In the consumer market, silver belongs to the class of precious metals, but in its pure form it is often widely used in industry, ensuring the operability of various electrical appliances.
Moreover, earlier it was used in the creation of cameras and mirrors, thanks to the reflective surface. But do not confuse this metal with jewelry alloy - the difference between them is quite significant, and this is not only a matter of cost.
What is technical silver
Despite the name hinting at the low quality of the material, this term hides pure 999 sterling silver, an alloy with copper or ceramic-metal composites.
It is extracted from lead ores and often does not look very attractive.
Ligatures added to technical silver have a strictly defined composition. It is selected in accordance with the required field of application of the amendments in the chemical and physical properties of the metal and is usually intended to increase the conductivity or strength of the element.
In the manufacture of jewelry, completely different impurities are used, giving the material a more attractive appearance and malleability, which also determines the lower cost of the technical alloy.
Metal properties
Technical silver has a list of physical qualities that can be used in the field of electronics for the manufacture of various parts. A number of these characteristics include parameters such as:
- low melting point;
- high level of thermal and electrical conductivity;
- softness and flexibility of the material;
- inertness (passive to aggressive reagents);
- good reflective ability;
- resistance to corrosion;
- mechanical strength.
However, in this case, jewelry alloy has a higher cost than technical silver. The price per 1 gram of such metal will rise due to costly cleaning of lead, which is dangerous for human health due to the tendency to accumulate in the tissues of the body. However, in radio engineering this plays a secondary role, because it does not affect the marketing of the material.
Areas of use
First of all, it is worth noting that technical silver can be obtained by recycling equipment containing parts made of precious metal. In this case, after extraction from the scrap, the composition of the remelted material is not amenable to rationing and sent to the refinery for selection, otherwise the possibility of its further use disappears.
Pure silver and GOST regulated compounds are used in the following industries:
- electronics;
- food industry (manufacturing of storage equipment);
- medicine and dentistry;
- air and rocket science.
It is worth noting that technical silver (the price per 1 gram depends heavily on the alloy) is used in almost all production areas, and the processing method has become the main way to obtain it.
Where does silver meet
As of today, any owner is entitled to remove and sell the silver part from the equipment. The most valuable, from this point of view, will be old-style mechanisms, for example electromagnetic starters: they contain solders from precious metal.
Material without impurities is found in common types of relays, temperature sensors (silver wire), ss-batteries and amalgam.
In very small quantities, it can be found in aircraft wires and connectors.
To verify the authenticity of the metal, many use a mixture of nitric acid and potassium dichromate: if silver is present, the place moistened with the composition will turn red.
Sale of metal and its value
You can sell technical silver online or on the radio market. The price per gram varies depending on two factors:
- Samples, i.e. the percentage in the alloy.
- Sales points, because each buyer puts a favorable price for himself.
People who have not previously encountered an assessment of the purity of metal, it is better to turn to the services of professionals or to understand on the spot. However, the first option will provide greater confidence in the correctness of the set value and reduce the risk of selling at a lower price.
When selling scrap metal, cutlery or silver-coated parts are the most popular because they have a fairly high fineness. In any case, it is much more profitable to make a sale through online auctions or thematic forums - there are often buyers on the Internet who are ready to offer a higher price.
If you want to know how much technical silver costs, you should carefully study the various offers and choose what meets their requirements. In general, the price per 1 gram is approximately 20 to 32 rubles; this difference is directly related to the percentage of pure precious metal in the alloy or the product that has become unusable.