Colloidal Silver Generator Operators Manual
Transcription
Colloidal Silver Generator Operators Manual
Colloidal Silver Generator Operators Manual By Scott Claussen Rev. 10.3.2015 Copyright © 2012 Scott Claussen All rights reserved. Freely Shared under the GNU Free Documentation License. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included at http://www.gnu.org on the page entitled "GNU Free Documentation License". There is NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND and all warranties, expressed and implied, are hereby disclaimed, including a warranty of non-infringement of third party rights. User assumes all risk, responsibility, and liability for any results related to their use of the manual, its information, contents, links, linked content, services, products, downloads or any other entity found directly or indirectly within this manual. In no event will user hold bestyoucanget.com or Scott Claussen liable for any consequential, incidental, or direct damages resulting from any use of this manual, the bestyoucanget.com site, it's information, contents, links, linked content, services, products, downloads or any other entity found directly or indirectly within this manual, or the bestyoucanget.com site. Colloidal Silver Generator Operators Manual Table of Contents Precautions Device Controls Device Specifications Settings Procedure Batch Charts – Reheat Method + Hot Tray Batch Charts – Cold Procedure Example of Colloidal Silver Creation using a Double Boiler method Storage Terms Defined Properties of Solutions, Colloids, and Suspensions Zeta Potential Particle Surface Area Colloidal Silver Color Camera used as a measurement tool Electrodes Understanding the process Chemical Parts List Schematic Precautions: DO NOT get the Colloidal Silver Generator Wet. Keep Colloidal Silver Generator away from liquid. DO NOT use Colloidal Silver Generator around containers of water large enough to drop the Generator into, such as sinks or tubs. If the Colloidal Silver Generator falls into water, DO NOT attempt to remove the Generator from the water. Unplug the Generator, before attempting to remove it from the water. DO NOT use Colloidal Silver Generator if the line cord is damaged. DO NOT allow Electrode Harness or External Power Harness wires to come in contact with any hot plates, hot trays, burners, or other high heat sources. DO NOT allow the chassis of the Colloidal Silver Generator to come in contact with any hot plates, hot trays, burners, or other high heat sources. DO NOT use excessive force on switches or controls of the Colloidal Silver Generator. Switches and controls are designed to withstand minimal force, only. DO NOT over tighten Output Binding Posts. DO NOT apply 220 VAC to line cord. Use only with 115 VAC outlets. DO NOT exceed 32VDC on the External Power Input. DO NOT apply External Power with Reversed Polarity. DO NOT Drop Colloidal Silver Generator. Device Controls: Adjustment Dial Settings: Specifications: This Colloidal Silver Generator is a Current Regulating device. Output: Fixed Regulated Current Output 2.5549ma ± .05% 2.5549ma is specified to produce a 1ma/in² Current Density with 10 inches of 12 Gauge Wire Submerged as a Wetted Donor Electrode. Adjustable Regulated Current Output From .514ma to 5.42ma regulated. Voltages levels vary from 0 to 35.6328V Max at Nominal line or 27.8V at low line to 40.9V at high line. Voltages vary with load, in order to maintain current regulation, once set point has been reached. Electrodes: 2 foot of 12 Gauge Wire, cut in half to produce two 12 inch electrodes. At least 10 inches of the Donor Electrode must be submerged in order to maintain proper Current Density during the process. Optimum Current Density: 1ma/in² Optimum Do not exceed 2ma/ in² Output Connectors: Polarized Binding Posts – Positive Red – Negative Black Input: Internal Power Supply: 115VAC Nominal or 90VAC low line to 132VAC high line .5 Watts or 4ma. External Power Input: 18VDC to 30VDC at 6 to 12ma External Power Connector: Standard Type M Power Connector - Center Positive - Outside Negative Settings: Generator settings using the internal (built in) power supply: Plug the generator into a wall outlet in your home. Switch Settings: Power - On Internal Power Fixed Set point (typical) or Adjustable Set point Generator settings using the External power: The generator does not need to be plugged into a wall outlet. An 18 to 30 VDC at 12ma power source must be connected to the Type M Power Connector. Switch Settings: Power – does not matter External Power Fixed Set point (typical) or Adjustable Set point Note: The power switch will not turn off the generator, when switched to external power, and connected to an external power source. In this situation, power can be interrupted, by switching to Internal power, with the internal power switched off, or by disconnecting the remote power source. Adjustable Set Point: The Adjustment can be adjusted from .51430 milliamps to 5.4200 milliamps. The current adjustment allows one to utilize Silver electrodes with different surface areas. For Colloidal Silver the current should be set to produce a 1ma/in² submerged current density on the donor electrode, and not exceed 2ma/in². The Current may also be set via the Adjustable Set Point to allow one to produce colloidal solutions with other metals, which require different current densities. Fixed Set Point: The Fixed Set Point is calibrated to provide a 1ma/in² current density with 10 inches of submerged Donor Electrode consisting of 12 gauge .9999 (99.99%) wire (electrodes made from 2 one foot pieces). Procedure: Preparation: 1) Make Certain that ALL of your equipment is Clean!!! Use Scotch-Brite ONCE on the Electrodes prior to preparing a batch. Then wipe any dust from that off of the electrode with a paper towel. Cut the Scotch-Brite into ¾ “strips along the 6” length, this will work better at cleaning around the coiled up silver wire, and will evenly yield 8 strips. Note: Green scouring pads and some steel wool pads often have soap, or other chemicals which are bad for the silver, as well as the Colloidal Silver batch. Do not use them! Make sure after each cleaning that the coiled up electrode is flat along a single plain (See section on “Charge Density” in the “Terms Defined” Section for reason), and make adjustments to the electrode as necessary. VERY IMPORTANT - Use a few drops of distilled water, and a clean paper towel to thoroughly clean any other contaminants from the inside of the container used to make your Colloidal Silver, every time, before you use it!!! If you reuse the same container, even though the container seems perfectly clean, when you wipe it out, the sides and bottom of the container may still be coated. This can, and will affect your new batch! 2) Make sure you have a properly Distilled Water!!! Most problems occur due to contaminated equipment, or distilled water wrongly claiming to be "Distilled Water", when in fact, it is NOT, or it is a Distilled Water which has minerals added to it. One of the BIGGEST problems you will face is getting decent Distilled Water. There are many brands which are totally bogus!!! You either need to find a good brand, or distill water yourself! There are many sources of impurities, which will ruin your batch of Colloidal Silver. If your batch becomes cloudy, mucky, or muddy quickly, you have contamination of your batch. Taking proper precautions in preparation for the batch you are making will make all the difference between success, and failure. Set the Electrode Gap to 2 inches. This typically must only be done once. Making Colloidal Silver - Reheat Method: 1) Fill a non-conductive container which can be heated with Distilled Water, as close to the top of the container as is safely possible. 2) Bring the Distilled Water to a Boil. This releases any absorbed Carbon dioxide. 3) Remove or reduce the heat source to below boiling. Water is lost quickly due to evaporation. 4) Turn on the Colloidal Silver generator. 5) Place the electrodes in water, and connect the output of the Colloidal Silver Generator to the Electrodes. 6) Begin timing the batch for the cycle time you desire. See Batch Charts for a guide to cycle times. 7) When a cycle is complete, remove the electrodes, by lifting the entire fixture out of the solution. 8) Wipe the electrodes off with a clean paper towel. 9) Stir the batch thoroughly. 10) If this was the last cycle of the batch you are making Stop here, you are done. 11) If this was not the last cycle, reheat the solution until it is just brought to a boil, then remove it from the heat, or reduce the heat to just below boiling. 12) Reverse the Electrical Connections to the Electrodes, and repeat steps 5 through 12. Note: There will be initial pain associated with the treatment of Sinus issues caused by inflammation. This pain associated with treatment will go away as the inflammation subsides, due to the infection healing. Atmospheric Conditions such as temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity (saturation), and dew point can affect the rate of evaporation, and thus, the rate of cooling during the electrolytic process. These atmospheric conditions will slightly affect each resulting batch, as these conditions change. This can be only somewhat stabilized, by maintaining a stable temperature throughout the process, by means of a constant regulated heat source, such as a hot plate. Partially covering the container opening with plastic wrap (or other cover), during the process, when using larger mouthed containers, can greatly reduce evaporation, and heat loss. Be sure not to prevent gases from being dissipated during processing when covering large mouthed containers. Avoid shorting the electrodes together, as this will stop the production of Colloidal Silver. Colloidal Silver Batch Charts - Reheat Method + Hot Tray 1 Cup or 250 ml Container overfilled to 300 ml batch size Typical batch results at 1ma/in² Current Density - Uncovered - Temp in °F Process Stabilized Time Reheats Temp Color Tyndall PPM PPM 0 min initial 0 210 Clear No 0 30 min 1 9 142/210 Clear No 7 60 min 2 15 142/210 Clear Barely 11 90 min 3 20 142/210 Clear Weak 17 120 min 24 142 Clear Faint 21 Process Stabilized Time Reheats Temp Color Tyndall PPM PPM 0 min initial 0 210 Clear No 0 10 min 1 3 142/210 Clear No 2 20 min 2 6 142/210 Clear No 4 30 min 3 9 142/210 Clear Barely 6 40 min 4 12 142/210 Clear Barely 8 50 min 5 15 142/210 Clear Faint 11 60 min 6 18 142/210 Clear Faint 14 70 min 7 21 142/210 Clear Faint 16 80 min 8 24 142/210 Clear Faint 18 90 min 9 26 142/210 Clear Faint 20 100 min 10 27 142/210 Clear Faint 22 110 min 28 142/210 Clear Weak 24 2 Cups or 500 ml container overfilled to 600 ml batch size Typical batch results at 1ma/in² Current Density - Uncovered - Temp in °F Stabilized Process Temp Color Tyndall Time Reheats PPM PPM 0 min 30 min 60 min 90 min 120 min 150 min initial 1 2 3 4 210 150/210 149/210 147/210 146/210 146/210 Clear Clear Clear Clear Clear Clear No No No Barely Barely Faint 0 5 9 12 15 5 0 5 9 13 16 20 180 min 6 24 142/210 Clear Faint 22 210 min - 28 144/210 Clear Faint 26 18 Best at 5 reheats with the last reheat at 150 min and cycle ending at 180 min 24PPM, stabilized 20 to 22 PPM. 2 Cups or 500 ml batch size is the best size for making the maximum quantity of clear batch, at a very high PPM. Makes approximately 1 ¹/₂ Cups or 300 ml, after evaporation caused by applied heat, during processing. 4 Cups or 1 L Container overfilled to 1.1L batch size Typical batch results at 1ma/in² Current Density on Hot Tray - Covered to perf board to limit evaporation Process Stabilized Temp Color Tyndall Time Reheats PPM PPM 0 min initial 0 210 Clear No 0 30 min 1 3 170/210 Clear No 3 60 min 2 7 170/210 Clear Barely 5 90 min 3 10 170/210 Clear Barely 8 120 min 4 14 170/210 Clear Faint 11 150 min 5 17 170/210 Clear Weak 14 180 min 6 20 170/210 Clear Yes 16 210 min - 22 170 Clear to eye Yellow to Camera Yes Note: ALL batch sizes get Strong Tyndall Effects once Stabilized. Stabilization takes from a couple to 24 Hours. Temp is in °F and Time is in minutes -“initial” indicates the initial heating of the batch. Hot tray is only a warming tray, and cannot keep water anywhere near boiling point. Reheat method done without the Hot Tray, will yield virtually identical results. 18 Colloidal Silver Batch Charts - Cold Procedure This is the same as the Reheat Procedure, but absolutely NO HEAT APPLIED during processing. 2 Cups or 500 ml container overfilled to 600ml batch size Typical batch results at 1ma/in² Current Density - Uncovered - Temp in °F Time Process Temp Color Tyndall PPM Stabilized PPM 0 min 0 74.8 Clear No 0 30 min 1 74.6 Clear No 1 45 min 2 74.4 Clear No 2 60 min 5 74.2 Clear Faint 5 90 min 9 74.2 Clear Faint 9 120 min 10 73.8 Clear Weak 10 150 min 12 180 min 74 Clear Yes 11 14 73.6 Clear Yes 12 210 min 16 73.2 Clear Yes 13 240 min 17 73.4 Clear Yes 14 270 min 18 73.4 Clear Yes 15 300 min 19 73.6 Clear Strong 16 330 min 20 73.6 Clear Strong 17 360 min 21 74.2 Clear Strong 18 390 min 22 420 min 74 Clear Strong 19 23 74.3 Clear Strong 19 450 min 23 74.3 Clear Strong 19 480 min 24 74.4 Clear Strong 20 light yellow These results are for a 600 ml batch. This shows 15 half hour cycles, and a final reading at 480 min At 500ml in less time a batch may stabilize to 20PPM and be clear. It took the first hour to reach set-point. 420 min may be max time to Stabilized Clear with the Cold Procedure. Cold batch may possibly be run with generator on a lamp timer, in order to create an unattended batch. Example of Colloidal Silver Creation using a Double Boiler method This batch was created using a 2 Cup / 500 ml Pyrex measuring cup of Distilled Water over filled to approximately 600 ml and placed into a pot of tap water. The pot of boiling tap water was kept at a very low boil, during the process. At no time was the Distilled Water Boiled during this process. The pot of tap water was approximately 1/3 full BEFORE the 2 Cup Measuring cup was placed inside it. This produced a good water level in the pot surrounding the measuring cup in order to transfer heat, while giving the measuring cup excellent stability in the water. The pot of tap water was brought to a good boil with the Pyrex measuring cup filled with distilled water already inside it, and then the temperature was then lowered to reduce the tap waters boil, until only bubbles came from under the measuring cup. After the pot of tap waters boil slowed, the electrode fixture was placed on the Pyrex measuring cup, and the electrode harness was connected, and the first half hour time cycle was started. The water in the Pyrex measuring cup may still have been increasing in temperature, but the process was started, in the interest of reducing evaporation. This may result in slowing the initial rate of increase in PPM of the batch, and accounts for the final PPM being slightly lower than with the reheat method. The process ran on half hour cycles, at which time the electrodes where pulled, and wiped clean, with a clean paper towel, the solution was stirred, and the electrodes where replaced with their polarity reversed for another half hour cycle until the process was complete. The process ran for 6 cycles, which completed at 210 minutes in half hour cycles plus some time for wiping electrodes, and stirring, etc. Tap water was added only to the pot, during the THIRD cycle to replace water lost to evaporation. This was done by simply pouring water into the pot from another container. The temperature was then increased to bring the pot water to a boil, and then reduced back to a slow boil, before proceeding with processing. At the end of the 6th cycle, the pot was removed from the heat. The Pyrex measuring cup with the Colloidal Silver batch was soon after, carefully lifted out by grabbing the handle, and pouring spout with napkins, or paper towels (used as less cumbersome pot holders). Immediately after processing, the batch was clear to the eye and the camera, and tested at 22PPM with a weak Tyndall at 143°F. The 2 Cup measuring cup was initially over filled to 600 ml, and it lost approximately 220 ml to evaporation during processing, to yield 380 ml of Colloidal Silver. The batch stabilized Clear to the eye and to the Camera at 20PPM with a strong Tyndall. This batch was one of the best (most soothing to the sinus), of ALL the batches tested. This method yielded a very high quality 20PPM batch!!! Storage: Always avoid sunlight when Storing Colloidal Silver. Do Not Refrigerate. It is preferable to store Colloidal Silver in Clean, Dark Glass containers. I have personally only noticed a problem once with plastic. Polypropylene (marked as PP) should not be a problem, as it does not react with ANYTHING. Reduce surface area exposed to air, by using tall skinny containers to avoid oxidizing the Silver. Select dark colored containers, when available, in order to block light, specifically sunlight. Make sure the container is clean and free from contaminants. Store Colloidal Silver in a dark location, away from UV light, particularly Sunlight. Once you have gone to the trouble of making colloidal silver particles smaller than 1 nanometer, it is important to protect them. The particles repel each other in suspension because they each have a positive (+) electrical charge, and "like charges" repel each other. Anything that can strip this charge off of the particles will degrade the quality of the colloidal silver, by a process called re-coagulation. Re-coagulation is a process by which the particles clump together again, to form larger aggregates. Ultraviolet light from the sun, chemicals from many plastics, as well as contaminants will cause this process to occur. Therefore, colloidal silver is best stored in clean, dark, glass containers. The two types of glass container which are the most suitable for storing Colloidal Silver are dark amber, and the cobalt blue. If only clear containers are available, one should at least keep their Colloidal Silver stored in a dark location where it will never be exposed to sunlight or UV light, or at least cover the containers to block light from reaching your Colloidal Silver. It has been suggested that the brown colored High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bottles, used for Hydrogen Peroxide, work well for the storage of Colloidal Silver. I have not personally noticed any issue storing Colloidal Silver in HDPE up to this point. My HDPE container is a Dark Green Plastic Drinking Cup, from a restaurant, with a plastic can lid which fits securely on top, to limit exposure, and evaporation. The type of plastic a container is made from is typically marked on the bottom of the plastic container; one simply needs to look for it. The marking indicating the type of plastic the container is made from will be found under the recycle symbol on the bottom of the container. There are also 7 number designators corresponding to the type of plastic, which will be located in the recycle symbol. The first six types are specified by number, with the number 7 representing “other”. See Table directly below. Designators for plastic types as marked on container bottoms (5) PP = Polypropylene (2) HDPE = High Density Polyethylene (4) LDPE = Low Density Polyethylene (7) PE = Polyethylene (1) PET = Polyethylene Terephthalate or PETE (7) PES = Polyethersulfone (3) V = Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC (6) PS = Polystyrene or Styrofoam (7) PC = Polycarbonate (7) PLA = Polylactic Acid PP (Polypropylene), HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) and even PET (PETE) have been found to be acceptable for at least short term storage of Colloidal Silver, through personnel experience. Dark colored glass is still preferred over any plastic, and especially for long term storage. LDPE, PE, PES, and PLA are currently unknown for suitability. If you use any of these, you use them at your own risk! Avoid using V, PS, and PC completely. Avoid heat with ALL plastic containers, as they leach chemicals rapidly with heat, which may quickly destabilize your Colloidal Silver. Terms Defined: Tyndall Effect: The Tyndall effect is the reflection of light, off of the particles suspended in a solution, which are too small for the eye to see. Ions DO NOT reflect light, at all, and CAN NOT produce a Tyndall effect! Particles will reflect monochromatic (single color) light, to produce a Tyndall Effect! The light source must be single color, for the Tyndall effect to work properly, a focused beam is better, and brighter helps make it easier to see, as well. The scattering coefficient is proportional to λˉ⁴. (The letter lambda λ represents wavelength). Therefore short-wave, blue light is scattered 10 times more effectively, than long-wave red light. A red LASER pointer is an excellent choice; it is single color, extremely focused, and very bright. Red does not scatter as much, as other colors. Single Color Light Sources commonly available are: LASER, and LED. The luminous path of a beam of light is called a Tyndall Cone. Any true colloid will produce a Tyndall Cone once a narrow beam of light pierces the medium. A laser pointer works best. As the light passes through the colloid, each particle of silver reflects the light across other silver particles. The colloid becomes a sort of sea, of submicroscopic mirror balls, creating a glowing tunnel of light, much wider than the original beam. Therefore, even clear colloidal silver can be given a visual test, which will prove the incredibly tiny particles are there. Because clear colloids contain the smallest silver particles, the Tyndall cone will be faint, but still visible to the unaided eye. Parts Per Million: PPM is the measurement of the SUM of both particles, and ions present in the solution. Silver ions DO NOT show a Tyndall Effect. Only particles reflect the LASER's light, and show a Tyndall Effect. For a solution to be a true Colloid, it must have PARTICLES. While a colloid may, or may not contain ions, it absolutely MUST have PARTICLES, in order to be considered a colloid. A solution of Silver ions alone, is NOT considered a Colloid, but is instead considered "Ionic Silver". A "colloid" is basically defined as particles suspended in a solution. These particles remain in suspension due to their similar charges. Like charges repel. The greater their charge (called Zeta Potential), the more stable the suspension is, and the less likely the particles are to come out of suspension. A good quality colloid will not have any visible particles settle out of the solutions, and collect on the bottom, of its container. PPM can be measured with a TDS meter. TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids. A Colloid Defined: A colloid is a substance microscopically dispersed evenly throughout another substance. A colloidal system consists of two separate phases: 1) a dispersed phase (or internal phase) (in this case, the Silver particles) 2) a continuous phase (or dispersion medium) in which the colloid is dispersed (In this case, the Distilled Water). A colloidal system may be solid, liquid, or gaseous. The dispersed-phase particles have a diameter of between approximately 1 and 1000 nanometers. Keep in mind that Silver particles from 1 to 10 nanometers are large enough, to appear as yellow in solution, and we do not want large particles. 1000 nanometers is only mentioned here as part of the definition for a colloid. It is not an acceptable maximum size for particles, in a quality Colloidal Silver Solution. Properties of Solutions, Colloids, and Suspensions Property Comparison for Solutions, Colloidal Dispersions, and Suspensions Property Solution Colloidal Dispersion Suspension Homogenous Homogenous Heterogeneous (uniform in composition) (uniform in composition) (not uniform in composition) Type of Particles atoms, ions, and small molecules groups of small particles, or individual larger molecules very large particles, which are often visible Effect of Light transparent scatters light (Tyndall Effect) not transparent Settling Properties particles do not settle particles do not settle particles settle rapidly Type of Mixture Filtration Properties particles cannot be filtered out particles cannot be filtered out particles can be filtered out Particle Size <10⁻⁹ m (less than 1 nm) 10⁻⁹ m to 10⁻⁶ m (1 nm to 1000 nm) 10⁻⁶ m ( larger than 1000 nm) Tyndall Effect is used to differentiate between an Ionic Solution, and a Colloidal Dispersion, or in our case Ionic Silver, and Colloidal Silver. Zeta potential: Zeta potential is a measure of the magnitude of the repulsion, or attraction between particles. Most particles in a polar medium such as water will possess a surface charge. A charged particle will attract ions of the opposite charge, in the dispersant, forming a strongly bound layer close to the surface of the particle. Those ions further away from the core particle, make up a diffuse layer, more loosely bound to the particle. Within this diffuse layer is a notional boundary, inside which the particle and its associated ions, act as a single entity, diffusing through the dispersion together. The plane at this boundary is known as the surface of hydrodynamic shear, or the slipping plane. The potential at this boundary is known as the zeta potential. It is important to note that the magnitude of the zeta potential is affected by both the nature of the surface of the particle, and the composition of the dispersant. Zeta potential is affected by pH. Zeta Potential Range of Value The zeta potential is the overall charge a particle acquires, in a specific medium. The magnitude of the zeta potential, gives an indication of the potential stability of the colloidal system. If all the particles have a large negative, or positive zeta potential, they will repel each other, and there is dispersion stability. If the particles have low zeta potential values, then there is no force to prevent the particles from coming together, and there is dispersion instability. A dividing line between stable and unstable aqueous dispersions is generally taken at either +30 or -30mV Particles with zeta potentials more positive than +30mV are normally considered stable. Particles with zeta potentials more negative than -30mV are normally considered stable. Zeta potential is an important property of colloidal solutions, and is essential to the understanding of colloid stability. The zeta potential of silver colloidal solutions has been measured to be between –15 mV to –60 mV. Electric double layer: Development of a net charge at the particle surface, affects the distribution of ions in the surrounding interfacial region, resulting in an increased concentration of counter ions (ions of opposite charge, to that of the particle) close to the surface. Thus, an electrical double layer exists around each particle. The liquid layer surrounding the particle exists as two parts; 1) an inner region (Stern layer) where the ions are strongly bound 2) an outer (diffuse) region where they are less firmly associated Within this diffuse layer is a notional boundary, known as the slipping plane, within which the particle acts as a single entity. The potential at this boundary is known as the Zeta Potential. Isoelectric Point: The isoelectric point (pI), sometimes abbreviated to IEP, is the pH at which a particular molecule, or surface carries no net electrical charge. Amphoteric molecules called zwitterions contain both positive and negative charges, depending on the functional groups present in the molecule. The net charge on the molecule is affected by the pH of their surrounding environment, and can become more positively or negatively charged, due to the loss or gain of electrons (H+). The pI is the pH value at which the molecule carries no electrical charge, or the negative and positive charges are equal. Surfaces naturally charge to form a double layer. In the common case when the surface charge-determining ions are H+ and OH-, the net surface charge is affected by the pH of the liquid, in which the solid is submerged. The pI value can affect the solubility of a molecule, at a given pH. Such molecules have minimum solubility in water or salt solutions, at the pH that corresponds to their pI, and often precipitate out of solution. Current Density: The current per unit area of submerged donor electrode, in either ma/in² or ma/cm² of donor electrode surface area. Charge Density: The actual charge at any given location along the surface of an electrode. This charge will increase at any point where electrode gap is closest, and be most concentrated at the very tip of that point, and it will decrease at any point where the electrode gap is the widest and flattest (without a point or tip). Particle surface area is the property of a colloid that determines its effectiveness. Particle size has a direct effect on particle surface area, but in the exact opposite way from what you might expect, because particle surface area increases, as particle size decreases. To understand the effect of particle size on surface area, consider a U.S. silver dollar. The silver dollar contains 26.96 grams of coin silver, has a diameter of about 40 mm, and has a total surface area of approximately 27.7 square centimeters. If the same amount of coin silver were divided into tiny particles, of 1 nanometer (nm) in diameter, the total surface area of those particles would be 11,400 square meters, which is equal to 122,708 square feet, or 2.817 acres! When the amount of coin silver contained in a silver dollar is in the form of 1 nm particles, the surface area of those particles is 4.115 million times greater than the surface area of the silver dollar! So you can see by this example that the smaller the particles and the more of them, the greater the particle surface area. Particle surface area is the property of a colloid that translates directly to its ability to react with its environment. Effectiveness of colloids is predicated on exposing the largest possible surface area of the metal particles to the areas of interest. The importance of colloid particle surface area cannot be over emphasized. It is the single most important attribute for determining how effectively the colloidal particles will interact with their environment inside the human body. In the chemical world, reactivity increases with increasing surface area. For this reason particle surface area is an excellent metric for comparing the physical properties of colloidal products. Particle surface area is the total surface area in square centimeters (cm2) of all the particles in one milliliter (ml) of colloid, therefore surface area is expressed in square centimeters (cm2) per milliliter (ml) of colloidal liquid, and is written as (cm2/mL). The surface area is a calculated value based on the concentration of particles (PPM) and the mean diameter of the particles. The calculation assumes the particles are spherical. Particle surface area is inversely proportional to particle size, which means for a constant concentration of silver in the particles, the surface area increases as the particle size decreases. Since, reactivity increases with increasing surface area, the effectiveness of a colloid increases with decreasing particle size as the particle surface area increases. This is why particle surface area is used for comparing different colloids. Particle surface area is what determines a colloids ability to react with its environment. Reactivity increases with increasing surface area. Particle surface area can be determined by measuring the physical properties of a colloid. Because it is comprised of two important physical properties, namely, particle size and particle concentration, it serves as good metric for comparing colloids. Since it can be expressed as a single number, particle surface area can be considered a figure of merit for the effectiveness of a colloid. In this context, effectiveness is defined as the ability of the colloid to react with its environment. The higher the surface area, the more reactive the colloid, hence the more effective it is in reacting with its environment. Generally, products that contain a high percentage of silver in the form of silver ions will have a very low particle surface area, while products that have a high percentage of silver in the form of particles will have a higher particle surface area. The highest particle surface area will be found in products having the highest particle concentration, and the smallest sized particles. Colloidal Silver Color: The color of the Colloidal Silver batch is an indicator of particle Size. For true "electro-colloidal" silver, the particle size range that can appear yellow is .001 to .01 microns (10 to 100 angstroms) or (1 to 10 nanometers), because that is the size of silver particles that best absorb light in the indigo range, leaving only its inverse color, yellow, to be observed. The final transparent-yellow appearance only shows up after the particles have become evenly dispersed. 1 Angstrom = 1×10⁻¹⁰ meters (1 ten billionth of a meter) or .1 Nanometer 1 Nanometer = 1×10⁻⁹ meters (1 billionth of a meter) 1 Micron or 1 Micrometer = 1×10⁻⁶ meters (1 millionth of a meter) One should note that ALL Colloidal Metals have a Yellow phase, not just Silver. For the purpose of the creation of Colloidal Silver with small particle size, yellow is an indicator that the particles have plated, grown or agglomerated into the size range from 1 to 10 nanometers. Because it is desirable to produce as many as possible of the smallest particles possible, a yellow color should be an indicator to STOP the process, as continuing the process would continue growing, or increasing the particle size. A clear color would indicate that particle size remains less than 1 nanometer. Camera used as a measurement tool: If you are creating, and refining your own procedure for producing Colloidal Silver, yellow may be observed with a single color light source, high intensity LED Flash, and a color digital camera, before yellow is visible to the naked eye. This typically shows yellow in the digital photograph one heat cycle before yellow becomes visible to the naked eye. This camera method may be used to determine when to STOP the process. An ideal time to stop future batches would then be one less heat cycle than what would show up as yellow to the camera. Doing this will insure that particle size remains small, and surface area remains high, provided this clear batch is also at a high PPM. Knowing that yellow is visible when particle size ranges from 1 to 10 nanometers in size, using this method allows one to know that the particle size produced in this clear batch should then remain less than 1 nanometer in size. The most effective batch one could develop a process for without expensive laboratory equipment or testing would then be clear to the camera and to the eye, at the highest PPM possible. Electrodes: Electrodes should be 99.99% Pure Silver in Quality, although some other people are using 99.9%. Never use 99.5% Sterling, as it contains many undesirable impurities. Surface area affects Current Density, and can affect the particle size. Best results are achieved by maximizing surface area. The 12 gauge wire is the biggest (most surface area) available from the following source (or any good source I have found). http://www.ccsilver.com/silver/superfines.html Buy a 1 to 2 foot length, and cut it in half to make your electrodes (2 Foot is highly recommended). One can coil it up, to keep as much submerged as possible (More surface area). Keep in mind you will want to clean the Wire frequently, and some configurations will make that difficult. Some people acquire 2 Canadian Maple Leafs from a Coin Dealer. They are 1.2 oz. of .9999 Pure Silver. They then flatten them out, and use them as electrodes. I haven't found them affordable (no deals, yet). More Wire will provide you with greater surface area, which is significant, relating to better current density, and it will also produce proportionally more Colloidal Silver solution (a win - win). Electrode Yield: The amount of Colloidal Silver a set of Electrodes can produce can be calculated from the weight of the 2 silver metal electrodes, at a chosen desired PPM (milligrams / liter). The relevant equation is concentration = weight divided by volume. In the case of Colloidal Silver, PPM = mg/liter. Therefore total volume = weight of electrodes divided by PPM. For two electrodes each 1 lb. (454 gm.), and a desired PPM of 10 mg/l, the total volume would be 908000/10 = 90,800 liters = 23,989 gallons. Area is important for quality of the product. 1 ounce = 28.3495231 grams or 28349.5231 milligrams. 1 liters = 0.264172052 US gallons 1 inches = 2.54 centimeters 1 in² = 6.4516 cm² 1 oz of Silver makes 28349.5231/10 = 2834.95231 liters = 748.915 US gallons @ 10PPM So 1 oz of Silver will make: 28,349.5231 liters = 7489.15 US gallons @ 1PPM or 5669.90462 liters = 499.28 US gallons @ 5PPM or 2834.95231 liters = 748.915 US gallons @ 10PPM or 1889.96820667 liters = 499.28 US gallons @ 15PPM or 1417.476155 liters = 347.46 US gallons @ 20PPM or 1133.980924 liters = 299.568 US gallons @ 25PPM With small to medium sized electrodes, it is unwise to use more than 2 liters of Water at a time. Electrode Surface Area: 12 Gauge = .081" diameter or .0405" radius R = radius L = length Submerged Wire Electrode Area = 2πR² + 2πRL Submerged 12 Gauge Electrode Area = .0103059947 + .254469005L Total Surface Area Submerged of 12 Gauge Donor Electrode Submerged Electrode Length in inches 3" in² of surface area .77371301 cm² of surface area 4.99168 3.5" .900947512 5.81255 4" 1.02818201446 6.63341 4.5" 1.15541651693 7.45428 5" 1.2826510194 8.27515 5.5" 1.40988552188 9.09601 6" 1.53712002435 9.91688 9" 2.30052703917 14.8420 9.5" 2.42776154164 15.6629 10" 2.55499604411 16.4838 10.5" 2.68223054658 17.3046 11" 2.80946504905 18.1255 11.5" 2.93669955152 18.9464 12" 3.06393405399 19.7672 Only the donor Electrodes Surface area is relevant to Current Density, and resultant particle size produced by it, alone. Electrode Current Density: Current Density j is typically measured in Amperes / Meter², but for this application these units seem more appropriate. Table of Current Densities j for Donor Electrode during Electrolysis Process (Making Colloidal Silver): If you bought 2 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire, making two 12" Electrodes: Current Densities j (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 11.5" (29.21cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 2.93669955152 in² or 18.9464 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 3.40518320808 .527804754 9 3.06466488727 .475024279 8 2.72414656646 .422243804 7 2.38362824565 .369463328 6 2.04310992485 .316682853 5 1.70259160404 .263902377 4 1.36207328323 .211121902 3 1.02155496242 .15834142634 2.93669955152 1 .155000399 2.5 .851295802 .131951189 2 .681036642 .105560951 1 .340518321 .0527804754 .5 .17025916 .0263902377 Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 11" (27.94cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 2.80946504905 in² or 18.1255 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 3.56066385921 .551708918 9 3.20459747329 .496538027 8 2.84853108737 .4413671647 7 2.49246470145 .386196243 6 2.13639831552 .331025351 5 1.7803319296 .275854459 4 1.42426554368 .22068356735 3 1.06819915776 .165512676 2.80946504905 1 .155000692 2.5 .889849119 .13792723 2 .712132772 .110341784 1 .356066386 .0551708918 .5 .17803319296 .0275854459 If you bought 2 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire, making two 12" Electrodes: Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 10.5" (26.67cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 2.68223054658 in² or 17.3046 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 3.72824029342 .577881026 9 3.35541626408 .520092923 8 2.98259223474 .462304821 7 2.60976820539 .404516718 6 2.23694417605 .346728616 5 1.86412014671 .288940513 4 1.49129611737 .23115241 3 1.11847208803 .173364308 2.68223054658 1 .155001014 2.5 .932060073 .144470256 2 .745648059 .115576205 1 .372824029 .0577881026 .5 .186412015 .0288940513 If you bought 2 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire, making two 12" Electrodes: Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 10" (25.4cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 2.55499604411 in² or 16.4838 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 3.91390038472 .606656232 9 3.52251034625 5.45990609 8 3.13112030778 .485324986 7 2.7397302693 .424659363 6 2.34834023083 .363993739 5 1.95695019236 .30332811609 4 1.56556015389 .242662493 3 1.17417011542 .18199687 2.5594 1.00172366447 .15499460076 2.55499604411 1 .155000427 2.554989 .999997243 .155000000 2.55451275 .9998108435 .154971108 2.5 .97847509618 .151664058 2.47257 .967739267 .150000000 2.4 .939336092 .145597496 2.3 .900197088 .139530933 2.25 .880627587 .13649765224 2.2 .860158085 .133464371 2.1 .821919081 .127397809 2 .782780077 .121331246 1 .391390038 .0606656232 .5 .19569501 .0303328116 If you bought 2 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire, making two 12" Electrodes: Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 9.5" (24.13cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 2.42776154164 in² or 15.6629 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 4.1190206816 .638451372 9 3.70711861344 .574606235 8 3.29521654528 .510761098 7 2.88331447712 .446915961 6 2.47141240896 .383070823 5 2.0595103408 .319225686 4 1.64760827264 .25538054894 3 1.23570620448 .191535412 2.5 1.0297551704 .159612843 2.42776154164 1 .155000769 2.25 .926779653 .143651559 2 .823804136 .12769027447 1 .41190206816 .0638451372 .5 .20595103408 .0319225686 Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 9" (22.86cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 2.30052703917 in² or 14.8420 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 4.34683002188 .673763644 9 3.91214701969 .606387279 8 3.4774640175 .539010915 7 3.04278101531 .4716345506 6 2.60809801313 .404258186 5 2.17341501094 .336881822 4 1.73873200875 .269505457 3 1.30404900656 .202129093 2.5 1.08670750547 .168440911 2.30052703917 1 .155001148 2.25 .978036755 .15159682 2 .89366004 .134752729 1 .434683002 .0673763644 .5 2.17341501 .0336881822 If you bought 1 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire making two 6" Electrodes: Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 5.5" (13.97cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 1.40988552188 in² or 9.09601 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 7.09277444502 1.09938313612 9 6.38349700052 .98944482251 8 5.67421955602 .879506509 7 4.96494211152 .769568195 6 4.25566466701 .65929882 5 3.54638722251 .549691568 4 2.83710977801 .43975325 3 2.12783233351 .329814941 2 1.418554889 .219876627 1.40988552188 1 .15500437 1.25 .887226095 .137422892 1 .709277445 .109938314 .75 .531958083 .0824537352 .5 .354638722 .0549691568 If you bought 1 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire making two 6" Electrodes: Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 5" (12.7cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 1.2826510194 in² or 8.27515 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 7.79635290406 1.20843730929 9 7.01671761366 1.08759357836 8 6.23708232325 .966749847 7 5.45744703284 .845906117 6 4.67781174244 .725062386 5 3.89817645203 .604218655 4 3.11854116163 .483374924 3 2.33890587122 .362531193 2 1.55927058081 .241687462 1.2826510194 1 .155000335 1.25 .974544113 .15105466 1 .77963529 .120843731 .75 .584726468 .0906327982 .5 .389817645 .0604218655 Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 4.5" (11.43cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 1.15541651693 in² or 7.45428 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 8.65488752625 1.34151118552 9 7.78939877362 1.20736006697 8 6.923910021 1.07320894842 7 6.05842126837 .93905783 6 5.19293251575 .804906711 5 4.32744376312 .67075559276 4 3.4619550105 .536604474 3 2.59646625787 .402453356 2 1.73097750525 .268302237 1.25 1.08186094078 .16768889819 1.15541651693 1 .155000418 1 .865488753 .134151119 .75 .649116564 .100613339 .5 .432744376 .0670755593 If you bought 1 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire making two 6" Electrodes: Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 4" (10.16cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire 1.02818201446 in² or 6.63341 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 9.72590442097 1.50752026484 9 8.75331397887 1.35676823836 8 7.78072353678 1.20601621187 7 6.80813309468 1.05526418539 6 5.83554265258 .904512159 5 4.86295221049 .753760132 4 3.89036176839 .603008106 3 2.91777132629 .452256079 2 1.94518088419 .301504053 1.25 1.21573805262 .188440033 1.02818201446 1 .155000522 1 .972590442 .150752026 .75 .729442832 .11306402 .5 .486295221 .0753760132 Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 3.5" (8.89cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire .900947512 in² or 5.81255 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 11.0994257344 1.72041530826 9 9.98948316092 1.54837377743 8 8.87954058749 1.3763322466 7 7.76959801405 1.20429071578 6 6.65965544062 1.03224918495 5 5.54971286718 .860207654 4 4.43977029374 .688166123 3 3.32982772031 .516124592 2 2.21988514687 .344083062 1.25 1.38742821679 .215051914 1 1.10994257344 .172041531 .900947512 1 .155000389 .75 .83245693 .129031148 .5 .554971287 .0860207654 If you bought 1 Foot of 12 Gauge Wire making two 6" Electrodes: Current Densities (ma / electrode area) where ma = current in milliamps 3" (7.62cm) Submerged 12 gauge wire .77371301 in² or 4.99168 cm² Current in milliamps Current Density ma / in² Current Density ma / cm² 10 12.9246889619 2.00333354702 9 11.6322200657 1.80300019232 8 10.3397511695 1.60266683762 7 9.04728227331 1.40233348292 6 7.75481337712 1.20200012821 5 6.46234448093 1.00166677351 4 5.16987558475 .801333419 3 3.87740668856 .601000064 2 2.58493779237 .400666709 1.25 1.61558612023 .250416693 1 1.29246889619 .200333355 .77371301 1 .154599856 .75 .96935167214 .150250016 .5 .646234448 .100166677 Silver electrodes should not exceed a current density j range of about 2ma / in². It is suggested to regulate current density at approximately 1ma / in², and not to exceed 2ma / in². NOTE: As the electrodes are used, over time, their surface area will decrease. You may have to lower the current set point. Parts per million (PPM) is directly related to (Current Density or current in milliamperes / electrode area), to time, to temperature, and inversely to volume of water. PPM = Current Density j X Time X Temperature / Volume Time increases exponentially, with reduction in current density, but it offers one the ability to create a higher PPM of Clear solution. Electrode Gap: What about Electrode Gap? Impedance increases with increase in gap, and with a current regulated device (Colloidal Silver Generator), an increase in gap will cause the voltage to increase, in order to maintain the regulated current. With a current regulated device, electrode gap is NOT what determines particle size, or the resulting PPM of the batch produced by the device. Voltage regulated, and voltage regulated polarity swapping devices use this gap to sense current, for automatic shutdown. With regulated Voltage, Current and particle size constantly increase, as the impedance of the solution decreases. This inherent property of Voltage regulated devices (Colloidal Silver Generators) is called "current run away". Increasing gap increases impedance, and if voltage is fixed/regulated, the current will be decreased, as gap increases. This is why others set their gap in order to attain different PPM's. Their shut down occurs before the current gets high enough to produce excessively great numbers of LARGE particles. This is NOT an issue with a current regulated device (this device), as the current set point should be set to a current which always produces small particles, by adjusting the current of the device to produce the appropriate current density at the electrodes. With a current regulated device, gap should be set to the maximum gap, which does not touch the sides, or bottom of most standard sized containers. In an extremely large container, you may wish to start off with a closer gap, for the first time cycle, just to start the solution, and then increase the gap for the rest of the process. Using the normal gap will not only help to insure you do not create agglomerates between a gap, which is set too small, it will also help promote the circulation of Silver particles throughout the rest of the solution, while minimizing build up on the electrodes. The main issues operators of this device have regarding gap are that the smaller the electrode gap, the faster the undesirable buildup on the electrodes will be. A 2” gap seems to work well, and fit into most standard sized containers. Larger gaps may be used if the container permits. The other issue is keeping each coiled up electrode in a flat plain, and parallel to the other electrode when in use, so as to maintain consistent charge density across the electrodes entire surface area. If areas on electrodes are closer to each other, the charge density at that point will be higher. This will cause the current density at the point where the charge density is highest to be significantly higher, producing larger particles wherever the charge density is higher. The electrodes will also experience more wear at those points. While it will be impossible to make the Silver wire bends, and gap perfect, one should be aware of the charge density issue, and take care to minimize the effect as much as possible, by examining and adjusting the electrode bends, as well as their position in the solution during each cycle. Do NOT over bend (fatigue)! Electrode Positioning: DO NOT allow the electrodes to be in contact with the bottom of the container, and as much as possible do not allow them to contact the sides of the container as well. As silver coats the bottom and sides of the container, it produces a conductive coating on the container, which is an alternate path for current to flow. If current flows through a coating on the container, it will degrade, and / or interrupt your Colloidal Silver making process. Always take care to position the electrodes so that they are not in contact with the container, and especially the bottom, as the most build up is likely to occur there. In very small containers limit contact with the sides of the container as much as possible, and keep the electrodes from contacting the bottom entirely. Understanding the Process: This discussion of electrolysis assumes two silver electrodes are placed in distilled / deionized water a small distance apart. The electrodes are connected to a low voltage DC power source (9-40 VDC). The electrode connected to the positive (+) terminal is referred to as the anode, the electrode connected to the negative (-) terminal is referred to as the cathode. When an electric current passes through silver, some silver atoms at the interface with the water will lose an electron, changing the atom into an ion. Whereas metallic silver is not water soluble, silver ions are water soluble, so the silver ions simply dissolve in the water producing an ionic silver solution. This is the electrolysis process. With the electrolysis process, some of the ions in close proximity to the anode, will take on an electron from the current passing through the solution, and be changed from an ion back into an atom. These atoms are attracted by other similar atoms, by van der Waal's force of attraction, and thus form small metallic silver particles. This is how both ions and particles are produced, by the electrolysis process. Typically 90% of the silver leaving the anode stays in the ionic form, while about 10% forms into particles. Furthermore, a silver ion is not a group of atoms, but is a single silver atom, that is missing a single electron (a subatomic particle). Silver ions remain dispersed in the solution, from other silver ions, due to their positive "ionic charge", which causes mutual repulsion. The silver particles do not have a positive charge, their charge is negative, and is not due to an "ionic charge" as the ions are, but has a zeta potential, which causes the particle to act as though it had a negative charge. When you apply current to silver in solution, the metallic silver that breaks off will be no larger than 1.26 angstroms (.126 nm), about 1/10,000 of a micron (0.000126 microns). This is misleading, however, because no colloid consists of individual silver ions, or atoms of silver. Single atoms would by definition be dissolved. After the silver breaks off at 1.26 angstroms, atoms of silver aggregate / agglomerate into clusters, which form new particles. The smallest aggregate of clusters, creates a silver particle approximately 0.000126 microns (.126 nanometer), or ten times larger than the smallest atom. These particles create colloidal silver that appears clear. Over time, while current is being applied, silver particles will aggregate / agglomerate into larger and larger particles, much like in a silver plating process. The particles are agglomerating into bigger and bigger sizes. Between 1 nm and 10 nm it will appear to the eye to be from a very light Yellow to a darker Yellow in Color respectively, in direct relationship to the growing particle size. Once the creation process has been stopped, stabilization of the end product may be observed over the next few hours (within 24) in which the PPM of the batch will drop, and the Tyndall Effect will become stronger. This is mainly due to ions which are unstable due to a missing electron, becoming stable by agglomerating into particles. The same amount of Silver will always be present in the batch. Stabilization involves agglomeration. The PPM (sum of particles + ions) will drop, and the particle size will grow. The end result will be observed as a lower PPM (sum of particles + ions) which agglomerated into fewer larger particles. The larger particles are evident as a stronger Tyndall Effect. For Colloidal Silver, a reduced formula to find the number of grams (typically in mg) produced, use the following: (Resulting grams of Silver): mass = ((I x t) /192970.673) x 107.8682 Where: I = Current in Amps t = Time in Seconds 192970.673 = 2 x 96485.3365 = 2 x Faraday's Constant 107.8682 = the Atomic Weight of Silver PPM = mg/L Dividing the result in mg, by the Liters of solution you are creating, should give you close to the actual PPM of your batch. Remember, that during the first heat cycle, the current is ramping up to the set point. It is NOT at set point. This will result in a slightly lower actual PPM. Colloidal silver consists of silver in two distinctly different forms, metallic silver particles, and ions. The total amount of silver that is reported as the silver concentration in PPM (parts per million) is the sum total of the silver contained in the particles, and the silver contained in the silver ions. Some people observe batches which exhibit a PPM drop, along with a color shift, from clear to yellow, over the 24 hour period, or so, after the batches creation. As the Silver ions stabilize, and take on an electron, becoming Silver atoms, again, they agglomerate into, and contribute to, the size of particles in the solution. This agglomeration may account for the color shift they observe. It also accounts for a lower total number of parts in the colloid. The same amount of Silver still exists in the Colloid, only it is now in the form of fewer, larger particles, or fewer parts, accounting for the total number of Parts Per Million measuring lower. In order to determine the percentage of Charged Silver Particles, in relation to Silver ions, one might: 1) Test the PPM of the solution. 2) Run the solution in a centrifuge, to separate out the Silver particles, leaving only the Silver ions behind in the solution. 3) Re-test the PPM of the solution, with only the Silver ions left. The PPM reading will now represent only the Silver ions in the solution. The difference represents the Silver Particles. These could all be generated as a Colloid with this Colloidal Silver Generator at different Electrode Current Densities, and Process Times Silver, Gold, Platinum, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Tin, Iron, Titanium, Rhodium, Iridium, and Chromium, Boron or Selenium 99.99% purity Silver, Gold, Copper, Zinc, Magnesium, Iron, Titanium, Tin, Platinum, and Palladium are currently available. Magnesium electrodes are oxidized rapidly and should be carefully monitored, and time limited. This is not meant to suggest you should create and use any of these Colloids, for any particular use - This is merely informational. Chemical: High PPM, pH, and Air Bubblers: It may be possible to produce clear batches up to around 22 to 28 PPM with agitation (stirring) of the water, preventing agglomeration / maintaining small particles. Many people utilize aquarium air pumps to achieve this. If you utilize an aquarium air pump, and drop the aquarium airline tubing directly into the boiling distilled water, it WILL leach chemicals from the plastic into the distilled water, contaminating the batch. Do not use aquarium airline tubing as the air to boiling water interface. There are other potential issues related to pumping air through the electrolysis process, one should be aware of, as air is composed of both oxygen, and nitrogen, and also contains carbon dioxide. The nitrogen in the air may produce nitric acid (HNO₃), in the solution, lowering the pH of the Colloidal Silver solution. The carbon dioxide may produce carbonic acid. Normally a Colloidal Silver Solution will become alkaline in pH, due to the electrolysis process. This is actually beneficial to one’s health. Water which is acidic is detrimental to one’s health. The normal pH of a healthy human body is from pH 7.2 to pH 7.45. The pH of different cellular compartments, body fluids, and organs is usually tightly regulated in a process called acid-base homeostasis. The most common disorder in acid-base homeostasis is acidosis, which means an acid overload in the body, generally defined by pH falling below 7.35. Alkalosis is a much less common opposite condition, in which blood pH becomes excessively high. The pH of blood is usually slightly basic with a value of pH 7.365. This value is often referred to as physiological pH in biology and medicine. A lower body pH hinders the immune system, and creates conditions which allow pathogens to thrive. For this reason there are many alkaline waters for sale on the market, today, as well as many home devices being sold, to produce alkaline water at home. The pH of the Colloidal Silver you produce may be as high as pH 10. That surpasses the pH 8.4 produced by the best alkaline waters, as well as its health benefits. While mixing, or agitating the solution may be beneficial, using an air pump, and adding air to the solution during the electrolysis process, to achieve this, may lower the resulting pH. For this reason, one may wish to seek alternate methods of agitating the solution, if you are attempting to produce a solution in the 20 PPM range, or higher, yet still need to produce small Silver particles in your solution. Keep in mind that the pH of the solution will affect the Zeta Potential of the batch of Colloidal Silver produced. This could be good or bad, depending on one’s intent. On a separate note, one’s diet also effects body pH. Sugars and Carbohydrates turn acidic, as well as milk (lactic acid). Zinc helps the immune system. pH: pH = The charge on the hydrogen atom. A solution is acidic if the H+ (hydrogen) ions are in excess. A solution is basic, if the OH- (hydroxide) ions are in excess. pH is a measure of the acidity/alkalinity (basicity) of a solution. The pH scale extends from 0 to 14 (in aqueous solutions at room temperature). A pH value of 7 indicates a neutral solution. A pH value of less than 7 indicates an acidic solution, the acidity increases with decreasing pH value. A pH value of more than 7 indicates a basic solution, the basicity or alkalinity increases with increasing pH value. The pH of a solution is equal to the negative, ten-based logarithm of the activity of the hydrogen ions in the solution. Neutral water dissociates into equal amounts of hydrogen (H+) cations and hydroxyl (OH-) anions. As the product of the concentrations (activities) of the two ions H+ and OH- is always a constant 10⁻¹⁴ and pure water has a pH of 7 or H+ = OH- = 10⁻⁷. In acidic solutions the hydrogen ions (H+) are in excess, while in basic solutions the hydroxyl ions (OH-) are in excess. The Silver ions in the final Solution have a positive charge Ag+ H₂O + Ag → Ag + OH + H↑ Hydrogen gas escapes at the Cathode (-), as indicated by H↑. During the electrolysis process, water ionizes to H+ and OHSilver is given up at the Anode (+), replacing the Hydrogen H+ which escapes as a gas. The electrons taken from the cathode are replaced at the anode, when Silver Ag goes into solution as Ag+. During this process, the H+, in the form of the hydronium ion, H₃O+, migrates to the cathode, where it is reduced to hydrogen gas, H₂, and liberated. This results in an abundance of OH- ions in the solution, making the resulting solution, a basic (Alkaline) Colloidal Silver solution. Of course, the excess of OH- in the solution of H₂O and Ag+, should somewhat in proportion to the PPM of Colloidal Silver (Ag+) in the Solution. The higher the PPM of Ag+ the higher the resulting pH of the solution should be, provided nothing else is introduced into the reaction. Air: If air is bubbled through the solution in order to mix / stir the solution (as some people do), my theory is this: Air = O₂ + N₂ + C₂ (Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon, from Carbon Dioxide CO₂) Water = H₂O Carbon dioxide, present in the atmosphere, will dissolve in the water, introducing ions, and giving it an acidic pH. The limited buffering capacity of the pure Distilled / Deionized water will not inhibit the formation of carbonic acid H₂CO₃. Nitrogen in the air may form Nitrogen Dioxide NO₂ during electrolysis. N₂ + 2O₂ → 2 NO₂ Which when mixed with the Water produces: Nitric Acid = HNO₃ 3 NO₂ + H₂O → 2 HNO₃ + NO↑ The nitric oxide (NO) produced by this reaction is then re-oxidized by other oxygen, to produce additional nitrogen dioxide. In a solution rich with hydroxide OH-, as is the case with our normal Colloidal Silver solution (without air bubbled through it), no longer just plain water H₂O, the formation of Nitric Acid is even further enhanced. 2 NO₂ + 2 OH → 2 HNO₃ For this reason one should carefully consider the effect bubbling air through the solution may have, during the electrolysis process, in order to mix / stir it. This may result in lowering the PH of the Solution significantly. Mechanical or convection current mixing / stirring should be acceptable, as they do not alter the chemical makeup of the solution. The nitrogen may also further result in the production of Silver Nitrate AgNO3, another form of Silver historically diluted, and used to treat many medical conditions. 3 Ag + 6 HNO₃ → 3 AgNO₃ + 3 H₂O + 3 NO₂↑ The production of small amounts of silver nitrate, in the colloid, may not be a terribly bad thing. NOTE: Distilled Water being totally pure, has no pH buffer, and takes on Carbon Dioxide easily. Boiling the Distilled Water causes it to dissipate any Carbon Dioxide it may have absorbed. Redox Explained: Redox Reaction = Oxidation Reduction, Transfer of Electron. The term comes from the two concepts of reduction, and oxidation. It can be explained in simple terms: Oxidation is the loss of electrons, or an increase in oxidation state by a molecule, atom, or ion. Reduction is the gain of electrons, or a decrease in oxidation state by a molecule, atom, or ion. The oxidation alone and the reduction alone are each called a half-reaction, Two half-reactions always occur together to form a whole reaction. When writing half-reactions, the gained or lost electrons are typically included explicitly, in order that the half-reaction be balanced, with respect to electric charge. I did not indicate the charge in my example chemical equations, but the equations balance out. Oxidation is better defined as an increase in oxidation state, and reduction as a decrease in oxidation state. In practice, the transfer of electrons will always cause a change in oxidation state. There are many reactions that are also classed as "redox", even though no electron transfer occurs, such as those involving covalent bonds. The word oxidation originally implied a reaction with oxygen, to form an oxide. Later the meaning was generalized to include all processes involving loss of electrons. The word reduction originally referred to the loss in weight, on heating a metallic ore, such as a metal oxide, to extract the metal. Heat is a catalyst. Reduction includes all processes involving gain of electrons. Electrolysis is a process by which electrons are forced through a solution, thus causing a chemical reaction. The 2 half reactions are: The Oxidation side or Cathode gives up, or loses electrons to the Anode. Oxidation takes place here. The Reduction side or the Anode attracts, or gains electrons from the Cathode. Reduction takes place here. Silver Chloride: Silver Chloride AgCl is a substance administered to remove Toxic Heavy Metals such as Aluminum, Lead, and Mercury from the body. It is specifically used to treat individuals who have Mercury Poisoning. Toxic Heavy Metals are neurotoxins which are able to cross the blood brain barrier, and are NOT able to be removed by the body, without help. Silver Nitrate: Silver Nitrate AgNO₃ has been used as an antibiotic and antiseptic for years, but is somewhat less effective than Electrolytic Colloidal Silver. Hydrogen Peroxide: Some people add a drop of Hydrogen Peroxide H₂O₂ to their finished Yellow Colloidal Silver Solution, in order to eliminate the yellow color. It would seem to them, that the effect of adding H₂O₂ to their batch, could potentially convert it from a Colloid Silver Solution to an Ionic Silver Solution. There is a significant amount of ionic Silver in any Colloidal Silver batch, already; I am not sure what benefit, if any, there is to converting charged particles to ions. I have yet to evaluate the effects of adding a drop of H₂O₂ to a finished batch, or even just a test sample of Colloidal Silver. Here is some information, however: Hydrogen Peroxide for therapy falls in the natural treatments category. H₂O₂ breaks down as H₂O (water) + O-, completely nontoxic. Hydrogen Peroxide is not a foreign agent introduced into the body. In fact, H₂O₂ is produced within the body, in cellular, and other key metabolic reactions. BUT BEWARE: Because H₂O₂ solutions are generally more stable at low pH, some producers may add mineral acids (phosphoric acid H3PO3, or nitric acid HNO3) to further lower the pH, either in the production process, or afterwards. Most commercial solutions of H₂O₂ contain stabilizers (chelating, and sequestering agents) which have been added to minimize decomposition of the product through transport, and storage. While some stabilizers such as stannate (stannic acid SnOH4) are alkaline, most (such as phosphonic acids H3PO3) are acidic, and exhibit buffering properties which add acidity to the product. The amount and type of stabilizers varies between producers, product grades, and H₂O₂ concentration. Electronic and Reagent grades are more pure (less stabilizers, less acidity) while Dilution and COSMETIC grades have among the highest levels of stabilizers. Concentration of Stabilizers Added to H2O2 Lowest Medium Highest Semiconductor Electronic (etching) Pharmaceutical Technical Cosmetic Reagent Standard Metallurgical (laboratory) Dilution NSF Food The water used to prepare commercial solutions of H₂O₂ is generally of very high quality, deionized, with low acidity (possibly neutral), and does not significantly affect the pH of the product. It is likely, however, that the pH of the more dilute 3% to10% H₂O₂ will be acidic, between pH 4, and pH5. Both phosphorous acid and its deprotonated forms are good reducing agents, although not necessarily quick to react. They are oxidized to phosphoric acid, or its salts. It reduces solutions of noble metal cations (Such as the Ag+ ion), to the metals (Ag). Deprotonated means: the removal of a proton (H+) from a molecule, forming the conjugate base. Nitric acid can oxidize non-active metals, such as silver. With non-active or less electropositive metals such as Silver, the product depends on temperature, and the acid concentration. Most metals react with nitric acid, to give the corresponding nitrates, such as Silver Nitrate AgNO3. Some of the reactions people are experiencing by adding Hydrogen Peroxide to their Colloidal Silver, may be the result of these stabilizers, which were added to the Hydrogen Peroxide. Here are some of the testimonies of people adding Hydrogen Peroxide to their Colloidal Silver: Adding H₂O₂ to a completed batch of colloidal silver ionizes silver particles remaining in the solution. Observations demonstrate that extremely small amounts of ionic silver, often plate onto glass surfaces. By taking a glass dropper exposed to colloidal silver, and adding a 3% H₂O₂ colloidal silver solution, this reaction becomes visibly evident, as the metallic silver is ionized. According to Water and Science Technology, Volume 31 5-6, a 1000:1 solution of colloidal silver to H₂O₂ is sufficient to increase the efficacy of colloidal silver by up to 100 times under some circumstances, against bacterial infections. Prior to the addition of H₂O₂, the colloidal silver was crystal clear with a very faint Tyndall. Upon the addition of two drops of 35% H₂O₂, the hydrogen peroxide, begins to work immediately to atomize and ionize minute silver particles. There was a vast increase in the Tyndall effect, although in normal light the solution remained crystal clear. One could easily observe slightly spiraling "clouds" of minute particles by using the laser pen, as the hydrogen peroxide came in contact with the silver particles. This batch was a lower quality batch with some "larger" (but invisible) particles. When the same process is done with a highly ionic batch, without the larger-sized silver particles, the Tyndall effect would have increased temporarily, and then completely disappeared as the minute particles were ionized, by the hydrogen peroxide. The color begins to disappear as the particles in the colloidal silver are ionized. The larger particles are first reduced to smaller ones. If enough H₂O₂ is used, the particles will reach a point of being nearly completely ionic. A quick H₂O₂ conversion: 2 drops @ 35% = 1 drop @ 70% = 23 1/3 drops @ 3% (70 / 3 = 23 1/3 drops of 3% H₂O₂) (23 is close enough) In a study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, in December, 1992, various forms of silver were tested for their ability to kill micro-organisms. Pure electro-colloidal silver out performed silver nitrate, silver chloride, and silver sulfadiazine as a broad spectrum germicide. For all classes of bacteria, fungus, and mold samples tested, pure electro-colloidal silver worked better, and at much lower concentrations. They concluded that any additives reduced the effectiveness of the pure silver ion; the silver salts being as much as 100 times less effective. Electro-colloidal silver's effectiveness as a broad-spectrum germicide is directly related to the number, and size of the particles. The same volume of space taken up by one silver particle .1 microns in size will hold about 10,000 silver particles .001 microns in size. This reduction in particle size, not only allows for a greater distribution of the silver, but it also greatly increases the total surface area of silver available for interacting with the environment. These, plus the stability of the electrical charge, are the most important factors when considering the effectiveness of colloidal silver. Colloidal Silver Generator - Itemized Parts List Qty Needed Part Description 1 Line Cord - 25-FT Extension Cord 1 5 Position Terminal Strip 1 Fuse Holder 1 .25A 250V Fuse 1 SPST 3A 125V Switch 1 SPDT 10A 125V Switch 1 DPDT 3A 125V Switch 1 25.2V CT 450ma Transformer 1 LM324 Quad Op Amp IC 1 LM7812 12V 1A 3 Pin Regulator 1 MPS2222A NPN Transistor 1 100V 1.4A Bridge Rectifier 1 1N4003 1A 200V 30A Surge Rectifier 1 1N4742 12V Zener Diode 1 2200 uf 50V Axial Lead Electrolytic Capacitor 1 3.9K Ohm 1/2 W Resistor 2 33K Ohm 1/2 W Resistor 3 22K Ohm 1/4 W Resistor 1 2.2K Ohm 1/4 W Resistor 1 680 Ohm 1/2 W Resistor 1 560 Ohm 1/2 W Resistor 3 1K Ohm 1/4 W Resistor 1 100K Ohm 1/4 W Resistor 1 10K Ohm 1/4 W Resistor 2 100 Ohm 1/4 W Resistor 1 5K Ohm Linear Taper Potentiometer 1 4.5 X 6.6" Proto Board 1 2 3/4 X 6" Perf Board 1 8X6X3" Project Enclosure 4 Standoffs and Screws 1 Knob 2 Binding Post 2 Banana Plug 2 Alligator Clip 1 Size M Coaxial DC Power Plug Male 1 Panel Mount Size M Coaxial Power Jack Female Radio Shack Part Number 61-2759 274-688 270-739 27-1002 Pkg Qty 1 4 2 4 1 275-612 or 275-645 1 275-325 1 275-614 1 273-1366 1 276-1711 1 276-1771 1 276-2009 1 276-1152 2 276-1102 2 276-563 1 272-1048 5 271-1123 5 271-1129 5 271-1339 5 271-1325 5 271-1117 5 271-1116 5 271-1321 5 271-1347 5 271-1335 5 271-1311 1 271-1714 1 276-147 1 276-1395 1 270-1809 4 276-195 4 274-416 2 274-550 2 274-0730 12 270-1545 2 274-1569 1 274-1563 Pkg Price $ 2.97 $ 1.69 $ 2.19 $ 2.19 $ 3.19 $ 3.69 $ 3.99 $ 7.39 $ 2.19 $ 1.99 $ 1.19 $ 1.39 $ 1.19 $ 1.59 $ 4.69 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 3.19 $ 3.99 $ 3.19 $ 7.39 $ 1.99 $ 3.49 $ 4.19 $ 3.49 $ 3.89 $ 3.19 $ 3.19 Packages needed 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total Price $ 2.97 $ 1.69 $ 2.19 $ 2.19 $ 3.19 $ 3.69 $ 3.99 $ 7.39 $ 2.19 $ 1.99 $ 1.19 $ 1.39 $ 1.19 $ 1.59 $ 4.69 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 1.19 $ 3.19 $ 3.99 $ 3.19 $ 7.39 $ 1.99 $ 3.49 $ 4.19 $ 3.49 $ 3.89 $ 3.19 $ 3.19 2 6-32 X 1/2" Screw 2 2 2 22 30 1 4 12' 1 6 Flat Washer 6 Split Lock Washer - Home Depot 6-32 Nut Shrink Tube - the 12 pieces are cut Cable tie Vinyl Grommet Jumbo Self-Stick Cushion Feet 75-Ft. 20-Gauge Clear 2-Conductor Speaker Wire 75-Ft. UL-Recognized Hookup Wire (20AWG) 42 100 20ea 30 30 12 30 31 8 75' 3 64-3012 64-3022 SKU # 254827 64-3019 278-1610 278-1631 64-3025 64-2342 278-1388 278-1222 $ 2.19 $ 2.19 $ 1.18 $ 2.19 $ 4.19 $ 3.79 $ 2.29 $ 4.49 $ 11.59 $ 7.99 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Grand Total Total + Tax $ 2.19 $ 2.19 $ 1.18 $ 2.19 $ 4.19 $ 3.79 $ 2.29 $ 4.49 $ 11.59 $ 7.99 $ 136.71 $ 144.91