adding sodium hydroxide will form insoluble Ag2O and Cu(OH)2.
adding copper to the AgNO3 solution will form elemental silver, what can be washed with distilled water and react with HNO3 to form AgNO3 again.
i have an idea.
try treating the solution with sodium acetate.
Copper(II)-acetate will stay in solution and silver(I)-acetate will fall out.
You will lost maximal 2g Ag this way, but you will get a pure product. |