Is my Silver Nitrate gone bad?
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I've got some 25+ year-old silver nitrate -- reagent grade. While I would not call it "snow" white, it's not gray, for sure. Does your container have a grade or date or price tag? Any clue might help us out -- even a photo!
Its been my experience that once it turns from white to grey it's no longer any good. In the past I purchased all my SN from B&S and it came in brown glass bottles. Then they switched from glass to white plastic and I noticed that the SN would turn from white to grey over time. I wrote and told them about it and Dana replied that they would send my future orders in brown glass bottles if requested. At the same time I had placed an order for 50gms of SN from Unicorn Productions which came in a brown glass bottle. That was several years ago and I just checked and its still snow white in color.
Thomas
Thomas
"AgNO3 decomposes under light to form elemental silver and nitrogen oxides."
If it has discolored significantly, it could be quite decomposed and may or may not be usable, depending on the application. If you describe its color as "gray", then that doesn't bode well and you should likely dispose of it via hazardous waste disposal.
But you could always try it in whatever application you need it for and see if it works.
If it has discolored significantly, it could be quite decomposed and may or may not be usable, depending on the application. If you describe its color as "gray", then that doesn't bode well and you should likely dispose of it via hazardous waste disposal.
But you could always try it in whatever application you need it for and see if it works.
As @retina_restoration quotes (from an unknown source) silver nitrate will decompose upon exposure to light forming elemental silver.
Any silver thus formed is also likely oxidize (at least partly) to silver oxide upon standing in air. Both compounds probably contribute to the discoloration.
However, the amounts of both species are likely to be small in 'gray' silver nitrate. Furthermore, neither silver oxide nor elemental silver are very soluble in water. Thus small amounts are unlikely to cause issues for alt photo processes.
Staying away from the bottom of your stock container when withdrawing solution will also minimize any potential contamination as will not shaking or stirring the stock solution.
Therefore, I agree with what both @koraks and @retina_restoration suggest. I would try your material and see if it works.
Lastly, any decomposition can be easily avoided by storing silver nitrate in a dark cabinet or drawer rather than on an open shelf. This would avoid the problem completely even if the material is in a plastic bottle.
Dark storage of any photosensitive material is an easy and inexpensive way to avoid trouble even if the material is packaged in brown glass bottles.
Any silver thus formed is also likely oxidize (at least partly) to silver oxide upon standing in air. Both compounds probably contribute to the discoloration.
However, the amounts of both species are likely to be small in 'gray' silver nitrate. Furthermore, neither silver oxide nor elemental silver are very soluble in water. Thus small amounts are unlikely to cause issues for alt photo processes.
Staying away from the bottom of your stock container when withdrawing solution will also minimize any potential contamination as will not shaking or stirring the stock solution.
Therefore, I agree with what both @koraks and @retina_restoration suggest. I would try your material and see if it works.
Lastly, any decomposition can be easily avoided by storing silver nitrate in a dark cabinet or drawer rather than on an open shelf. This would avoid the problem completely even if the material is in a plastic bottle.
Dark storage of any photosensitive material is an easy and inexpensive way to avoid trouble even if the material is packaged in brown glass bottles.
Exactly what I was thinking. Even though mine is in dark glass bottles, it's in the dark 99.999% of the time -- which gets me back to my original question -- what GRADE of SN is it, and how gray is it?
Andrew O'Neill
Moderator
I have a bottle of light gray Silver Nitrate. Has been working fine.
A change in color indicates a chemical reaction. I have only experienced that when it was stored in the plastic (Pet?) bottles. If you receive it in the plastic bottles I recommend that you transfer it to brown glass upon receipt. It seems to react with the plastic.
Thomas
Thomas
In a distant past I would run chloride assays (for salt) we used a lot of silver nitrate, I bought it several pounds at a time. This was reagent grade material. Crystal was snow ice white, but if exposed to the air, especially in a lab it could get gray.
If you have any doubts as to it's potency dissolve a few grains in a few mL of distilled water, then sprinkle in a couple grains of table salt. You should get an immediate formation of white silver chloride precipitate.
I would be surprised if it's bad. Unless it's not silver nitrate.
If you have any doubts as to it's potency dissolve a few grains in a few mL of distilled water, then sprinkle in a couple grains of table salt. You should get an immediate formation of white silver chloride precipitate.
I would be surprised if it's bad. Unless it's not silver nitrate.
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