For some time, silver has been making a second investment in its more popular cousin, gold, but this does not mean that it is not a valuable commodity in itself.

Knowing where gold is heading, silver usually doesn't lag far behind, which may not come as a surprise. In other words, these two commodities often have similar fates, good and bad. Although silver has never reached the same level of glory in terms of dollar value, as we are about to discover, in many other respects, it is likely to be a more valuable metal. 

As a metal, silver is very flexible, elastic, heat-resistant, conductive, non-corrosive, low-dose non-toxic, low contact resistance, not easy to oxidize, and has proven antibacterial and biocidal properties. This means it can be used in a wide range of applications, some of which can save lives.

Of particular note are silver nanoparticles (silver nanoparticles), which are tiny particles of silver. Studies have found that they have excellent antibacterial properties and are very effective against most types of bacteria. However, they have also proven to be very convenient tools against certain viruses, especially HIV, hepatitis B, herpes simplex, monkeypox and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

Most of the knowledge about silver is no stranger to humans. For centuries, we have been using it to treat wounds and infections, preserve food and liquids, and as a general disinfectant. In fact, before the large-scale development of modern antibiotics, silver was the medical standard in many countries.

How is silver used as an antibacterial and disinfectant? This seems to be attributed to the tendency of silver to release positively charged ions (Ag) in the presence of fluids. Elemental silver itself, namely pure silver, is atomically neutral and has no antibacterial properties. For all the above reasons, this does not prevent it from becoming an extremely valuable mineral by itself. However, as we strive to find more effective and less chemically harmful ways to combat dangerous and deadly microorganisms, the medical and health applications of silver are under the microscope. 

Although there are still many unknowns about the exact role of silver ions as antibacterial agents, it is generally believed that positively charged ions are attracted by negative ions on the bacterial cell wall, causing a series of destructive consequences to the bacteria. These consequences include inhibition of respiratory function, interference with cell membrane integrity, and interruption of DNA function. As we all know, silver ions have the ability to attack a wide range of targets in microorganisms, thereby reducing the chance of drug resistance. On the other hand, antibiotics usually target specific microbial components, allowing the microorganisms to finally figure out how to withstand or repair the damage.

With this in mind, here is just a few of the many ways to use silver, silver nanoparticles, and silver ions.

Disease diagnosis has made considerable progress, and one of the latest developments involves the use of biosensors made of silver nanowires. The technology is not limited to laboratories. At the 2014 US Open, Ralph Lauren produced high-tech shirts with biosensing silver fibers in the fabric. The sensor can transmit physical information about the wearer (breathing and heart rate, pressure level, etc.) to the mobile phone via Bluetooth. 

Silver-coated surfaces and medical equipment have been found to help reduce the spread of pathogens. Silver-plated catheters and tubes are now common in healthcare because the silver coating helps prevent infection during use

We know that super bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to modern antibiotics and can spread like wildfire under appropriate conditions, including infected and contaminated medical environments. However, silver-coated surfaces and medical equipment have been found to help reduce the spread of pathogens. For example, silver-plated catheters and tubes are now common in healthcare because silver-plating helps prevent infection during use. 

Similarly, silver nanoparticles and silver nitrate can be used as antibacterial agents in surgical equipment, ointments, wound dressings, bandages, eye drops (ie eye drops for infant conjunctivitis), dental alloys, etc. 

The 3D silver surgical net helps support tissues and organs during surgery. If the surgery is for a hip implant, the new implant may be a so-called "smart hip", which has silver-plated bearings to prevent infection and reduce friction. After the surgeon completes the operation, it is likely that the incision will be closed with a silver needle and suture. 

Diamine silver fluoride is a topical treatment for cavities and allergic teeth, while dental fillings are traditionally made from a mixture of mercury, silver, copper, and tin. If mercury eventually poisons you, you can flush it out of the system with silver chloride. 

According to this study, burn wounds have fewer scars and less physical damage after they are treated with drugs containing silver NPs. 

Threads and fabrics such as wool embedded with silver nanoparticles show better antibacterial properties. When used in lab coats, surgical masks, and other medical clothing, these fabrics may help reduce cross-infection. By the way, the same study found that silver nanoparticles can produce a series of bright colors in treated wool fabrics.

If you have ever had warts or corns, you may have used a product called corrosive pencil. It contains potassium nitrate and silver nitrate. When chemicals are activated by moisture (usually distilled water), they can burn the skin tissue in warts or corn and destroy diseased skin cells and harmful microorganisms. 

Silver nitrate can also be used to cauterize incisions during surgery, reduce bleeding and kill unwanted microorganisms. Similarly, it can effectively accelerate the formation of scabs, thereby reducing bleeding from minor skin injuries. It is also used to treat nail bed fungus.

Have you used a deodorant recently? If so, it may contain silver chloride, which is known for its antibacterial properties and helps prevent unhealthy, odor-causing bacteria.

Get silver acetate to help you achieve your smoking cessation goals. Small amounts of this compound can be added to smoking cessation products such as lozenges, oral sprays, and chewing gum. The idea is that if you happen to miss it, the taste of silver acetate and the taste of cigarette smoke are absolutely unpleasant and therefore act as a deterrent. Repaton was a lozenge containing 2.5 mg of silver acetate produced in the 1970s, followed by Tabmint, a chewing gum that also contained silver acetate.

This is just a side note-although a small amount of silver is non-toxic, a large amount of silver will accumulate in the tissues, leading to a condition called agyria. Before starting any type of medical treatment, be sure to seek medical advice.

We are all familiar with long-life batteries, also known as silver oxide or silver-zinc batteries. They contain silver oxide. The service life of these batteries is half that of lithium-ion batteries and other traditional batteries. They also have the advantage of being lighter and smaller, so they are very suitable for gadgets such as hearing aids, watches and other devices that require relatively light weight. Both the Apollo lunar module and the lunar rover use silver oxide batteries.

Want to use a smartphone but your hands are frozen? no problem. Just put on a pair of touch screen gloves with silver threads woven into the fabric, and you can leave. 

Printing electronic circuits on paper can produce highly flexible, lightweight, inexpensive and biodegradable electronic components for use in RFID tags, touch panels, flexible solar cells, flexible displays, thin film transistors and other products. In fact, this technology has groundbreaking significance in realizing the "smart packaging function".

It was found to be used for anti-counterfeiting, traceability and tracking, storage management, logistics and transportation, etc. Paper-based electronics use 3D printers to apply or “sinter” nanoparticle-based metallic inks onto paper-based substrates. However, an obvious problem is that sintering involves heat, and the sintering temperature of most metal inks is very high. Heat and paper are usually not good, so researchers have been looking for metals with high conductivity and low sintering temperature. A silver NP-based solution seems to meet the requirements. Similar techniques are also used to customize silver jewelry. 

Without silver, we may not have solar panels. This is one of the biggest boons of clean energy power generation we have ever seen

You will notice that CDs and DVDs have silver or gold coatings, but do you know why? Silver is known for its ability to resist discoloration and pitting corrosion, so adding a silver coating to media devices such as DVDs can help extend their life. Silver also does not react with the colored dyes in the dye layer on the disc, and it improves the reflectance of the disc. Reflectance is an optical characteristic used to measure the ratio of the amount of light reflected by an object to the amount of light that occurs on the same object. The reading laser in the CD/DVD reader is reflected from the reflective surface and read by the pickup sensor in the device. Therefore, the better the reflectivity of the surface, the better the reading effect.

This same high reflectivity characteristic makes silver an ideal material for coating the surface of infrared telescope mirrors. At the same time, silver helps reduce the thermal radiation of the telescope.

Without silver, we might not have solar panels. This is one of the greatest boons of clean energy power generation we have ever seen. Or at least they will not be as effective as they are now. Silver is known for its high thermal and electrical conductivity-the highest of all metals. This makes it an ideal choice for solar panels. A standard 1m x 1.7m panel can contain up to 20 grams of silver, coated on the glass panel in the form of silver paste, where it can capture all this sunlight and convert it into photovoltaic energy.

Speaking of electricity-one of the most controversial types of power generation is the use of control rods to control the rate of fission of uranium and plutonium in water-based nuclear reactors. The rods are made of alloys of silver, indium and cadmium, and the usual ratios are 80% / 15% / 5% respectively. These metals can safely absorb large numbers of neurons.

There are more power generation applications, this time with fuel cells that use chemical energy to generate electricity. The use of a very thin silver foil layer as a contact medium in fuel cells will ensure "long-term stability at operating temperatures up to 800C". Of course, there are billions of semiconductors in use all over the world with silver... 

Once upon a time, we didn't have a refrigerator. true story! However, we do use milk and various other liquids that can benefit from refrigeration and/or freshness, which raises a question. How did we do it without a refrigerator? The answer is-keep them in a silver-plated container or put a silver coin in a liquid. Silver ions absorb the oxygen needed by bacterial cells for respiration, thereby destroying them and preventing them from destroying liquids. For example, it turns out that adding a silver coin can extend the freshness of milk by 2 to 5 days. 

Three coins in the fountain... Similarly, adding a silver coin to the water dispenser can keep the water fresh for longer and help disinfect the spout. However, to make it work, you need the so-called Silver Round, which is a 99.9% silver coin that is produced and sold exclusively as a collectible, not legal tender. Silver coins used as legal tender today usually contain less silver. Or, you can use ionic silver to filter the water as NASA and Russian astronauts did on the space shuttle and the International Space Station. Similarly, colloidal silver is used to coat ceramic filters to purify drinking water in developing countries.

Electrical appliance manufacturer Samsung has been using silver nanotechnology for more than a decade. Their first "Silver Nano" product line, including washing machines, came out in the mid-2000s. The company claims that when you do a lot of washing, silver ions will be released into the laundry, deodorizing, disinfecting and "covering clothes" with silver ions to provide further protection after washing. Their current refrigerator series includes what Samsung calls the "Silver Nano Health System", which aims to make your refrigerator and the food in it cleaner, fresher, and healthier.

There are now a series of various household gadgets using silver technology, especially in the important aspects of preventing or reducing the growth of mold and mildew and killing bacteria. Humidifier tanks, sterilizers, air purifiers, air conditioning filters, ice machines, bird feeders, etc. are all on the list. 

For the same reason that Samsung uses this technology, some washing powder manufacturers add silver ions to their products. Not only are they deadly to bacteria, but they also help reduce odors. Facts have proved that ion can also provide anti-fungal, antibiotic and anti-static benefits for your washing.

In fact, silver has entered countless household items and clothing. Sheets and bedding woven into silver nanowires can deal with unpleasant microorganisms and various other organisms that thrive in bedding. When silver ions encounter your damp skin or sweaty fabric, they will begin to kill microorganisms.

Silver lace fabrics like this are being used in more and more creative ways. The silver lining insole helps remove bacteria and odors from the pony shoes. Carry a variety of deodorant and antibacterial travel equipment (including bags and coats) to keep away bacteria and odors when traveling. Put on silver lace-up sportswear or hunting gear before your next sport, exercise or hunting trip for a fresher and more tasteless experience.

Clean your teeth with a toothbrush with bristles full of silver ions, and clean the dentures just now with silver aid, which does not contain chemical substances. To get the touch of the ultimate styling product, use silver nano curling irons, combs or hair dryers. A beautiful silver colloidal gel can better care for your skin and naturally heal any cuts and scratches.

The baby has not been abandoned. Companies in South Korea and Vietnam are producing silver nano baby products such as baby bottles, dummies, mugs and baby wipes.

Now we all know that cutting boards are a haven for notorious smells, bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. However, Japanese and Korean chefs have overcome these problems by using cutting boards infused with silver particles.

Your car is a veritable treasure trove of silver. It is everywhere, from electrical contacts that let you start the engine and perform countless other functions, to distance sensors and assisted parking systems that prevent you from reversing. On cold cold days, silver ceramic elements provide heat through wires on the rear window to remove frost and ice. On a very hot sunny day, the silver-plated windshield will help reflect the sun’s heat and keep your car cool.

Silver has a very high melting point (961.8C), so it is very suitable for high temperature applications. Therefore, it is usually used for engine parts that withstand a lot of heat. It is worth noting that the silver-plated steel ball bearings can not only withstand the high temperatures in jet engines and other machinery, but also provide a protective layer between the bearing and its housing. This reduces friction, which improves performance and extends the life of the engine. Silver-plated ball bearings are also used in helicopters.

We have mentioned this elsewhere, but the antifreeze coolant in your radiator contains a large amount of a substance called glycol. Ethylene glycol is made from ethylene oxide, and ethylene oxide is produced by oxidizing ethylene using a silver catalyst.

Photography and film are among the first industries to adopt silver-based technology. Photographic film is nothing more than a piece or strip of transparent plastic, one side of which is coated with silver halide crystals in gelatin emulsion. The crystal is sensitive to light and when exposed to light, it will leave an undeveloped image on the film, which can then be developed into a visible picture. This technique is still used in X-ray photography. More importantly, silver is recyclable because it will not be destroyed in the process.

Just as the film used in old analog cameras uses silver, so do the lenses in many of these cameras. The high photoreactive properties of silver make it an ideal choice for this type of photosensitive work.

Many historical buildings, such as churches and cathedrals, are famous for their beautiful stained glass windows, but did you know that silver is the traditional craft for making them? Until the early 1300s, glass manufacturers used copper, iron, and manganese to make the colored glass used in these magnificent artworks. By carefully controlling the oxidation in the furnace during the firing process, they can produce a range of different colors and hues from green and blue to red, orange, pink and purple. However, it is difficult to produce a clear, strong yellow color using these minerals. Silver solves this problem. French glass manufacturers found that by mixing silver sulfide or silver nitrate with pipe mud and coating it on clear glass, they can not only produce a lovely clear and bright yellow, but they can also use this mixture as a paint. Create and highlight complex and sophisticated designs. Later it was also applied to the surface of colored glass to produce more tones and tones.

Silver is an important catalyst for the production of formaldehyde and ethylene oxide, two key components in many plastics that we rely on

It is a liquid at room temperature. The ionic liquid made of silver ions can effectively remove waste from petroleum.

Cloud seeding is a relatively common weather modification technology used to try to create watery clouds that can produce rain or snow. The "seed" is silver iodide, a substance with similar properties to ice molecules. Is it effective? This research shows that it is true, but is the expense worth it? In any case, the United States uses about 3 tons of silver each year to spread clouds, so it is obvious that some people think so.

Silver is an important catalyst for the production of formaldehyde and ethylene oxide, two key components in many plastics that we rely on. Formaldehyde is used in the manufacture of resins, solid plastics and protective coatings, as well as as an antiseptic and disinfectant. Ethylene oxide is used to make molded and flexible plastic products, and ethylene glycol is the main component of antifreeze.

If you have ever used treated wood, it is likely that it has been saturated with arsenic-based chemicals. Traditional wood preservation and termite treatment use chemicals such as chromated copper arsenate. However, due to the toxicity of these chemicals, attention is turning to silver and its known bactericidal properties. Of course, silver also has the additional advantage of antibacterial.

Mirror, mirror on the wall. The mirror is a piece of glass with a thin layer of silver nitrate or aluminum on the back. The light hits the silver and reflects back to produce an image of anything in front of it. Silver is used for brazing and solder alloys. Generally, the quality of silver used is quite low, because it only needs to bond two surfaces together.

The silver-plated door handle sounds like something from a home decor magazine, but there is actually sound science behind it! We explained before that silver ions are activated by moisture. So, when you grab the silver doorknob with your sweat-soaked hot hand, the ions will react to the sweat, act immediately and kill your deposited bacteria. This means that the hand covered with hot sweat bacteria will have a nice clean doorknob to grasp (and re-infect the bacteria!).

Silver fulminate is a very interesting method of using silver. When you pull those exquisite Christmas cookies apart during Christmas, the sharp cracks they emit come from some silver fulminate embedded in the cardboard strips. When the biscuit is pulled from the ends, it creates friction in the cardboard strips, which detonates the fulminate. Similarly, there is a small amount of silver fulminate in the banging button, which explodes when it hits a hard surface. However, silver fulminate must be stored in small amounts because it can explode under its own weight.

Speaking of special family dinners-they are usually a good opportunity to bring out silver utensils. If it is pure silver and not just silver-plated tableware, it will be 92.5% real silver and 7.5% alloy. Since silver is relatively soft as a metal, alloys are added to provide durability. On the other hand, silver-plated products are just a base metal sprayed with a thin silver coating. Although they look shiny and impressive, their value is not as good as pure silver. You can judge which is which by making an inconspicuous small scratch somewhere on the item and applying a little household white vinegar on it. If it turns green or other colors, it is not a real deal.

Ever heard of "vark", also known as "varak"? It is an edible sterling silver (or gold) leaf used in South Asian (especially Indian) cuisine. Aluminum foil is only micrometers thick and is usually used as a decoration for candies and food.

Since the 1960s, scientists have known that by cooling certain types of molten metals very quickly, they can be turned into glass-like products called proper metallic glasses. Metallic glass is stronger than glass, and in many cases even tougher than steel. This makes them ideal for applications that require super-strong, super-durable building materials. Want to fly around on a glass plane? Silver is one of the metals that can be used to produce metallic glass.

Silver can be added to polyester curtains to reduce light.

Then there are various other well-known uses such as silver jewelry, colloidal silver, coins (collector and currency versions), musical instruments (especially flute and piccolo), etc. There are so many uses for such a versatile metal.

 (This article was first published by Mining International Ltd.)