Formula Ag2SO4 Appearance Colorless crystals | Molar mass 311.799 g/mol Density 5.45 g/cm³ | |
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Silver sulfate (Ag2SO4) is an ionic compound of silver used in silver plating and as a non-staining substitute to silver nitrate. This sulfate is stable under ordinary conditions of use and storage, though it darkens upon exposure to air or light. It is minimally soluble in water.
Contents
Preparation
Silver sulfate is prepared by adding sulfuric acid to a solution of silver nitrate:
2 Ag+(aq) + SO42−(aq) → Ag2SO4(s)The precipitate is then washed with hot water and preparation is under ruby red illumination.
Silver(II) sulfate
The synthesis of silver(II) sulfate (AgSO4) with a divalent silver ion instead of a monovalent silver ion was first reported in 2010 by adding sulfuric acid to silver(II) fluoride (HF escapes). It is a black solid that decomposes exothermally at 120 °C with evolution of oxygen and the formation of the pyrosulfate.