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Acrylic Mirror Sheet: Silver Sprayed on Acrylic Treated with Tannin in Water and Acetic acid
Philips' Ponjee and Verwijlen (US 4,639,382, 1987) made silver hold on acrylic by first dipping it in tannin dissolved in water mixed with an organic solvent; tannin in plain water gave no bond. This is their acetic acid solution: 55–90 % water, 19–45 % acetic acid by volume, 3.3–5.5 g tannin per litre, which gave full bonding in their cross-cut test. The sheet is then sensitised with weak stannous chloride and silvered by spraying the silver solution and the reducer together.
The picture: our diagram.
Intermediate
2 hours
Instructions
1
1
Dip in tannin solution for one minute
Dip in tannin solution for one minute
Make a solution of 3.3–5.5 g of tannic acid per litre in 55–90 % water and 19–45 % acetic acid by volume. Dip the acrylic sheet in it for one minute.
Materials for this step:
Acrylic Sheet1 pieceTools needed:
Tannic Acid
Acetic Acid (Glacial)
Distilled Water
Glass Trays
Graduated Cylinder
Balance Scale
Fume Hood (Ducted)
Rubber Gloves2
2
Rinse with water
Rinse with water
Rinse the sheet with water.
Tools needed:
Distilled Water
Wash Bottle3
3
Spray with stannous chloride for 12 seconds
Spray with stannous chloride for 12 seconds
Spray the face to be silvered with a solution of 0.1 g stannous chloride and 0.1 ml concentrated hydrochloric acid per litre of water, for 12 seconds. Rinse off the excess with water.
Tools needed:
Stannous Chloride
Hydrochloric Acid
Distilled Water
Water Spray Bottle
Wash Bottle
Chemical Splash Goggles
Rubber Gloves4
4
Spray silver and reducer together
Spray silver and reducer together
Atomise two solutions onto the face at the same time: silver nitrate with ammonia in water, and formalin in water. The patent gives no strengths: as required. Ours: a twin-nozzle spray gun.
Materials for this step:
Silver Nitrate1 as requiredTools needed:
Ammonia Solution - 25-28%
Formaldehyde Solution (37% Formalin)
Distilled Water
Twin-Nozzle Spray Gun
Fume Hood (Ducted)
Chemical Splash Goggles
Rubber GlovesMaterials
2- 1 piecePlaceholder
- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
Tools Required
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