Good luck. Let us know your results.
Apologies, a bit lengthy: All 20ppm batches made so far I have thought good. They are very clear, yellow, and maybe 'too' yellow - shine like gold, taste like water. Then the laser arrived and everything awry, shows a noticeable Tyndall!!
Equipment: DC variable constant current (CC) source with mA display + 24v DC mains powerpack supply for it (
Manufacturer assures pure DC not PWM.) 2 Multimeters (
confirm each other & DC mA on display true) Magnetic stirrer/hotplate (
don't use hotplate yet - tried it and 1L water over desk. :-) duh!) 2mm dia K; 1oz Ag ingot both certified .9999; holding jig is a PVC lid, electrodes 37mm apart.
Components: Electrolyte: made by heating baking soda in heatproof glass pan for @ 1 hour, cool, measure 10gm, dissolve into 100ml DW.
Reducer: Golden Syrup 50:50 with DW (
2 tablespoons of each); Calibrate dropper - 45 drops into teaspoon/5 =9 drops/litre (
started with 20d/L until calibration)
Cleaning with DW, fingers always kept away from things.
Method history: Temp always @ 24C; Initially used 1L DW, 10mA 30mins; ingot 50% in; adjust K depth for Vcell=17v (
I originally used a brass strip K, 3mm wide and got Vcell-12v. In this condition at 10mA there were wisps flooding from A so I reduced K depth until they went and it seemed 17v Vcell optimum so I always set K depth for this. Open circuit CC generator is 19v.)
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Last run: 0.6L DW (
steamed, stirred) TDS ppm=0; pH=7.8; temp=24.7C; Slight Tyndall in daylight;
Add electrolyte, 6 drops & 1d GS; - Tyndall unchanged.
Insert, connect-up electrodes, ingot 7/8 immersed, start & time for 18mins, raise/lower K for 17v Vcell. (
10d electrolyte for 1L 6d for .6L) Only viewed action bubbles swirling around.
Very clear result - no cloudiness but Tyndall getting stronger.
Remove electrodes, lid on, ingot face white oxide, edges black oxide, K plateout negligible - faint black when wiped with paper towel.
Tyndall slowly increases. Image taken @ 1/2 hour wait. Tyndall is brighter than image achievable.
NOTE: I did one run prior to the above everything exactly same but reducer added AFTER 18mins. At 18mins the Tyndall was noticeable but got much stronger after adding the GS.
I'm doing something wrong, where? Some batches made under fluro at evening, others day in relatively shaded room.
Any advice please? I must be doing something soppy :-( [
Oz Gravity? UK MOD did tell me Oz mV different to UK mV?? Nah! Got something wrong, can't see it.]
Just batched as above, 200ml; 20ppm; 10mA; 17v; 6 mins; 2d electrolyte; raised temp to 40C at start. GS smeared on tissue - guess, added after run. End of run slight Tyndall but after adding GS, 1/2 hr later Tyndall quite noticeable as yellow appeared.tony