Colloids Of Silver

A colloid is defined as a substance microscopically dispersed evenly throughout another substance.

Intermediate sized particles between those of suspensions and solutions when mixed in such a way that no settling out occurs and still remain evenly distributed. Colloidal particles or colloids as they are known are particles that range between 10-8 and 10-6 nm in size. They form a mixture which is named a colloidal dispersion and consists of colloids suspended in a dispersing medium.

Colloids of silver are produced by passing an electrical current through silver electrodes which are immersed in distilled water. The charged particles of silver remain in a suspended state and whilst the two substances have been combined they still retain their individual chemical identities.

Colloids of silver in a dispersion state can be identified by passing a beam of light through it. The beam is reflected off the larger particles and is then visible to the eye. This is known as the Tyndall effect.