BRITISH STANDARD BS 1561:1966

Specification for

Silver anodes and silver

salts for electroplating
BS 1561:1966

Co-operating organizations

The Surface Coatings (other than Paints) Industry Standards Committee,

under whose supervision this British Standard was prepared, consists of
representatives from the following Government departments and scientific and
industrial organizations:

Aluminium Federation
Assay Offices Committee of Great Britain
Association of Metal Sprayers
British Bolt, Nut, Screw and Rivet Federation
British Cycle and Motor Cycle Industries Association Limited*
British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers’ Association
British Iron and Steel Federation
British Jewellers’ Association
British Non-ferrous Metal Research Association*
Chemical Industries Association*
Electricity Council, the Generating Board and the Area Boards in England and Wales
Electronic Engineering Association
Engineering Equipment Users’ Association
Institute of Metal Finishing*
Institute of Sheet Metal Engineers
Institute of Vitreous Enamellers
Greater London Council
Metal Finishing Association*
Ministry of Aviation
Ministry of Defence, Army Department
Ministry of Defence, Navy Department
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited*
Tin Research Institute*
Vitreous Enamel Development Council
Zinc Development Association*

The scientific and industrial organizations marked with an asterisk in the

above list, together with the following, were directly represented on the
committee entrusted with the preparation of this British Standard:

British Federation of Master Printers

British Sulphate of Copper Association
Chemical Society
Institution of Chemical Engineers
Royal Institute of Chemistry
Scientific Instrument Manufacturers Association
Society of Chemical Industry
United Kingdom Cutlery and Silverware Manufacturers Association
Individual firms
This British Standard, having
been approved by the Surface
Coatings (other than Paints)
Industry Standards Committee
and endorsed by the Chairman
of the Engineering Divisional
Council, was published under
the authority of the
General Council on
28 November 1966

© BSI 08-1999 Amendments issued since publication

First published May 1949
First revision November 1966
Amd. No. Date Comments

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference SRE/8
Draft for comment D63/7888

ISBN 0 580 01915 2

 BS 1561:1966

Contents

Page
Co-operating organizations Inside front cover
Foreword ii
1 General 1
1.1 Scope 1
1.2 Precautions 1
2 Silver anodes 1
2.1 Physical form 1
2.2 Chemical composition 1
2.3 Sampling and size of sample 1
3 Silver potassium cyanide (double salt) 1
3.1 Physical form and appearance 1
3.2 Chemical composition 1
3.3 Impurities 1
3.4 Containers 1
3.5 Sampling and size of sample 1
4 Silver cyanide (single salt) 2
4.1 Physical form and appearance 2
4.2 Chemical composition 2
4.3 Impurities 2
4.4 Containers 2
4.5 Sampling and size of sample 2
Appendix A Determination of silver 3
Appendix B Determination of copper 4
Appendix C Determination of insoluble matter 4

© BSI 08-1999 i
BS 1561:1966

Foreword

This standard makes reference to the following British Standards:

BS 427, Vickers hardness test — Part 1: Testing of metals.
BS 3978, Water for laboratory use.
This British Standard is one of a series of standards that has been prepared to
meet the requirements of electroplaters, others in the series being:
BS 558, BS 564, Nickel anodes and nickel salts for electroplating.
BS 622, Cyanides for electroplating.
BS 1468, Tin salts for electroplating.
BS 2656, Zinc anodes, zinc cyanide and zinc oxide for electroplating.
BS 2657, Fluoroboric acid and metallic fluoroborates for electroplating.
BS 2867, Copper sulphate for electroplating.
BS 2868, Cadmium anodes and cadmium oxide for electroplating.
BS 2884, Copper cyanide for electroplating.
Wherever appropriate, British Standard laboratory glassware should be used in
the methods of test.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity

from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 4, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.

ii © BSI 08-1999
 BS 1561:1966

1 General
1.1 Scope
1.1.1 This British Standard specifies requirements for silver anodes, silver potassium cyanide and silver
cyanide for electroplating.
Silver is normally electrodeposited from a solution containing essentially, a double cyanide of silver and an
alkali metal, additional alkali cyanide (free cyanide) and other alkaline compounds. This solution is usually
produced from silver potassium cyanide or silver cyanide and pure silver anodes are normally used.

1.2 Precautions
1.2.1 As cyanides are highly poisonous, they must never be touched with unprotected hands; gloves must
be worn during sampling operations.
Attention is also drawn to Form 385 published by the Factory Department of the Ministry of Labour and
obtainable from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

2 Silver anodes
2.1 Physical form
2.1.1 Silver anodes for electroplating shall, unless otherwise specified by the purchaser, be cast, rolled or
extruded and in the annealed condition. The hardness of the silver anodes shall not exceed 40HV 5 when
tested in accordance with BS 427-11).
2.2 Chemical composition
2.2.1 The silver content shall be not less than 99.95 %, when determined by the method described in
Appendix A. The combined silver and copper content shall be not less than 99.98 % when determined by
the methods described in Appendix A and Appendix B.
2.3 Sampling and size of sample
2.3.1 A representative sample weighing not less than 20 g shall be taken for the purpose of examination
under this standard. In order to obtain a representative sample, at least 10 % of the anodes in the
consignment shall be drilled and a sample taken from the mixed drillings.

3 Silver potassium cyanide (double salt)

3.1 Physical form and appearance
3.1.1 Silver potassium cyanide (double salt) for electroplating shall be white in colour and shall correspond
to the formula KAg (CN)2.
3.2 Chemical composition
3.2.1 The silver content shall be not less than 54.0 % when determined by the method described in
Appendix A.
3.3 Impurities
3.3.1 The amount of matter insoluble in distilled water, when determined by the method described in
Appendix C, shall not exceed 0.1 %.
3.4 Containers
3.4.1 Unless otherwise agreed between purchaser and vendor, the salt shall be supplied in airtight
containers.
3.5 Sampling and size of sample
3.5.1 A representative sample, weighing not less than 50 g shall be taken for the purpose of examination
under this standard. The sample shall be taken from freshly opened packages and shall be packed in a
clean, dry and airtight bottle and sealed.
The sample shall be rapidly crushed, well mixed and returned to the bottle.

1)
BS 427, “Vickers hardness test”, Part 1, “Testing of metals”.

© BSI 08-1999 1
BS 1561:1966

4 Silver cyanide (single salt)

4.1 Physical form and appearance
4.1.1 Silver cyanide (single salt) for electroplating shall be creamy white in colour and shall correspond to
the formula AgCN.
4.2 Chemical composition
4.2.1 The silver content shall be not less than 80.0 % when determined by the method described in
Appendix A.
4.3 Impurities
4.3.1 The amount of matter insoluble in an aqueous solution of potassium cyanide, when determined by the
method described in Appendix C, shall not exceed 0.1 %.
4.4 Containers
4.4.1 Unless otherwise agreed between purchaser and vendor, the salt shall be supplied in airtight
containers.
4.5 Sampling and size of sample
4.5.1 A representative sample, weighing not less than 50 g shall be taken for the purpose of examination
under this standard. The sample shall be taken from freshly opened packages and shall be packed in a
clean, dry and airtight bottle and sealed.
The sample shall be rapidly crushed, well mixed and returned to the bottle.
NOTE The British Standards Institution is the owner of a registered certification trade mark. This is shown below, enclosed in the
words “Approved to British Standard”. This mark can be used only by manufacturers licensed under the certification mark scheme
operated by the BSI. The presence of this mark on or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods have been produced to
comply with the requirements of the British Standard under a system of supervision, control and testing operated during manufacture
and including periodical inspection at the manufacturer’s works in accordance with the certification mark scheme of the BSI.
Further particulars of the terms of licence may be obtained from the Director, British Standards Institution, 2 Park Street, London,
W.1.

2 © BSI 08-1999
 BS 1561:1966

Appendix A Determination of silver

A.1 Reagents
All reagents shall be of a recognized analytical reagent quality and distilled water2) shall be used whenever
water is specified.
Nitric acid, sp. gr. 1.42.
Nitric acid, 50 per cent v/v. Dilute 500 ml of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.42) to 1 litre.
Sodium chloride solution, 1 ml N 0.0010 g NaCl. Weigh 1.000 g (± 0.001 g) of sodium chloride (previously
dried at 500 °C), dissolve in water and dilute to 1 litre in a graduated flask.
Sodium chloride. Dry at 500 °C to a constant weight.
A.2 Standardization of sodium chloride
Weigh accurately 10.0000 g (± 0.0002 g) of assay silver metal. (The weight can be adjusted readily by
means of a fine file.) Dissolve the metal in a 250 ml covered conical flask in 20 ml of nitric acid (50 %) and
dilute to approximately 100 ml with water. Weigh accurately 5.4115 g of sodium chloride (previously dried
at 500 °C) and dissolve in 100 ml water in a 500 ml stoppered bottle. To this slowly add the silver solution
washing the last traces into the flask with water. Shake vigorously, allow the silver chloride to settle and
titrate in 1 ml additions with sodium chloride solution (1 ml N 0.0010 g NaCl) with vigorous shaking and
settling between each addition until no further cloud is formed at the surface layer when viewed against a
black background. Deduct from the titration the 1 ml which did not produce a cloud.
A.3 Procedures
A.3.1 Silver anodes. Weigh accurately 10.0000 g (± 0.0002 g) of sample and dissolve in 20 ml of nitric
acid (50 %) in a 250 ml covered conical flask. Dilute to approximately 100 ml. Continue as described under
standardization of sodium chloride.
If x ml of sodium chloride solution is used for the standard and y ml of sodium chloride solution is used for
the sample, then
5.4115 + 0.0010 x = 10.0000 g silver
5.4115 + 0.0010 y = 10.0000 g sample.
5.4115 + 0.0010 y
Percentage of silver = ------------------------------------------------ × 100
5.4115 + 0.0010 x
A.3.2 Silver potassium cyanide. Weigh accurately 5.000 g (± 0.001 g) of the sample and transfer to
a 250 ml conical flask. Add 40 ml of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.42) and boil in a fume cupboard until a clear
solution is obtained.
Dilute to approximately 100 ml. Weigh accurately 1.4550 g of NaCl (previously dried at 500 °C) and
dissolve in 100 ml of water in a 500 ml stoppered bottle. To this add slowly the silver solution washing the
last traces into the flask with water. Continue as described under standardization of sodium chloride. If x
ml of sodium chloride solution is used for the standard and y ml of sodium chloride solution is used for the
sample, then
2 x ( 1.455 + 0.0010 y )- × 100
Percentage of silver in sample = -----------------------------------------------------------
( 5.4115 + 0.0010 x )
A.3.3 Silver cyanide. Proceed as described for silver potassium cyanide, using a 5.000 g (± 0.001 g)
sample. Weigh accurately 2.1600 g of sodium chloride and continue as described under standardization of
sodium chloride. If x ml of sodium chloride solution is used for the standard and y ml of sodium chloride
solution is used for the sample, then
2 x ( 2.1600 + 0.0010 y )
Percentage of silver in sample = ---------------------------------------------------------------- × 100
( 5.4115 + 0.0010 x )

2)
BS 3978, “Water for laboratory use”.

© BSI 08-1999 3
BS 1561:1966

Appendix B Determination of copper

B.1 Reagents
All reagents shall be of a recognized analytical reagent quality and distilled water3) shall be used whenever
water is specified.
Standard copper solution, 1 ml N 1 mg of copper. Dissolve 1 g of copper in 20 ml of nitric acid (50 %) and
dilute to 1 litre.
Ammonia solution, 50 % v/v. Dilute 500 ml of ammonia solution (sp. gr. 0.91) to 1 litre.
Nitric acid, 50 % v/v. Dilute 500 ml of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.42) to 1 litre.
B.2 Procedure
Prepare a solution containing approximately 5 g of the sample, accurately weighed, in about 25 ml of nitric
acid (50 %); make alkaline with ammonia solution (50 %) and add 10 ml in excess. Filter if necessary and
dilute to 50 ml. Match the blue colour of the solution (or an aliquot portion diluted to 50 ml) with the colour
formed by adding standard copper solution from a burette to a Nessler glass containing a similar volume
of water and ammonia solution (50 %).
Alternatively the copper content of the test solution may be determined absorptiometrically or
spectrophotometrically, using a suitable instrument.

Appendix C Determination of insoluble matter

C.1 Reagents
All reagents shall be of recognized analytical reagent quality and distilled water3) shall be used whenever
water is specified.
Potassium cyanide solution, 10 % w/v. Dissolve 100 g of potassium cyanide in water, dilute to 1 litre and
filter.
C.2 Procedures
C.2.1 Silver potassium cyanide. Dissolve approximately 10 g of the sample, accurately weighed, in
water. Filter on to a weighed Grade 2 sintered glass crucible, wash thoroughly with hot water, dry
at 110 °C and re-weigh.
C.2.2 Silver cyanide. Dissolve approximately 10 g of the sample, accurately weighed, in 150 ml of warm
potassium cyanide solution (10 %). Filter on to a weighed Grade 2 sintered glass crucible, wash thoroughly
with hot water, dry at 110 °C and re-weigh.

3)
BS 3978, “Water for laboratory use”.

4 © BSI 08-1999
 BS 1561:1966

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© BSI 08-1999
BS 1561:1966

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