Industrial Uses of Silver

Amazingly versatile, silver’s value goes way beyond coinage. Silver, also know as the chemical symbol Ag (Latin: argentum) has qualities that make it highly desirable for industrial uses as well. It boasts the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal. It is highly malleable, and has a high reflectivity, not to mention beauty, strength and resistance to high temperatures.

Traditional Uses of Silver

Silver has enjoyed a long history of use in coinage, jewelry (sterling), and silverware. Photography was a huge consumer of silver until traditional photography methods shifted dramatically to digital—no more silver, just really expensive ink cartridges! Interestingly, silver’s use in industry continues to climb because of new industrial uses in technology and medicine.

Industrial Uses

Batteries – Silver-oxide batteries are replacing lithium-ion batteries more and more due to environmental and safety concerns. Small button-shaped batteries are almost 35% by weight, however they also contain harmful chemicals (mercury) so they are not consumer-recyclable.  On the positive side, Silver-zinc batteries utilize water-based chemistry with no lithium or flammable liquids.

Catalysts – It is estimated that over 700 tons of silver are used annually to produce two chemical compounds – ethylene oxide and formaldehyde. Ethylene oxide is used as a foundation ingredient for flexible plastics like polyester textiles. Formaldehyde is used in solid plastics, adhesives, resins, plywood and particleboard. Formaldehyde is also used to produce surface coatings, packaging materials, automotive parts, insulating materials and many other products. (too many in the author’s humble opinion)

Electronics – Silver’s excellent electrical conductivity makes it invaluable in the manufacturing of switches, tv screens and circuit boards. New applications include inks for RFID tags used, and hopefully contained to, inventory control (prevents shoplifting).

Bearings and moving parts – Silver coatings increase the durability of moving parts and ball-bearings because of high durability in extreme tempuratures.

Brazing and Soldering – Silver’s high resistance to corrosion and high tensile strength as well as conductivity make it a perfect brazing and soldering metal. It also has a natural antibacterial effect.

Medical – It has only recently been discovered as to how silver’s anti-bacterial abilities work. Silver interrupts cellular activities of bacteria critical to survival. MRSA (Staph supergerm) is resistant most antibiotics, so many hospitals are incorporating silver-imbedded equipment, surgical tools, and other items to help curb cross contamination. Nano-silver particles are used as a delivery mechanism for silver ions which are being incorporated into many new antibacterial products.

Mirrors & Coatings – Silver can be polished to nearly 100% reflectivity.  Mirrors have been around for hundreds of years, but now silver is being incorporated in different coatings to help reflect the hot rays of the sun on windows and reduce sun exposure to the eyes with an eyeglass application. Silver ions are also being incorporated into paints and coatings to inhibit surface germs and fungus.

Solar Energy – Silver paste is used in almost all crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, the most common type. Silver not only increases the efficiency of solar energy collection as electricity, it also is used in Solar farms that use the collection of the suns rays as heat to produce steam powered generators.

Water Purification – A silver coin in the water bucket over night may not just be an old Cowboy’s solution to clean water. Silver ions are now being used in all sorts of water purification processes. For hospitals, community water systems, pools and spas.

We’ll add/modify this list as we become more aware of other uses for this remarkable metal. Silver’s origins as money, may have grown side by side as its utility was explored and discovered. It makes sense to use silver as real money, as its use and value extends into so many important industrial uses.

Pete Skenandore
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