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What is Silver?

Silver is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag.

In nature, silver exists as a single substance, but is more commonly found in a chemical state dispersed in various minerals. Silver has a long history of mining and refining, and was used by the ancient Egyptians around 3000 BC. They used silver extensively for jewelry, tableware, and currency.

In modern times, we find that silver has good ductility, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, so it is widely used in electronic and electrical engineering, medical field, new energy, photography and chemical industry.

Does Silver Rust?

Silver does not tarnish. However, its surface will change color due to oxidation. This is a natural phenomenon that occurs when silver comes into contact with oxygen, sulfides or other chemicals in the air, a chemical reaction occurs and an oxide film forms. This oxidized film may discolor the surface of the silver, usually appearing yellow, brown or black. However, such discoloration is misinterpreted by many as a rusty state.

The following are the reasons that cause silver to look like rust:

1. Environmental factors:Silver’s contact with humid environments, airborne pollutants, sweat, etc. may accelerate its oxidation.
2. Exposure to chemicals: Silver’s contact with certain chemicals, such as sulfur, cosmetics, perfumes, etc., may lead to faster oxidation.
3. Friction and abrasion: Frequent friction or abrasion on the surface of silver jewelry may damage the oxidized film and make it more susceptible to tarnishing.

Learn Why Silver Doesn’t Rust

Silver is a relatively stable metal element. The following is the principle of silver not rusting:

1. Chemical properties: Silver is a chemical element with a less active chemical property and hardly combines with other elements. Even if heated to above 1000℃, silver will not combine with oxygen.
2. Strong acid and alkali resistance:Silver has strong resistance to chemical substances such as acids and alkalis. It is difficult for a general weak acid and weak alkali environment to produce a significant corrosion effect on silver.
3. High purity: Generally, pure silver products on the market have a higher purity and fewer impurities. The presence of impurities may reduce the corrosion resistance of the metal, while high-purity silver has better rust resistance and can maintain its luster and texture for a longer time.
4. Not prone to electrochemical corrosion: The electrode potential of silver is relatively high. Under common environmental conditions, it is not easy to become the negative electrode in the electrochemical corrosion cell and be oxidized and corroded.

What Effect Does Silver Have on Humans

The effects of silver on the human body can be considered from multiple aspects:

1. Antibacterial: Silver has antibacterial properties that can inhibit the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi, helping to reduce the risk of infection.
2. Anti-inflammatory: Silver has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation and pain, and is used to relieve symptoms of arthritis, skin inflammation and other inflammatory diseases.
3. Allergic reactions: Although silver is an inert metal, for people with allergies and pregnant women, allergic symptoms such as skin redness, itching, blisters, etc. may occur after contact with silver.
4. Skin darkening: When silver comes into contact with the skin, it will react chemically with sulfides on the surface of the skin to form a black silver sulfide. Over time, silver sulfide will penetrate the surface of the skin, causing the skin to darken.

From the above, it can be seen that silver has both potential health benefits and potential risks to the human body.

When choosing to wear silver jewelry, you should consider your personal skin sensitivity and health status, and pay attention to regular cleaning and care to maintain the brightness and appearance of the silver jewelry. At the same time, for special sensitive groups, such as pregnant women and breastfeeding women, it is recommended to consider whether to wear silver jewelry under the guidance of a doctor.

Why Does Silver Lose its Luster

The main reasons why silver loses its luster are as follows:

1. Reaction with sulfur-containing substances:When silver comes into contact with sulfur-containing substances in the air (such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, etc.), black silver sulfide will be generated, causing the surface of the silver to lose its luster.
2. Reaction with sweat:Certain components in human sweat will also react with silver, causing the silver jewelry to change color. Generally speaking, when sweat is acidic, silver jewelry is prone to oxidation and discoloration. When sweat is alkaline or oil secretion is vigorous, silver jewelry may become brighter and brighter as it is worn.
3. Improper cleaning: Using overly irritating detergents or incorrect cleaning methods may damage the surface of silver jewelry, resulting in a decrease in gloss.
4. Natural oxidation:The chemical properties of silver are relatively unstable, and it is easy to oxidize in the natural environment, thus losing its luster.
5. Insufficient purity:When the purity of the silver jewelry itself is insufficient or contains other impurities, it is more likely to lose its luster.

How to Prevent Silver from Tarnishing

To maintain the luster of silver jewelry, you can take the following measures:

1. Regular cleaning: Use special cleaning tools and detergents to clean silver jewelry to ensure that dirt is thoroughly removed.
2. Avoid contact with chemicals: When wearing silver jewelry, try to avoid contact with chemicals such as perfume, cosmetics, detergents, etc. If contact is necessary, it is best to remove the silver jewelry first.
3. Storage method: When not wearing silver jewelry, place it in a dry, sealed container to avoid contact with air.
4. Professional care:If the silver jewelry is severely discolored, you can seek professional jewelry care services for cleaning, polishing, electroplating and other treatments.
5. Polishing treatment:After cleaning, you can use a silver polishing cloth for micro-polishing to restore the luster of the silver jewelry.

It should be noted that if there is obvious rust or discoloration on the surface of the silver jewelry, it may be that the purity of the silver is not enough or there are other quality problems. When purchasing silver jewelry, it is recommended to choose regular merchants and brands to ensure the quality of the silver jewelry.

How to Remove Yellow and Black Rust from Silver

The yellow-black rust on silver is mainly due to the long-term exposure of silver to the air and the chemical reaction with sulfur in the air to form black silver sulfide. The yellow-black rust on silver can be removed by the following methods:

1. Toothpaste cleaning: Squeeze a little toothpaste with an unused toothbrush and gently scrub the surface of the silver jewelry. If it is not clean, repeat it again.
2. White vinegar wiping:Dip cotton in white vinegar, and then wipe the surface of the silver jewelry with cotton. The black silver sulfide covering the surface of the silver jewelry can be dissolved in acetic acid.
3. Alcohol wiping:First dip cotton in some alcohol, and then wipe the silver jewelry with cotton. The black rust covering the surface of the silver jewelry can also be removed.
4. Tin foil + salt + boiling water soaking:Put tin foil in a bowl, put in the silver jewelry, add salt, and then pour in boiling water and soak for a few minutes. If you want to speed up the effect, you can stir with chopsticks while soaking, but be careful to stack an extra layer of tin foil.
5. Soak in cola: Soak the silver jewelry in cola for 12 hours. The carbonic acid in the cola reacts with the iron oxide in the rust to produce an ion reaction. The bubbles accelerate the shedding of the rust. Take it out and wash it with clean water and then wipe it dry with cotton cloth to make the silverware look like new.
6. Detergent + sodium thiosulfate solution cleaning:First clean the surface of the silver jewelry with detergent, then clean it with diluted sodium thiosulfate solution, and finally soak the silver jewelry in clean water and clean it.

When using the above methods, you should pay attention to choosing the appropriate method according to the specific situation of the silver jewelry, and avoid excessive wiping or using too strong chemical reagents to avoid damage to the silver jewelry. In addition, regular maintenance and correct wearing of silver jewelry can also help reduce the formation of rust.

Вопросы и ответы

What Does Silver Look Like?

Silver usually presents a bright silvery white color with a unique metallic luster. It is soft in texture and has good ductility, and can be processed into various exquisite shapes.

Does Sterling Silver Rust?

Standard silver generally refers to silver with a content of 92.5%, that is, 925 silver. Standard silver is not easy to rust under normal circumstances, but it will oxidize and turn black.

Why Doesn’t Silver Rust in Water?

Silver will not rust in water. Because the chemical properties of silver are stable, there are usually no substances in water that can strongly corrode silver, and the electrode potential of silver is high and it is not easy to be oxidized. In addition, for the same reason as above, silver will not rust even in salt water.

What are the Different Types of Silver?

Generally speaking, common silver includes 925 silver, pure silver (S990, S999, S9999), Thai silver, Tibetan silver, Miao silver, etc.

Conclusion

Based on the above, we can clearly know that silver will not rust.In modern times, more people are fascinated and collecting silver through its charming luster and stable value attributes. We should protect silver within our capacity to keep its unique charm and value, and continue to shine with the passage of time.