A Manual of Photographic Chemistry, Including the Practice of the Collodion ProcessHardwich, T. Frederick
Science
A Manual of Photographic Chemistry, Including the Practice of the Collodion Process
Hardwich, T. Frederick
Photographic chemistry; Photography
Sulphuretted Hydrogen gas is readily prepared, by fitting a cork and
flexible tubing to the neck of a pint bottle, and having introduced
Sulphuret of Iron (sold by operative chemists for the purpose), about as
much as will stand in the palm of the hand, pouring upon it 1-1/2 fluid
ounce of Oil of Vitriol diluted with 10 ounces of water. The gas is
generated gradually without the application of heat, and must be allowed
to bubble up through the liquid from which the Silver is to be separated.
The smell of Sulphuretted Hydrogen being offensive, and highly poisonous
if inhaled in a concentrated form, the operation must be carried on in the
open air, or in a place where the fumes may escape without doing injury.
When the liquid begins to acquire a strong and persistent odour of
Sulphuretted Hydrogen, the precipitation of Sulphuret is completed. The
black mass must then be collected upon a filter, and washed by pouring
water over it, until the liquid which runs through gives little or no
precipitate with a drop of Nitrate of Silver.
The Silver may also be separated in the form of Sulphuret from old
Hypo-Baths, by adding Oil of Vitriol in quantity sufficient to decompose
the Hyposulphite of Soda; and burning off the free Sulphur from the brown
deposit.
Conversion of Sulphuret of Silver into metallic Silver.--The black
Sulphuret of Silver may be reduced to the state of metal by roasting and
subsequent fusion with Carbonate of Soda; but it is more convenient, in
operating on a small scale, to proceed in the following manner:--first
convert the Sulphuret into Nitrate of Silver, by boiling with Nitric Acid
diluted with two parts of water; when all evolution of red fumes has
ceased, the liquid may be diluted, allowed to cool, and filtered from
the insoluble portion, which consists principally of Sulphur, but also
contains a mixture of Chloride and Sulphuret of Silver, unless the Nitric
Acid employed was free from Chlorine; this precipitate may be heated, in
order to volatilize the Sulphur, and then digested with Hyposulphite of
Soda, or added to the Hypo-Bath.
The solution of Nitrate of Silver obtained by dissolving Sulphuret of
Silver, is always strongly acid with Nitric Acid, and also contains
_Sulphate_ of Silver. It may be crystallized by evaporation; but unless
the quantity of material operated on is large, it will be better to
precipitate the Silver in the form of Chloride, by adding common Salt, as
already recommended.
REDUCTION OF CHLORIDE OF SILVER TO THE METALLIC STATE.
The Chloride of Silver is first to be carefully washed, by filling up
the vessel which contains it, many times with water, and pouring off the
liquid, or drawing it off close with a siphon. It may then be dried at a
gentle heat, and fused with twice its weight of dry Carbonate of Potash,
or better still, with a mixture of the Carbonates of Potash and Soda.
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