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Colloidal Silver: Carey Lea's Soluble Silver from Silver Nitrate
Carey Lea found in 1891 that silver nitrate reduced by ferrous sulphate in the presence of sodium citrate gives a silver that dissolves in water with a deep red colour. The 1907 US Dispensatory gives the recipe: the mixed iron and citrate solutions poured into 10 % silver nitrate, the precipitate washed by redissolving it in water and throwing it down again with absolute alcohol. Dried, it is a bluish-green mass of about 97 % silver. Salt solutions precipitate it, so use distilled water only.
The picture: our diagram.
Intermediate
2 days
Instructions
1
1
Make the three solutions
Make the three solutions
Dissolve 10 g of silver nitrate in distilled water to 100 ml (10 %). Separately dissolve 30 g of ferrous sulphate in 100 ml of water and 36 g of crystallised sodium citrate in 140 ml of water, then mix these two.
Materials for this step:
Silver Nitrate10 g
Ferrous Sulfate30 g
Sodium Citrate36 g
Distilled Water340 mlTools needed:
Balance Scale
Measuring Cylinder
Glass Jars with Lids
Glass Stirring Rod
Nitrile Gloves2
2
Pour and stir
Pour and stir
Pour the iron-citrate mixture into the silver nitrate solution, stirring all the time. A dark precipitate forms.
Tools needed:
Glass Stirring RodGlass Jars with LidsNitrile Gloves3
3
Settle and wash with alcohol
Settle and wash with alcohol
Let it settle and pour off the liquid. Dissolve the precipitate in a little distilled water and throw it down again with absolute alcohol. Pour off the alcohol.
Tools needed:
Absolute AlcoholDistilled WaterGlass Jars with LidsGlass Stirring Rod4
4
Dry
Dry
Dry the precipitate in a dish at room temperature. It becomes a bluish or greenish mass.
Tools needed:
Evaporating Dish5
5
Make the 1 % solution
Make the 1 % solution
Dissolve the dried silver in distilled water at 1 g to 100 ml. It dissolves deep red. Keep it in a stoppered bottle and do not mix it with salt water.
Materials for this step:
Distilled Water500 mlTools needed:
Balance Scale
Glass Bottles with StoppersMaterials
4- 10 gPlaceholder
- 30 gPlaceholder
- 36 gPlaceholder
- 840 mlPlaceholder
Tools Required
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