[nj_bartel]

I'm planning on attempting to mirror a bottle of vodka, specifically



as a gift for a past superviser of mine, but I've never run a tollens' test for its intended purpose, muchless something like this, and silver nitrate isn't the cheapest compound for a poor college student to experiment with.

Anyway, a few questions.

1) How should the glass be cleaned to increase smooth, uniform deposition of silver?

2) Is there a specific reaction scheme that any of you would recommend?  Ideally, one that doesn't require a torch's heat to initiate the silver deposition.

3) What would be the best method to insure the entire interior of the bottle is coated in silver?  Shaking, swirling, or filling to the brim with reagent, etc.?


I think that's it!  Or at least all I can think of at the moment.  Thanks for any assistance

[edikici]

Tollens' Test.
i assume you know how to prepare the reagent.  In our organic lab we prepare the reagent as follows.  To 0.15 M silver nitrate add drop wise concentrated NaOH solution.  A brown precipitate will form.  Then, add dropwise concantrated ammonia solution until the formed precipitate just dissolves.  After filtration the solution is ready to use.  Store in a dark bottle, and refrigerated but only for a short period of time (24 hr).  Then prepare a glucose solution by dissolving 40 g of glucos in 100 ml water.  Mix two reagents together in the bottle you want to coat.  Fill the solution up to the point where you want the coating to happen.  The bottle is washed with soap water and dried prior to this step.  Then heat the whole bottle and solution without the cap at ~70 C.  With in 5 minutes you should see the mirror coating.  After the reaction is done acidify the unused and used Tollens' reagent with dilute nitric acid and dispose properly.  Tollens' reagent, especially left unused have a tendency to form explosive silver azide.  They are very unstable and can be dangerous. Never store Tollens' reagent and always dispose after use.

[nj_bartel]

Very helpful, and I think you covered everything I needed!  If I could give you more snacks I would

Thank you very much.

[408]

Tollens' reagent, especially left unused have a tendency to form explosive silver azide.  .

No, it forms fulminating silver which is a poorly characterized mixture of Ag3N, Ag2NH, etc.

[nj_bartel]

One quick question - when forming the silver oxide precipitate, do you add an equimolar quantity of the hydroxide solution or do you just add until precipitate forms?

[408]

equimolar, or until precipitation stops

[nj_bartel]

Thanks

I've heard you can better prepare the glass to accept the silver mirror by rinsing with stannic (tin iv) chloride (the hydrate, I would assume) - are you familiar with this 408?