Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Making a reflective surface with silver nitrate

Is it possible to coat something other than glass i.e. plastic, wood, cardboard or cloth with a silver nitrate solution? I would like to get a reflective glass like coating on something other than glass. I can find recipes for making mirrors with silver nitrate. Would I get the same result if I coated another material or do I need to prepare the surface in a specific way to take the silver nitrate?

Lumin Wakoa
artist - Richmond
November 29, 2010

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Hi, Lumin. There are additional issues in that case. The primary one is that the silvering on a mirror is applied to the back side of the glass, and the glass protects the silver from quickly oxidizing and tarnishing, and keeps it from quickly wearing off. You will need to seal the silvering between two impermeable layers, and the top one must be clear.

For this reason you may wish to look into "chrome-look paint" which provides a base coat and a top coat which were developed to be compatible with the silvering -- although my understanding is that some of the chrome-look paints involve tiny aluminum flakes rather than the two-part silvering.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 30, 2010

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Hi,
thanks for the response. I am still a little confused. Could I possibly buy a clear coat and cover the cardboard, then apply the silver nitrate and then seal it with another layer of clear coat? What would the surface look like if I did that?

When I look up chrome look paint, it looks like a bunch of cheap spray paints that will create a fake metal look.

I am an artist and I am interested in making something reflective but also somewhat irregular and transparent, I am not interested in the easiest most shiny solution.

I would like to experiment with using silver nitrate but I am a little afraid since it is toxic, I am interested in getting unusual surfaces. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Lumin Wakoa
- Richmond, Virginia, USA
December 17, 2010

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Hi, Lumin. It is my understanding that some of the chrome-look paints follow the process we are both describing of basecoating, follwed by dual-nozzle silver nitrate and reducing agent, followed by topcoating with a clear paint or lacquer of some sort. I don't think any clearcoat will be as effective at keeping the silver away from air as the glass of a mirror is, though.

I don't think you will find the chrome-look paints "cheap" after you price them :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 20, 2010