Technical silver: applications, properties and cost of the material

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

In the consumer market, silver is classified as a precious metal, but in its pure form it is often widely used in industry, ensuring the performance of various electrical appliances.

Moreover, it was previously used in the creation of photographic equipment and mirrors, thanks to the reflective surface. But do not confuse this metal with a jewelry alloy - the difference between them is quite significant, and this is not only a matter of cost.

What is technical silver

Despite the name suggesting a low quality material, the term refers to 999 sterling silver, copper alloy or ceramic-metal composites.

It is extracted from lead ores and often does not look very attractive.

Ligatures added to technical silver have a strictly defined composition. It is selected according to the application's required corrections in the chemical and physical properties of the metal and is usually intended to increase the electrical conductivity or strength of the element.

In the manufacture of jewelry, completely differentimpurities that give the material a more attractive appearance and malleability, which also determines the lower cost of the technical alloy.

Metal Properties

Technical silver has a list of physical qualities that allow it to be used in the field of electronics for the manufacture of various parts. A number of these characteristics include parameters such as:

• low melting point;
• high level of thermal and electrical conductivity;
• softness and flexibility of the material;
• inertness (passive to aggressive reagents);
• good reflectivity;
• corrosion resistance;
• mechanical strength.

However, the jewelry alloy has a higher cost than technical silver. The price for 1 gram of such a metal will rise due to expensive purification from lead, which is dangerous to human he alth due to its tendency to accumulate in body tissues. However, in radio engineering this plays a secondary role, therefore it does not affect the sale of the material in any way.

Applications

First of all, it is worth noting that technical silver can be obtained by recycling equipment containing precious metal parts. In this case, after extraction from the scrap, the composition of the remelted material cannot be rationed and is sent to the refinery for selection, otherwise the possibility of its further use disappears.

Pure silver and compositions regulated by GOST are used in the following industries:

• electronics;
• food industry (manufacturing of storage equipment);
• medicine and dentistry;
• aviation and rocket science.

It is worth noting that technical silver (the price for 1 gram strongly depends on the alloy) is used in almost all production areas, and the processing method has become the main way to obtain it.

Where silver is found

Today, any owner has the right to extract and sell a silver item from the equipment. The most valuable, from this point of view, will be old-style mechanisms, for example, electromagnetic starters: they contain soldering from precious metal.

The pure material is found in common types of relays, thermal sensors (silver wire), sc batteries and amalgam.

May occur in very small quantities in aircraft wires and connectors.

To check the authenticity of the metal, many people use a mixture of nitric acid and potassium bichromate: if the silver is real, the place moistened with the composition will turn red.

Sale of metal and its cost

On the Internet or on the radio market, you can sell technical silver. The price per gram varies depending on two factors:

1. Samples, i.e. percentage in the alloy.
2. Selling locations as each customer puts in a favorable price.

People who have not previouslyfaced with the assessment of the purity of the metal, it is better to turn to the services of professionals or to understand it on the spot. However, the first option will provide more confidence in the correctness of the displayed value and reduce the risk of selling at a lower price.

When selling scrap metal, silver-plated cutlery or parts are most popular, as they have a fairly high standard. In any case, it is much more profitable to make a sale through online auctions or thematic forums - there are often buyers on the Internet who are ready to offer a higher price.

Those who want to know how much technical silver costs should take a closer look at the various offers and choose what suits their needs. In general, the price for 1 gram is approximately 20 to 32 rubles; this difference is directly related to the percentage of pure precious metal in the alloy or the product that has become unusable.