How Silver Is Used in Industrial and Manufacturing Processes

Manufacturing IndustriesRecycle Refine SilverRecycling and Refining
Written By Barry Lenson

Silver is used more in industrial and manufacturing processes than any other precious metal. That means that silver is, and will remain, a great metal to invest in.

In today’s post, we will explore how silver is used in a variety of manufacturing processes. But before we do, we should state that silver is used in two different ways in manufacturing:

  • First, silver can be used to manufacture other products. One example? A chemical that contains silver can be used as a catalyst that supports other chemical reactions and processes that result in the making of plastics, fabrics, inks, and other products.

  • Second, silver can be part of the products that are being made. For example, a factory could be making silver-plated candlesticks. So silver, in addition to being used to make products, becomes part of the products themselves.

Silver’s Many Applications in Manufacturing

There are many reasons why silver is used in industry and manufacturing. Some include:

  • Silver’s chemical properties allow it to be alloyed with other metals

  • Silver is part of many useful chemical compounds. For example, the variety of silver-containing liquids that are used in manufacturing processes is nothing short of immense. One reason is that silver can serve as a catalyst that can be used to trigger reactions between other chemicals.

  • Silver is malleable and can be made into powder, paste, flakes, sheets, wires, and even suspended as a colloid in other liquids.

  • Silver is beautiful and has traditionally been used in tableware, punchbowls, barware, and a variety of decorative items. Silver is highly reflective too. That explains why it is finding increasing use in architectural glass and solar panels.

  • Silver is a good electrical conductor and continues to find new uses in a variety of electrical components like switches and circuit boards.

Major Applications of Silver in Manufacturing Processes

Brazing and Soldering

Whenever two different metals are joined together by brazing, welding, or soldering, silver almost always has a part to play. (Even in arc welding when the iron is welded to iron, silver can be found in the coatings that cover welding rods.) When silver is soldered to silver to make jewelry or decorative items, silver solder is used, along with fluxes that contain still more silver.

Silver is also used more and more today in devices where copper pipes are joined together to carry water or air. Not long ago, lead-based soders were used more extensively in these applications. Now that the toxic properties of lead are widely known, a shift to silver has taken place.

Manufacturing of Solar Energy Components

Silver is used to make solar panels, where it is also part of photovoltaic cells. Silver is also printed onto printed circuits to carry electrical current. In addition, silver’s reflective qualities enable it to be used extensively in the generation of solar power.

Note too that silver is also used in nuclear reactors. One example? Silver can be used in the rods that are used to slow the rate of fission in nuclear reactors.

Chemical Production

Silver is one of the most extensively used chemicals in a wide variety of manufacturing processes – everything from making ink to paint to medicines.

To cite just one example, silver acts as a catalyst in the production of critically important chemicals that are used in manufacturing other products. One of these products is ethylene,  which is used in the production of molded plastic items, as well as in the manufacturing of polyester. Another product is formaldehyde, widely used to make solid plastics, resins, and protective coatings.

Mirrors and Glass

In past centuries, silver paste was painted onto the back of glass panels to make mirrors. More recently, aluminum and other metals have been more commonly used.

However, silver’s reflective qualities are still in demand. Today, the windows of modern buildings are often coated with thin layers of silver that reflect sunlight, which in turn helps to keep interiors cool in the summer. And silver-coated ceramics are being made for use in aerospace applications, where their reflective surface protects spacecraft from the sun.

Photography and X-Rays

The age of digital photography has reduced the need for silver chemical compounds that were needed to process photographic film and prints, as well as x-rays. However, until recently, film photography relied on the light sensitivity of silver halide crystals in photographic film.

Although the use of silver in photography and x-ray imaging has diminished, it is not difficult for silver investors to find and recycle old photographic and x-ray films, papers and chemicals.

Printing

Silver is used extensively in inks that are used to print magazines, newspapers, and other products. Although printed materials have become less prevalent in our digital age, inks that contain silver are still widely used today.

If you look at the mail that you received from your mail carrier today, chances are you will see that you are still getting printed brochures and mailers. Chances are very good that silver was part of the ink that was used to produce them.

Medical Equipment

Silver is used in ventilators and other devices that utilize breathing tubes. The reason is that silver actually inhibits the growth of bacteria and viruses. In other words, silver is a germ-fighter.

In earlier times, silver was used in wound dressings. Even today, bandages that contain silver are used to prevent infection in wounds. And scientists are finding new uses for silver in medicines to fight a variety of conditions and diseases.

What this Means for You as an Investor in Precious Metals

It means that you should be investing in silver scrap of all kinds. Even though silver is trading at much lower prices than other precious metals like gold and platinum, the demand for it is incredibly strong and will remain so for years to come.

You can profitably reclaim silver from an amazing variety of materials that range from tableware to solar panels to photographic film.

If you aren’t already collecting silver scrap in its many forms, be sure to check out earlier posts on our blog that explore silver investing. Call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners at 800-426-2344 and let’s have a talk about how investing in silver could be right for you.  

Barry Lenson
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