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Silver Immersion Bath

Hi everybody,

I am currently a university student, and I am trying to find a good immersion bath for Silver onto Stainless Steel. I have tried to look at previous abstracts and papers but I couldn't find much; only electroless plating, and electroplating, (processes that use a power source). The immersion bath I am looking for, I would like to avoid a power source, and cyanide. I would like to know what composition I could use in the bath. If anyone can tell me what I need and the steps to use to optimize silver onto stainless steel, that would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Ka-Ming
University Student - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2006

I am a university student, and I have posted another question similar to this one, except it pertained to stainless steel. I forgot to mention that I am also allowed to try immersion plating silver onto nickel, rather than stainless steel. Again, it cannot be anything that requires a power source. If anyone can help me, it will be greatly appreciated. Is there anyone point me in the right direction? If possible I would like to know the composition, and/or a reference point for me to build up on.

Ka-Ming Liu
University of Toronto - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2006

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2006

Cyanide free immersion silver plating solution:
15 gm silver nitrate
30 gm sodium thiosulphate ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links]
10 gm ammonium chloride
1 lit water
Dissolve nitrate in 50 ml water,add chloride dissolved in same quantity of water,then add that to thiosulphate solution(dissolve thiosulphate in 900 ml water).Immerse your objects in solution(oxide and grease free).Rinse well.
Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia

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Does this method require a reducing agent? My constraint is to only use the immersion plating method, and not the electroless method (sorry I didn't make it clear)

Ka-Ming
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2006

This is immersion plating,late 19.century formula-no need for reducing agent. Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2006

Ed. note: There are a number of commercial "re-silvering dips" available, Ka-Ming, and they are listed on our FAQ "Silver Plating at Home". They work on exposed copper and brass, but I don't know if they work on nickel or stainless steel, because those materials form such a strong passive film on their surface.