Mercury silvering
Encyclopedia
Mercury silvering or fire gilding is a silvering
technique for applying a thin layer of precious metal
such as silver
or gold
(mercury gilding
) to a base metal object. The process was invented during the Middle Ages and is documented in Vannoccio Biringuccio's
1540 book De la pirotechnia. An amalgam of mercury
and the precious metal is prepared and applied to the object which is then heated, sometimes in oil
, vapor
izing most of the mercury. The technique is dangerous since mercury is highly toxic. Mercury silvering can be detected through a variety of methods.
Silvering
Silvering is the chemical process of coating glass with a reflective substance. When glass mirrors first gained widespread usage in Europe during the 16th century, most were made of an amalgam of tin and mercury, but by the 19th century mirrors were commonly made through a process by which silver...
technique for applying a thin layer of precious metal
Precious metal
A precious metal is a rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value.Chemically, the precious metals are less reactive than most elements, have high lustre, are softer or more ductile, and have higher melting points than other metals...
such as silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
or gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
(mercury gilding
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
) to a base metal object. The process was invented during the Middle Ages and is documented in Vannoccio Biringuccio's
Vannoccio Biringuccio
- External links :*...
1540 book De la pirotechnia. An amalgam of mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
and the precious metal is prepared and applied to the object which is then heated, sometimes in oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
, vapor
Vapor
A vapor or vapour is a substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point....
izing most of the mercury. The technique is dangerous since mercury is highly toxic. Mercury silvering can be detected through a variety of methods.
See also
- Mercury glassMercury glassMercury glass is the common term for silvered glass, which describes glass that was blown double walled, then silvered between the layers with a liquid silvering solution, and sealed. Although mercury was originally used to provide the reflective coating for mirrors, elemental mercury was never...
, internally-silvered decorative glass products named for their resemblance to mercury - Liquid mirror telescopes, may use a layer of reflective mercury