t837qvhsdKJ]

can you do this with aluminium?

[@ElizabethGreene]

A ball mill (A rock tumbler with steel balls in it) works for making Al powder from aluminum foil.

[@SkylerLinux]

You could have adjusted the coin in the clip, to get just a bit more of it in the solution.

[@GeigerCheck]

I attempted this and the cathode never bubbled because it immediately puffed up into a black cloud that eventually turned grey and then fell to the bottom of the beaker. This process continued until there was so much grey stuff in the beaker that I Couldn't keep the power below 15W. Does anybody know what I just made or what I could have done wrong?

[@muzikfunz2050]

Hello nurdrage, How many volt electricity?

[@aroonarora1]

how much voltage is needed to do this process

[@superlace]

I am a jeweler, and I do a fair bit of electro-etching. I use a salt water bath and a six volt battery to do the etching. I recover a good bit of silver powder when I change my bath out. Would this be cheaper than silver nitrate or would the silver be contaminated by the salt water?

[@RobertSzasz]

You're going to have a bunch of silver chloride

[@ChiralSymmetry]

I wonder what happens if you run the reaction in an ultrasonic bath. Would the ultrasound be sufficient to break up the dendrites?

[@dustinsmith8341]

The carbon rod would deteriorate faster than anything.

[@ChiralSymmetry]

Good point! Thanks

[@Michy20]

Hey NurdRage, would AgCl work as well?

[@antony1103]

Does this work for aluminum?

[@The_J485]

Why does the cell become cloudy? Is it particulate silver or something?

[@ElizabethGreene]

Tiny particles of silver, gas bubbles from the electrolysis, and decomposition of the carbon electrode. The last one is undesirable. :(

[@social3ngin33rin]

omg this is fucking awesome, but RIP silver coin :'(

[@robinthrill3r7]

Hey NerdRage! I got a quick question... Recently I've been needing a strong methylation agent and was looking into *Dimethyl Sulfate* as a good option.. Only problem is to import or get it in such large quantity (metric ton) would be pretty expensive...😩 Would there be an easier way to synthesis it? Preferably a cost effective route?

[@ANCIENTASTRONAUT411]

You should got a bigger beaker and more solution duhhh

[@ad2k17]

not first

[@jonhoyles714]

First

[@miraclo3]

i don't know why i found the stir bar method hilarious. probably because it has a perfect balance of science and jankiness.

[@acepilot1]

nick paz if it’s stupid but works, it isn’t stupid lol

[@buckstarchaser2376]

Sort of a "jiggle the handle" approach to the sub-optimal cell dimensions. :)

[@demandred1957]

Figure out a way to make fine aluminum powder, via chemicals.

[@arcanotime]

Hi NurdRage,Can you estimate the size silver particles?

[@davesulphate4497]

I created copper powder via electrolysis using a very low concentration of electrolyte (Copper sulphate) and used 2 copper electrodes. I have not tried this with silver but it worked with copper and the particles were very small and dendrite growth was minimal.

[@lbochtler]

I wonder what the crystal structure of this powder looks like

[@kreynolds1123]

Try it. And then try it in the presence of a magnetic field. The growing a crystal with electric currents in the presence of a magnetic field will cause lorentz forces on the electrolyte and crystals while the current flows.

[@gandalf7262]

Is this Silver Powder Silver with no Charge and pure 999 silver right?

[@quertize]

Vampire population hates this.

[@alm000]

Thank You to all contributors, I love this stuff, :)

[@SirDrinksAlot69]

Would an ultrasonic bath with the apparatus inside work?

[@TonyLambregts]

As always this was very informative and entertaining.

[@Chris_Garman]

Is there a method like this for aluminum powder?

[@radaroreilly9502]

Chris Garman stop trying to make thermite.

[@Chris_Garman]

@@radaroreilly9502 I'm not interested in thermite.

[@RobertSzasz]

Streetips silver refining videos show a good way to do it.

[@vojtator]

Please more electrochemistry! I love it

[@twocvbloke]

This electrickery thing is intriguing, next they'll be using it to make light... :D

[@spikeydapikey1483]

Next time on NurdRage, adding silver powder to hollow point rounds to make budget Vampire/Werewolf rounds!!

[@maxximumb]

I wonder how effective silver plating would be?

[@deaultusername]

Silver frangible rounds for max impact

[@hirumaryuei]

Probably wouldn't do so well. With a slug of anything in the hollow point, they tend not to expand. If the bullet works because silver cuts through monster tissue better without encountering supernatural resistance, the bullet will likely underpenetrate and create a shallow and small wound. If silver works because it's toxic to the monster, you run the risk of overpenetration since you're basically creating a ghetto FMJ, and even if it does penetrate you have less silver surface area to toxify the monster. Also, if you're thinking of just adding powder to the hollow point without melting it down, it will fall out into the mag while the gun is slung or holstered (or on the ground if the gun is a revolver). In both cases, silver jacketing via electroplating (if possible) is probably better.

[@spikeydapikey1483]

@@hirumaryuei was thinking of the silver in wax..

[@LateNightHacks]

how do you get rid of the carbon particles mixed with the silver though?

[@LFTRnow]

What does this do with impure silver? Say 80% silver Canadian [pre-1967] or 90% silver US coins [pre-1964] for example?

[@LFTRnow]

I'm hoping/expecting it would tend to make the other metals (mostly copper) dissolve into solution (as copper nitrate) and continue to precipitate the now quite pure silver anode mud (I'd expect this would refine the silver)?

[@hardencryption]

That was a quick one :P

[@dhawthorne1634]

How do you store it so avoid oxidation? For my silver cutlery that only gets brought out twice a year, I store it in a plastic bin into which I have emptied half of a can of wine saver (a nitrogen/argon blend). For silver intended for experiments, I think I'd rather try replacement with CO2.

[@WaynesStrangeBrain]

Back in high school We demo'd making silver by heating its oxide. Afterwards, they normally threw it away... so I asked if we could try salvaging it. We made silver nitrate with nitric acid, then added copper, where the silver developed and crystallized into powder. Nice and sparkling for putting in a little jar.

[@jesscorbin5981]

like fairy dust

[@Prchemist06]

Why you need silver powder By electrolysis Make by just adding a iron nail to AgNo3

[@WRDO]

can i do it without silver nitrate , what i get if i don't use silver nitrate ?

[@Tailss1]

Is this illegal, destroying money like that?

[@Uocjat]

silver coins like this are collector reproductions and not actually viable currency so nothing illegal

[@cobrawins]

يا جماعة الخير ممكن حد يشرحلى بالعربى

[@Kineth1]

This is also a great video to help people understand how dendrite formation kills rechargeable batteries.

[@Ariel.Altamirano4]

How many microns does each crystal/particle measure? Thank you.

[@ThePeterDislikeShow]

Can you do this with gold?

[@science_and_anonymous]

How could someone every dislike this video unless they accidentally clicked the dislike button

[@r.m.renfield4541]

Universal law of youtube: some % always dislikes. It's a good lesson for life - can't please everyone.

[@tahaaliakbarkhani9647]

Mr. Engineer, please help me with what acid to dissolve silver sulfide and with what to precipitate the silver from the solution. I spent two years to find silver sulfide from the mountain and now that I have found it, I don't know how to extract the silver. It does not guide me 🙏🙏🙏🌹🌹

[@user-rm3ky3hv7s]

I would very much like to do this with magnesium and aluminum. Similar electrolysis method. Can any one suggest to me electrolyte ? And method?

[@kacperkempa6237]

Vampires hate silver

[@Ismail-ep3bw]

tutorial spray chrome mr

[@clarity2478]

Hey NR look at this vid kzbin.info/www/bejne/qom2oaSvZ7mBjdE At 6:48 allchem says this is a failure -but look at the holes!!! more surface area for a battery. interesting reaction, lead nitrate is used and the carbon rod is connected to the positive supply. lead dioxide is deposited on the carbon rod. In your reaction with silver nitrate, only pure silver ions go into soluiton. you use silver nitrate and there seems to be no such thing as silver dioxide. The allchem reaciton is different from the one where lead rods are imeresed in sulfuric acid and the claim is that lead dioxide is formed see here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIuwiHiPnrmnqdE It might be technically called lead dioxide but it is only oxygen atoms (from atomic oxygen me thinks) stuck to the outside of a lead bar. NOT THE REAL THING. I think this is the kind formed on the positive lead grid of a lead acid battery. Now as soon as this thin oxygen coating is removed then it will surely be attacked and form lead sulfate from circular cathodic currents, if we beleive in the powder theory.

[@زكيقدره]

Is this method work with magnesium?

[@necronomicon-xmortis9362]

is that then silver nitrate?

[@govindrajgovind3947]

Please tranculate in tamil

[@user-bz8pq5fw7q]

How long did it take

[@govindrajgovind3947]

தமிழ்

[@AsymptoteInverse]

Huh. My knowledge of chemistry is shaky at best, so someone tell me: what other metals does this work with? And how important is the choice of electrolyte?

[@reina4969]

I was wondering the same thing. I also want to know if sodium carbonate would work instead of silver nitrite.

[@appaseth819]

हीधे

[@fishboy4532]

Cool

[@TechGorilla1987]

I got my silver powder from a silver tree method. I've got about 60 grams I got from a mixture of silver nitrate and copper nitrate. I assume mine is the same fineness as yours?

[@kenkowalski1314]

Can u please show us how to turn that silver powder into monotomic silver NurdRage?? Cheerz

[@smokeroot8008]

Hope there was a similar procces to make powdered pallafium so it was easier to disolve in aqua regia

[@geoffgeoff143]

Wouldn't scrap silver be cheaper than buying coins

[@NurdRage]

not really, you'd produce silver powder that has whatever impurities are in the scrap.

[@WRDO]

what is the size of the silver powder

[@SoulDelSol]

Aren't those axons not dendrites (axons, away, a, a is my mnemonic device)

[@WRDO]

How many Volt and amp you used ,

[@youknowme3501]

Would this still work if I used silver acetate? It’s unreasonably difficult and expensive to get nitric acid to make silver nitrate, and I don’t want to wait to get silver nitrate. But I know that a small amount of silver can be dissolved In vinegar.

[@brianakridge-foy9451]

Is it possible to used electrochemistry to make zinc powder from pennies?

[@muh1h1]

What about a paper filter around the electrodes?

[@pertinentparadigm1337]

Any guesstimate on relative average particle size? We talking microns, nm's, mm's? Just curious, thanks.

[@haylspa]

Awesome!! still want one of those heating elements for the hot plates! 😂

[@Cristi0986]

If you have agno3 you coud just put a cupper in there and all silver metal precipitate out.no?

[@Mr.Unacceptable]

I have a mix of Silver Tantalum Palladium and Platinum from a bunch of sources. It's mostly Platinum. I crushed all the parts and let them dissolve everything that wasn't a precious metal in acid. I'm left with a 5oz pile of mixed metals. Any ideas for how to separate them?

[@Woloszow]

I think dissolving silver in nitric acid and making silver powder out of silver nitrate is easier ;) but still I love those silver dendrites

[@lightdark00]

The thumbs down came from those disappointed you didn't use up more of the anode probably.

[@jesussanez3154]

Is this a pigment or can I use this powder as a metallic pigment to make silver paint ?

[@RymeofDawn]

Can anything electrically conductive be either an anode or a cathode?

[@roywhipple7340]

Can you use a carbon rod as an anode if your just doing electrolysis of metals already dissolved in a solution?

[@hiddencow3272]

do you know the approximate diameter of powder that can be produced from this method?

[@thesilverbulletDJ]

Can this process be done with aluminum as well??

[@albertalbert4333]

Would this work as a matter of refining sterling?

[@Nagria2112]

"Video Hosted by Dr. N. Butyl Lithium" hahahaha nice intro but too short no read something, i had to pause

[@demonsheadshot8086]

any plans on making more alkali metals??

[@Felixkeeg]

Sparkly

[@daniturn]

Learning new stuff everyday with these videos and good luck on the job hunting I know how it is not having a job as I have previously been out of work

[@JohnSmithZen]

Cool video. Thanks!

[@cholet2014]

Hi,can i do it without silver nitrate?

[@jtschemenauer9077]

I'd use the chunk to make more silver nitrate.

[@vfzvfz]

thanks patreon subs

[@jamesheald567]

more about the battery

[@bazonis1gp]

GREAT.!!!