They grow on opposing electrodes.
The black oxide grows on the oxygen releasing electrode and the gray stuff forms on the electrode that has hydrogen bubbles clinging to it.
If the hydrogen bubbles are kept from clinging, the gray stuff doesn't build up very much...just makes a thin layer on the electrode.
When it is wiped off it produces a silvery mirror like smear on the fingers.
Close examination of the gray structure reveals a bumpy texture identical to the shape of bubbles.
If the gray stuff is left alone after removing power, it will release a white cloud identical to the so called "ion cloud" as hydrogen bubbles eventually "pop".
When the electrode baring the structure is removed from the water, the structure collapses into an irregular deposit that has a mottled foamy appearance.
A gray "floater" sometimes transfers from that electrode to the surface tension of the water when electrodes are removed from the water.
Hydrogen bubbles have surface tension as well. Things transfer easily from surface tension to surface tension when the two meet upon removal of the electrode much like popping a soap bubble on a water surface.
Pressure from water circulation makes the gray structure grow in the direction of the water indicating that the water pressure prevents the hydrogen bubbles from getting big enough for their bouyancy to overcome their adhesion to the electrode...because... Once the bubble is sufficiently coated with silver, it becomes conductive and forms another bubble on top of itself, which gets a silver coating to stabilize it's size and begins to conduct electricity and grow another bubble on top of it. The closly packed silver atoms deposited and trapped on the surface tension of the bubble form a crust on the bubble.
Reducing the stir speed also reduces growth of the gray formation, indicating that water pressure inhibits bubble size, reduces bouyancy and enhances surface tension.
The bubble/silver structure is not a very good conductor, so, if it grows thick enough, it will prevent the automatic off function of my generator from working.
Ken
>>>>
<<<<
Ken: How were you able to confirm that the gray stuff was silver, and the black stuff was silver oxide? Roger
-- 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]>
