The Classic Silver Mirror Reaction with only 68% Silver (Nitrate)

Hi Everybody!

Today I did the classic Silver Mirror reaction from only 68% silver nitrate (the rest most likely being copper nitrate), and I wanted to share. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the process

First, Calcium Nitrate-based fertilizer was distilled together with (wet) Sodium Bisulfate (bought as pH minus for pools), which gave ~50% Nitric Acid.

To the nitric acid, silverware containing 68% silver was added until no more silver was dissolved. The mixture was gently boiled until small particles of silver nitrate started crystallizing out. The mixture was thereafter cooled, filtered, and washed with ice-cold water (optional). The silver nitrate was heavily contaminated with copper nitrate, but by not boiling the whole mixture down and washing with a small amount of ice-cold water, I was left with a light blue solid.

1.7 g of the light blue solid was added to a beaker together with ~90 mL water. 8 mL of 25% Ammonia was added, making the mixture very dark blue. Thereafter, 2.4 g Sodium Hydroxide was added and stirred magnetically until all solid was dissolved.

When all the solid was dissolved, 3 g of 89% Dextro-Energy (Dextrose/Glucose) was added.

The mixture was stirred magnetically for almost 30 minutes before a metallic surface was seen.

Just noticed this thread.....
The silver mirror reaction is still on my to do list
Meanwhile, here is a note I made some time ago on how difficult I found the removal of just 0.1% copper.
https://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=27851...