Rhodium plated silver is a precious metal that has a thin rhodium surface layer. It is widely used in the manufacture of various jewelry... The material has a number of advantages that make it one of the most popular in the world. Apply this coating to silver product it is possible not only in specially equipped workshops, but also at home.

General information about rhodium plating

Before modernizing jewelry (chain, pendant, cross and others), you need to decide what rhodium-plated silver means and what advantages it has. This will help you learn more about the process itself and its correct conduct at home.

Purpose of the process

Rhodium is a precious metal that belongs to the same group of chemical elements as platinum, ruthenium, palladium, iridium. It is prized by jewelers for its durability and attractive appearance... Its value significantly exceeds the price of not only silver, but also gold. Because of this feature, it is rarely used in its pure form for making jewelry. In most cases, rhodium plating is sprayed onto the silver. It gives jewelry more shine and keeps it from any damage.

The spray coating is approximately the same thickness as that used in blackened silver and never exceeds 25 micrometers, which is half the width of a human hair.

Rhodium plating of silver items is carried out only by order of the buyer. The application of a thin layer of coating pursues goals like this:

Main advantages and disadvantages

Rhodium-plated silver has a large number of advantages over pure material. Thanks to this, jewelry becomes of higher quality and delights the owners for a long time with its appearance.

Among the many advantages of rhodium plating, one should highlight a few basic ones:

The rhodium-plated coating has not only advantages, but also disadvantages, which is why it is rarely used when creating exclusive and very expensive jewelry.

The negative aspects include the following:

1. Gradual erasure of a thin layer. If a silver piece is worn frequently, then its owner will have to periodically renew the rhodium plating. The frequency of this procedure will depend on the thickness of the surface layer.
2. High cost. Rhodium is very expensive, so even the thinnest coating of this precious metal can only be afforded by a wealthy person.
3. The need to break the integrity of the rhodium plating. To establish the exact cost of jewelry, a special examination will be required, which involves scraping off grains of rhodium.

Procedure for the procedure

In most cases, rhodium plated items made of 925 silver or 750 gold. These two varieties precious metals are considered the most popular and accessible to people of different status. In order to determine what is rhodium-plated 925 sterling silver, it is necessary to consider the procedure for obtaining it. The whole process is quite simple, not only for experienced jewelers, but also for beginners.

For spraying expensive metal on silver jewelry at home, you only need basic knowledge of chemistry.

The rhodium plating process includes several mandatory stages:

1. The jewelry is carefully polished using a special device.
2. Then it is polished several times. The purpose of this preparatory stage is to give the surface of the decoration maximum smoothness and evenness.
3. After that, the metal is repeatedly washed with chemicals that allow the top layer to be degreased.
4. The next step is to place the silver item in an electroplating bath.
5. The container is filled with a special solution (containing rhodium), which can be easily found and bought at a relatively low price. In this case, the liquid must completely cover the decoration.
6. An electric current is supplied to the bath. Its effect provokes the release of negatively charged rhodium from the solution. Due to the difference in charges, it is attracted to the jewelry and evenly covers its surface.
7. The process continues until the required coating thickness is reached.

Difference from other metals

Rhodium-plated silver is difficult to distinguish from other metals. The greatest outward resemblance this material is observed with platinum and white gold. In order to accurately determine the type of coating, it is necessary to take into account the main features. Among them are the following:

If the buyer of the jewelry is not a professional, then the work of determining the type of material should be entrusted to a highly qualified specialist. He, based on experience, will carry out the necessary manipulations and deliver his verdict. This option, although costly, allows you to reduce the probability of error to a minimum.

To determine which rhodium plated silver is the best, it is necessary to understand the properties and characteristics of each of them. It is also a rather difficult task that only professionals can handle.

Jewelry care methods

The purchased silver item has an attractive appearance, to preserve which it is necessary to properly care for the jewelry for many years. In this case, there are a large number of nuances, knowing which you can maintain the original appearance of the product over time.

Rhodium Plated Silver Care Features:

In addition to the standard care rules for rhodium-plated jewelry, there are several folk ways... All of them are quite simple and do not require large financial costs.

Traditional and professional methods of cleaning rhodium-plated silver items:

1. The easiest way to clean is to rinse under a stream of warm tap water. After exposure to the liquid, the product is immediately carefully wiped off with a soft cloth, and then polished with napkins, which are specially designed for jewelry.
2. Another effective method care consists in wiping the product with soapy water. For its preparation, finely chopped soap is dissolved in warm water. Then they take a cotton swab, dip it into the liquid and clean the jewelry. For wiping, use ordinary napkins. In case of severe contamination, the product is placed in a soapy solution for several minutes, and then all standard procedures are carried out.
3. Glycerin copes well with dirt. It is applied to the surface of jewelry using cotton swab, and removed with a soft cloth.
4. At home, you can carry out a simple procedure using a galvanic cleaning method. Before starting it, you should carefully remove the old layer of rhodium without damaging the jewelry.

Varieties of products

Real jewelry masterpieces can be created from rhodium-plated silver. This material is equally suitable for both men and women. Most Popular Rhodium Plated Jewelry are considered:

All listed products can be supplemented with any precious stone... Although this will significantly increase the cost, it will make the jewelry more original and attractive. More often than others they are used:

• turquoise;
• amethyst;
• ruby;
• Garnet;
• amber;
• cubic zirconia.

Rhodium plated silver is a quality material that is ideal for jewelry making. Finished goods are distinguished by their brilliance and beauty. To preserve them for several years, it is necessary to provide correct storage and proper care.

Applying silver to various things seems time consuming and costly, but everyone can do it. Yes, in professional production they use rare chemical reagents that are hard to find on the open market, however, silvering products at home will not bring any trouble. Before work, you will need to prepare a solution, or buy a similar one in a specialized store. Any decoration will turn out to be of high quality, and every beginner will cope with the work. You can silver products from almost any materials, but more often they resort to the approach to restore metal chains, earrings, bracelets and other things. Real processing is carried out different approaches, and upon completion, the element will not only acquire a new appearance, but also change its technical properties.

Features of silvering at home

For the result to be successful, it is important to properly prepare the mass. Since cooking will go with a combination of harmful ingredients, you need to choose a ventilated room. Also, in order to prevent danger, the access of children to reagents should be limited. As for the recipe, one of them looks like this (for example, silvering copper will be considered):

• 6 grams of Argentum chloride;
• 8 grams of table salt and tartar;
• distilled water;
• latex gloves;
• flannel;
• mixing vessel.

Everything is thoroughly crushed and mixed with each other. As a result, a pasty base is forced to form. It is applied to soft tissue and rub the thing evenly. When the surface gets a silvery hue, it is washed from the tap and polished with a thick cotton rag. The same type is used for silvering various metals, plastics, ceramics and other materials.

The most important stage is cleaning the object from oxides, grease and rust (the compound is applied to an absolutely clean workpiece). For this, a well-known method is suitable, for example, white vinegar. It is enough to dip copper objects into it for several hours. Alternatively, a baking soda mixture is made. It must be thick so that it can be applied to the plane. Further, dirt and corrosion can be easily removed with an old toothbrush.

The improvised substance should not be stored for a long time in a residential area, especially near a fire. Over time, a reaction occurs, during which explosive components are formed. Also, silver coating, especially at home, is recommended to be carried out carefully, with respiratory protection and skin... And upon completion of the procedure, hands are washed and disinfected.

If there is a desire to gild a steel object, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to perform the operation quickly. For gilding, you will need complex components (sodium phosphate, chloride gold, crystalline, carbon dioxide sodium, etc.) and special equipment (special baths). However, there are examples on the network, some of which are about home types of gilding, and in this case, the blank can be made independently.

One of the most effective approaches to applying a silver coating is to finish with a photo fixative solution, which is not suitable for the film. The action is easy: hyposulfite is mixed with formalin in proportions of 1 liter / 10 drops, about 5 ml is added to the resulting mixture. ammonia. This will allow the correction to be carried out and bright color... Prepare the surface by removing all dirt and grease. After that, the jewelry is immersed in the made emulsion for 1.5 hours.

Such silvering is less dangerous at home, but it is not recommended to neglect safety precautions. At the end of the session, the surface will be covered with a thin cover of argentum, the amount of which will affect the shine. The finished element must be washed, dried and wiped with a cloth or leather cloth.

You can also silver the copper with matte photographic paper in hyposulfite: cut photo sheets are placed in the prepared emulsion, with which the plane is subsequently wiped. As a result, the accessory will be covered with a layer. At the end everything is wiped off with a damp and soft cloth. It should be noted that the upper layer may not be enough and manipulations can be repeated. Sometimes a lap pencil is used to improve, but inexperienced people will find it difficult to follow the rules and technology.

Electroplated silver plating

This is another system used by individuals. The operation is permissible with a graphite rod. You will also need a power supply and an electrolyte designed for silvering things at home. It includes 4 components:

• liter of distilled liquid;
• 15-25gr yellow blood salt and soda ash;
• 10-15g silver chloride;

Each element is separately dissolved in boiling water, then mixed and boiled for about 2 more hours. The silvering solution is stored in a plastic container with a well-closed lid and in a dark place. Before use, it is shaken to raise the sediment and poured into a glass container. The main thing is not to forget about protective equipment, and to manipulate with rubber gloves.

Then a graphite rod is partially immersed in the vessel (can be removed from the battery) and the anode is connected to it. The part itself is connected to the cathode and lowered into the reservoir with the substance. It is also important to degrease and clean it (part). The voltage on the block is set from 5 to 12 volts and the higher the current, the faster the galvanic silvering. However, the thickness of the interlayer will not be thick enough. Thus, a good layer is obtained, which adheres tightly to the surface. But its properties are completely dependent on the purity of coins, jewelry, cufflinks and more.

The remaining composition can be reused, the main thing is to follow the storage rules.

Silver plating by heating

Here, 100 g of Argentum chloride is mixed with water, and 600 g of sodium chloride and tartar. A thick mass should form, which is stored in a dark glass dish. Silver plating goes like this: the mixture is diluted with boiling water, where the object is kept for 15-20 minutes. The connection takes place in a copper container, where things are lowered in a lattice. As for the preparation, the combination is carried out in the ratio of 3 tablespoons of the mass to 5 liters of liquid.

Better workable brass and copper. In other situations, it is advisable to take alloys that tolerate high temperatures well. This option is not very positive, and the jewelry will not have brightness.

To make a bright thickness, another technology is needed, where acetic (100 g) and sulfuric (300 g) salt dissolves. Everything is combined with 4.5-5 liters of water and boil for about 15 minutes at T = 75-80 ° C. This method of applying silver will give a solid and shiny color.

Some alloys are not designed for these conditions, but this problem can be easily solved by applying a layer of copper.

The procedure is also carried out by galvanic and electrolytic methods, but only the essence changes.

Application of the paste

Silver is a great and inexpensive upgrade that can be used to silver items of any class. The key advantages include instant action, and the product is suitable for dishes, as well as for buttons, awards, figurines and more. The paste is mixed until smooth, the treated part is wiped with a solvent, coated with a thin layer of paste. Then time is given for drying, and the remnants of the silver are washed off. For a greater layer thickness, everything can be repeated 2-3 times. If dry, you can dilute the composition with water.

In this way, it is possible to perform silvering of brass, copper and other alloys, and this does not require specific skills and complex reagents. The purchase and operation of such a substance is possible without special permission, it is open for sale and is excellent for beginners in home use... As for the quality, the dressings will not be inferior to analogues made in other ways.

There are two methods of silvering metal:

Mix 100 grams of silver chloride with 600 g of sodium chloride and 600 grams of tartar (in powder), add enough water to form a liquid gruel, which is stored in a well-sealed brown glass jar in a dark place. For use, dissolve 3 tablespoons of this gruel in 5 liters of water and boil in a copper pot for 15-20 minutes.

Metal objects that are to be silvering are placed on a sieve (for example, porcelain) and lowered into a boiling liquid, with the sieve constantly moving. As a result, objects are covered with a thin layer of silver.

Then the silvered object is placed in the following composition: 300 grams of hyposulfite and 100 grams of acetic-lead salt are dissolved in 4.8 liters of hot water. Lead sulfate begins to stand out from the solution, and when heated for 10-15 minutes. (up to 75 degrees) objects receive the desired shine.

1. For silvering, a dough is prepared from silver chloride, isolated from 25 g of silver nitrate, 150 g of tartar powder and sodium chloride, and the silver salt solution is isolated with hydrochloric acid, silver chloride is washed out and mixed into a slurry with tartar powder, table salt and water. The resulting gruel must be stored in a dark glass jar.

   Small objects made of copper or brass, which are subject to silvering, must first be degreased and oxides removed from their surface.

   Then it is heated in an enamel pot with a capacity of 3-5 liters. water until boiling, put 2-3 full tablespoons of the prepared dough, which does not completely dissolve, and a clay sieve with metal objects in it is immersed in a boiling solution, and the objects are constantly stirred with a glass or wooden stick. Before placing a new portion of the items in the bath, you need to add a fresh portion of the dough.

Silver plating of metals using zinc contact.

For silvering using zinc contact (bringing the metal surface of the object into contact with a zinc rod), take 10 parts of silver nitrate, pour over a sufficient amount of hydrochloric acid, precipitate and wash the silver chloride obtained in the precipitate.

Silver chloride is dissolved with 70 parts of ammonia and 40 parts of potassium cyanide, 40 parts of soda, 15 parts of sodium chloride and 1000 parts of water are added to the solution.

Carefully! Potassium cyanide is poisonous.

Silver plating of metals by immersion in a solution.

Three methods of silver plating of metal by immersion:

1. To prepare the liquid, mix 20 g of hyposulfite and 10 g of ammonia with 200 g of water. Items to be silver are immersed in this liquid. The advantage of this method of silvering is that it can directly silver all metals, including iron and steel, without first covering it with a layer of copper. The disadvantage is that you have to prepare a fresh solution for the bath every time, since this solution quickly becomes unusable.
2. Dissolve 90.6 g of potassium cyanide (poisonous!) In 1.125 l of water, on the other hand dissolve 25.5 g of silver nitrate in 1.125 l of water and mix both solutions just before use. The cleaned objects are immersed in a bath heated to 50-60 degrees, and the silver is deposited almost immediately and a beautiful white layer is obtained, which will be shiny or dull depending on whether the surface of the object was shiny or dull.
3. A solution is prepared: in a moderately strong solution of sodium sulphide add, when placed, silver nitrate salt until the precipitate of silver sulphide is dissolved. This bath is used cold or warm; when the solution begins to stop acting, the silver solution must be added again. If the resulting silver sulphide does not dissolve, then you need to add the above solution of sodium sulphide.

Silver plating of metal by rubbing.

Four methods of silvering metals:

1. For silvering objects by rubbing, the following mixture is recommended: 1 part silver chloride, 3 parts sodium chloride and 3 parts tartar. This test is used to rub objects with a cloth.
2. The recipe for the composition for silvering: mix 300 g of silver chloride, 300 g of table salt, 200 g of elutriated chalk and 600 g of potash. Metal object to be silver plated, cleaned from dirt and traces of fat and rubbed with the above mixture with suede, then rinsed with water and polished.
3. Mix 3 silver chloride, 3 table salt and 2 elutriated chalk into a homogeneous mass and rub it with a damp piece of leather or a cork on the object to be silvering, after which it is rinsed with water, cleaned and polished,
4. Dissolve 10 g of silver nitrate in 50 g of distilled water and add a solution of 25 g of potassium cyanide in 50 g of distilled water, stir well and filter. On the other hand, 10 g of tartar powder is mixed with 100 g of elutriated chalk and this powder is stirred with the required amount of the above solution into a mushy mass, which is rubbed onto an object of copper, brass or zinc to be silvering with a brush. After the mass is dry, rinse the item with cold water and dry.

Silver plating of copper.

For silver plating of copper, mix 3 parts of silver nitrate salt, 2 parts of sodium chloride and 210 parts of cremortartar. For silvering, take a little of this powder and rub the cleaned surface of a copper object with a cloth soaked in water.

For silvering copper, you can successfully use the following liquid: 14 parts of silver chloride, 21 parts of potassium oxalate, 30 parts of sodium chloride and 7.5 parts of ammonium chloride are dissolved in 6-10 parts of water.

Silver plating of brass and copper.

For silvering copper and brass, a liquid is used: 30 parts of silver nitrate is dissolved in 100 parts of distilled water, a solution of 10 parts of sodium chloride in 100 parts of distilled water is added with constant stirring and a mixture consisting of 65 parts of chalk, 30 parts of tartar is added, parts of ammonia (specific gravity 0.960) and 60 parts of distilled water.

The mixture is stored in a dark place.

Objects of copper, brass or iron covered with a layer of silver (previously coated with a layer of copper by dipping into a solution of copper sulfate) are thoroughly cleaned and rubbed with the above mixture using a cloth until a layer of silver is obtained.

Finally, wash off with warm water.

The mixture is stored in orange flasks in a dark place.

Silvering copper items or jewelry at home is not very difficult. There are many different and quite simple ways that do not require rare reagents. The solution for silvering is quite available for self-preparation.

Features of the silvering process

Before and after silvering copper

• Copper or brass products are usually coated with silver; parts made of aluminum, steel and other metals and alloys can be processed quite well. In contact with these substances, the silver compound can decompose, during which metallic silver is released. A similar property of a substance is used to treat various surfaces.

• Brass objects lend themselves best to silvering, since less solution is required to silver lighter metal. Copper or steel with a dark surface can shine through under a thin layer of silver, so more than 10-15 microns of solution is needed to process them. Some metals are pre-coated with a copper layer for better reaction.

• Work on silvering products at home is carried out in a room that should be well ventilated. Before processing, the copper surface must be degreased with organic solvents or alkaline solutions from any impurities (oxides, fat, oil).

• In the process, you will need pieces of soft cloth or leather, with the help of which the paste is applied to the product, flannel for polishing the surface and rubber gloves.

Chemical silvering method

• For the silvering process, the chemical composition of the solution is adjusted: hyposulfite (1 l) is mixed with formalin (6-10 drops) and ammonia (4-6 ml) is added. The adjustment results in a silver plating.
• Copper products are pretreated. The part is cleaned to a shine, then it must be boiled in a soda solution and rinsed well in water. After preparation, the object is immersed for 1-1.5 hours in the container of the photo solution.
• At the end of the procedure, the surface is covered with a silver film, the quality of which is determined by the concentration of silver in the composition. The product is washed in water, dried and polished with a soft cloth to give shine.

1. In order to silver copper, you can simply rub it with matte photographic paper in a hyposulfite solution.

• For this, sheets of photographic paper are cut into pieces and immersed in a solution diluted in accordance with the instructions on the package.

• The prepared product is lowered into a container and processed (rubbed) with an emulsion paper layer. Gradually, a silver coating appears on the surface of the product. At the end of the procedure, it is washed and wiped with a soft cloth.

1. Prepare a solution of hyposulfite (300 ml), 2 ml of ammonia, 2-3 drops of formalin, which is then placed in a dark place. The cleaned product is immersed in liquid for 30-90 minutes, then dried and wiped with a rag.

Application of the paste

Silver Plating of Copper with Lapis Pencil

1. The home silvering method using a lapis pencil (silver nitrate) is rather complicated, but gives a denser finish.

• To prepare the mixture, 2 g of silver nitrate is dissolved in 300 ml of water.

Hydrochloric acid or 10% sodium chloride solution is gradually added to the composition until the flakes of silver chloride stop falling out. The resulting precipitate must be filtered and washed well.

• Next, sodium hyposulfite (20 g) is dissolved in 100 ml of water and silver chloride is added thereto. When the substance stops dissolving, the resulting mixture is filtered and mixed with ground chalk or tooth powder. As a result, it should look like liquid sour cream, which is used for silvering. Copper is rubbed with this mixture until a thick silver film is obtained.

1. For the second method, you need to mix the following ingredients:

• silver chloride 6 g;
• table salt 8 g;
• sour potassium tartrate (tartar) 8 g.

The prepared powder is mixed well and ground in a mortar. The mixture is stored in a container with dark glass. Immediately before use, it must be diluted in water to the state of a liquid paste, with which the previously cleaned part is rubbed.

1. The following substances are mixed and dissolved in water to the state of a liquid slurry:

• tartar 4 g;
• ammonia 2 g;
• lapis pencil (silver nitrate) 1 g.

The finished mixture is applied to the fabric and rubbed on the metal surface until a shine is obtained.

1. Prepare and carefully filter the composition from the mixture:

• silver nitrate 10 g;
• potassium cyanide 25 g;
• water 100 g.

A lapis pencil (silver nitrate) is dissolved in 50 g of water, a solution of potassium cyanide and 50 g of distilled water are added to the resulting composition.

The resulting substance is mixed with a mixture of 10 g of tartar and 100 g of elutriated chalk into a liquid slurry. Metal products are treated with the paste, after which they are rinsed with cold water and dried.

The use of a powder formulation at home has advantages over liquid solutions. The powder has a longer shelf life, it retains its properties in a dark room more than a year... For liquid solutions, the shelf life is several days.

Silver plating by heating

1. It is mixed and diluted with water until a creamy consistency is obtained:

• silver chloride 100 g;
• tartar 600 g;
• table salt 600 g.

The finished composition is tightly corked in a brown glass vessel and placed in a dark place.

For silvering a small amount of the resulting mixture is dissolved in water and brought to a boil, where copper parts are processed for 15-20 minutes. The silvering process is carried out in a copper pot, where objects are lowered in a porcelain sieve. The solution is prepared at the rate of 3 tbsp. tablespoons of the mixture for 5 liters of water.

The silver coating is matte and a composition is prepared from the following ingredients to add shine:

• water 4.8 l;
• sulphate sodium salt 300 g;
• vinegar-lead salt 100 g.

When the solution is heated to 70-80 degrees, lead sulphide is released. The parts are lowered into the boiler for 10-15 minutes and at the end the metal surface becomes shiny.

1. Silver chloride, obtained from 25 g of silver nitrate, is mixed with tartar (150 g), table salt and water until a liquid slurry is made. The finished mixture is contained in a dark container.

Silvering is done in a five-liter enamel pot, where water is poured and brought to a boil. 2-3 tbsp are added to the container. tablespoons of a mixture that does not completely dissolve. Copper parts are processed in a boiling solution in a sieve of clay or porcelain, while stirring them with a glass or wooden stick. To carry out a second procedure, a new mixture is added to the boiler.

Silver plating by immersion in solution.

1. To obtain a denser film of silver, the following solution is made at home.

• ammonia 70 g;
• silver chloride 10 g;
• crystalline soda 40 g;
• potassium cyanide 40 g;
• table salt 15 g.

All these substances are mixed and distilled water is added to a volume of 1 liter. Metal parts are lowered into the container at the same time as a piece of zinc or mounted on a zinc plate.

1. To prepare the solution, a composition is made from a mixture:

• silver nitrate salt 11 g;
• potassium cyanide 60 g;
• elutriated chalk 750 g;
• water 60 g.

Take one part of the mixture and add two parts of distilled water, immerse a metal part in the resulting paste. Large objects can be wiped with a sponge or cloth soaked in solution. At the end, the product is rubbed with elutriated chalk and polished with a piece of leather.

1. Contact method of silvering

• carbon silver salt 10 g;
• sodium sulfate salt 100 g;
• water 100 g.

The substances are mixed and dissolved in water, stirring constantly during the process. The prepared solution is poured off, filtering off the precipitate. The products are dipped into a container with a solution, where they come into contact with a zinc rod.

Video: Silvering in solution

Silvering of metal products can also be done at home. Such a procedure can be carried out qualitatively different ways, and for the practical implementation of many of them, you do not need to look for and buy expensive chemical reagents. You can prepare a solution for silvering copper products from available means, even at home.

Products coated with a layer of silver, like gilded metal, look very presentable, which explains the high popularity of such a technological operation.

How is silvering of copper and copper alloys performed?

The silvering process is distinguished by a number of features that must be taken into account when performing it. Such features are as follows.

• Silvering, as a rule, is used for products made of copper, brass, aluminum, steel and a number of other alloys. Metallic silver is released from the solution for performing silvering in contact with these metals and alloys, which makes it possible to effectively carry out such a technological process.
• Light metal is the easiest to achieve high-quality silvering. So that the darker surface of the base metal does not shine through from under the applied silver layer, the thickness of such a layer should be at least 10–15 micrometers.
• Silver plating at home or at a production site must be done in well ventilated rooms.
• In order for the silvering of brass, copper or any other metal to be of high quality, the surface to be treated must first be degreased.
• The paste, with which the silvering is performed, is applied by means of a piece of soft cloth or leather.

Chemical method

One of the methods by which chemical silvering is performed is by treating the surface of the metal with antichlorine (sodium thiosulfate), a solution for fixing a photograph. The essence of the silvering method using such a solution is as follows.

1. In one liter of antichlor, which is no longer suitable for fixing photographic film, add six to ten drops of formalin and 4-6 ml of ammonia.
2. A copper product subjected to silvering is carefully prepared: the surface is cleaned to a metallic sheen, then the part is boiled in a soda solution and thoroughly washed with water. After such preparation, the processed product is immersed in the photo solution for an hour and a half.
3. After exposure to a photographic solution, the metal is covered with a thin layer of silver. The final stages of the silvering procedure using this technology are washing the product with water, drying and polishing.
4. You can also perform silvering of copper products using ordinary photographic paper.
5. Photographic paper is cut into separate parts and immersed in a solution, the composition of which is indicated on its packaging.
6. The product, on the surface of which it is necessary to apply a layer of silver, is carefully prepared and immersed in a solution with photographic paper.
7. The surface to be treated is rubbed with an emulsion layer of photographic paper, as a result of which a silver coating is formed.
8. After the end of the procedure, the product is thoroughly washed with water, dried, and then rubbed with a soft cloth.

You can also silver copper in the following way.

• In 300 ml of antichlor, add 2 ml of an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide and 2-3 drops of formalin.
• The resulting solution is placed in a dark place and the product to be processed is immersed in it for 30 minutes (or even for an hour and a half).
• After soaking in the solution, the product is dried and wiped with a soft cloth.

Using special pastes

In order to silver the metal, you can use special pastes, which are easy to prepare at home. Silver plating of metal products with the help of special pasty compositions is carried out according to various methods.

Method # 1

The first of these methods involves the use of silver nitrate, which is often called a lapis pencil. Though this way silver plating and has a rather high complexity, it allows you to form a dense silver coating on the metal surface.

A lapidary pencil is also used as a "tester" for silver and other metals.

To implement this method of silvering, an aqueous solution is prepared, consisting of 300 ml of water and 2 grams of silver nitrate. Hydrochloric acid or 10% aqueous solution of sodium chloride is gradually added to the resulting solution. This process is carried out until the precipitate, which is silver chloride, ceases to form on the bottom of the container. The flocculated precipitate thus obtained must be collected, filtered and rinsed thoroughly.

Filtered and washed chlorine silver is mixed with a solution consisting of 100 ml of water and 20 grams of sodium hyposulfite. The mixture obtained in this way is filtered and mixed with tooth powder or ground chalk, bringing its consistency to a creamy state. Such a mixture is already ready for use, and the surface of the copper product is rubbed with it, as a result of which a thin film of silver is formed on it.

Method # 2

To perform the silver plating of copper products according to the second method, the following components must be mixed:

• 6 grams of silver chloride;
• 8 grams of edible salt;
• the same amount of potassium tartrate.

All of the above components are dry mixed and thoroughly ground in a mortar. The resulting mixture can be stored in a dark glass container for a long time. Immediately before use, this powder is diluted in water to a pasty state and rubbed with this agent on the surface of the workpiece.

Method # 3

The following method of silvering involves the use of a mixture that includes the following components:

• 4 grams of potassium bitartrate;
• 2 ml of ammonia;
• 1 gram of lapis pencil.

The resulting mixture is dissolved in water to a pasty state, it is applied to a soft cloth, with which the surface to be treated is rubbed until a silver shine is obtained.

Method # 4

To silver the metal using this method, prepare a mixture of the following composition:

• 10 grams of silver nitrate;
• 25 grams of potassium cyanide;
• 100 ml of water.

The technology for preparing paste for silvering according to this method is as follows:

1. Silver nitrate is dissolved in 50 ml of water.
2. Potassium cyanide and another 50 ml of distilled water are added to the resulting solution.
3. 10 grams of potassium bitartrate and 100 grams of powdered chalk are introduced into the solution, bringing the consistency of the mixture to a pasty state.

The paste, which was obtained as a result of mixing all the components, is used to treat the surface of the product, after which it is washed with water and dried thoroughly.

The powders from which such silvering pastes are prepared can be stored dry for quite a long time (a year or more), while the silvering liquid has a shelf life limited to only a few days.

Silver plating with heating of the processed product

To prepare a set for silvering, in which the workpiece will be heated together with the solution used, several methods are used.

The first way

To implement the first method, a mixture of the following composition is prepared:

• 100 grams of silver chloride;
• 600 grams of potassium bitartrate;
• the same amount of table salt.

The resulting dry mixture, which can be stored for a long time in a container made of dark glass, is dissolved in water (at the rate of 3 tablespoons of the dry mixture per five liters of water) and the resulting solution is brought to a boil. The metal subjected to silvering is boiled in such a solution for a quarter of an hour.

As a result of this treatment, the metal is covered with a matte silver layer. To give the coating a shine, it is necessary to additionally process the product in a solution of the following composition:

• 4.8 liters of water;
• 300 grams of sodium sulfate salt;
• 100 grams of acetic-lead salt.

This solution is brought to a temperature of 70–80 ° and the product is kept in it for 10–15 minutes. As a result of this treatment, the metal surface acquires a characteristic silver luster.

Second way

You can also silver the metal using the following composition:

• silver chloride, obtained from 25 grams of silver nitrate;
• 150 grams of potassium bitartrate;
• food salt;
• water.

2-3 tablespoons of this mixture are added to five liters of water, which is brought to a boil. The products to be treated are immersed in such a solution in a clay or porcelain sieve, while the boiling mixture is continuously stirred with a glass or wood stick.

Immersion silvering method

Such galvanic silvering allows you to obtain a silver-plated wire or any other type of product with a denser coating. Silver plating can also be done using a variety of techniques.

Method number 1

To implement the first method of silvering, in which electroplating is involved, a solution of the following composition is prepared:

• 70 ml of an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide;
• 10 grams of silver chloride;
• 40 grams of crystalline soda;
• the same amount of potassium cyanide;
• 15 grams of table salt.

By mixing the components of this solution with distilled water, its volume is brought to one liter. Galvanization of the processed product occurs due to the fact that pieces of zinc or a plate made of this metal are added to the container in which silvering is performed.

Method number 2

A paste-like mixture for silvering according to this method is prepared from the following components

• 11 grams of lapis;
• 60 grams of potassium cyanide;
• 750 grams of powdered chalk;
• 60 ml of water.

Small products are immersed in a pasty mass obtained by mixing such a mixture with two parts of water, and larger parts are simply rubbed with it.

Method number 3

This method, which is called contact, also refers to the electrochemical methods of silvering. For its implementation, a mixture of the following composition is prepared:

• 10 grams of silver carbon salt;
• 100 grams of sodium sulfate salt;
• 100 ml of water.

The essence of this method of silvering, which resembles galvanizing, is that the workpiece is placed in an aqueous solution of this mixture. At the same time, a zinc rod or wire is also immersed in the solution, which is in contact with the surface of the part.