Russ wrote: > Sorry, let me rephrase: > > 1. How would silver cations lose their positive charge (i.e., gain an > electron) so as to begin to cluster (by VDW force) into neutral > molecules/particles?
One example: silver cations gain an electron when they are forced to combine with an anion, as when a supersaturated solution cools forcing the silver from solution. Another example: silver cations are forced to combine with an anion when the water is evaporated from the solution. > 2. What determines the upper limit of aggregation of pure, silver > particles? I.e., what force eventually overcomes VDW, so that particles > prefer to behave independently of each other? At some point a surface charge develops which cause the electric double layer to develop bringing forth the zeta potential. The zeta potential is a negative charge that develops mutual repulsion among the particles so charged thus causing the dispersion of the particles. > 3. What determines the size or mass at which silver particles fall out of > suspension? When the force of gravity acting on the mass of large particles overcomes the repulsive forces ability to keep the particles dispersed, the particles will settle to the bottom. All of this is explained in the material contained on my web site. frank key www.silver-colloids.com -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] Silver-list archive: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/index.html List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
