On Friday November 18 2005 3:37 pm, Terry Chamberlin wrote: > We have been aware of the difficulties with > differentiating between silver particles that fit the > scientific definition of "colloidal", which are too > large to pass through the cell walls, and silver > particles that are small enough to do so. > > We have been using the word "ionic" to refer to these > smaller particles, even though the scientifically > accepted and used definition of "ionic" simply means > the particle has a positive or negative charge, and > doesn't actually refer to the particle size. > > Why don't we use the word "nanosilver", as used by a > growing number of scientists. > > We say "EIS" (Electrically Isolated Silver) to refer > to our whole method of suspending silver in pure water > without the addition of other substances, but this > term doesn't distinguish between large and small > particle size. Hi Terry.
Here is my understanding of ionic and positive and negative charge as well as the terminology used. Anybody, please correct me if I am wrong. You are basically right about the positive and negative issue, but this positive or negative charge is due to an imbalance of the electrons and protons in any atom thereby creating an ion. If there are more electrons than protons there is a negative charge. If there are more protons than electrons there is a positive charge. In the case of EIS or ionic silver the ion has lost one electron resulting in a positive charge. Hence, ions of silver are one atom of silver minus one electron. They measure 0.000252 microns/micrometers across. Their size does not vary. Technically ions are not particles of silver, those, in our context, are colloids. We are not talking about a colloid but an ionic solution. Therefore the term particles, though convenient, does not really apply. The term, colloidal silver, technically, not surprisingly, refers only to a genuine colloid. That is, particles of of silver suspended in a liquid, generally distilled water. Now, particles in a colloid can and do really vary in size. These particles are typically in the range of .001 to .100 micrometers. orders of magnitude larger than ions. So I think your suggestion for using nanosilver would be less accurate and continue to cloud the issue. EIS may not be perfect nor is ionic silver but I do believe that either of them comes closer to describing what we all make and use than does nanosilver. -- LTR Registered Linux user #280295 [email protected]
