Silver Tarnish Removal: Electrochemistry

A chemical explanation for the electrochemical method of "polishing" silver.




First, the silver metal is tarnished (oxidized to silver ions)using a recently hard-boiled egg.




Then, the silver ions are reduced back to silver metal using aluminum foil and an electrolyte solution.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• chemistry
• silver
• polish
• electrochemistry
• oxidation
• reduction
• tarnish

[XxCODxXd3ath]

nurdrage has a better on this go check it out he shows you how to do this same thing two dif ways

[6merkaba]

Can I do the same for brass? I spent the whole evening rubbing on an old piece of antique brass with stinky Brasso!!!

Please tell me !

Blessings, Ariane

[OptimusPrimeX]

thanks for sharing !! awesome idea

would this work for a sterling silver hand mirror i have ? I don't think it would do anything to the mirror itself. It's a Towle Old master... i would think that it would work fine. Those cleaning solutions do absolutely nothing for the oxidation.

[Cozzmos]

Yeah, NEVER put an electric hair dryer in water if there is tinfoil and baking soda in it.

[tepishane]

It worked in minutes!!!

[jenvieve06]

super cool.. it worked on my silver jewelries..

[spyrofanboy1]

can you do that with a penny

[XxTexasGunnerxX]

I got that same coin LOL

[yagadababa]

my chem teacher is a nazi and she didn't believe us that this involved an electrochemical reaction. YOU SAVED MY BUTTTTTTT!!! :) thank you very much for explaining this.

[thechayman]

Quite useful, thanks for explaining the process