Silver Sulfate, with the chemical formula Ag2SO4, is a fascinating compound with unique properties and a variety of applications.It is the colourless ionic compound mainly used in silver plating of articles. Silver sulfate when exposed to natural air or light it darkens and forms a light black layer. It is an odourless chemical compound that is minimally soluble in water.

Properties Of Silver Sulfate

Chemical formula : Ag2SO4 or Ag2O4S

Molecular weight : 311.792 g/mol

Density : 5.45 g/cm³ (25 °C)

Other names : disilver sulfate

Boiling point : 1,085 °C

Melting point : 652.2–660 °C

Uses

In the realm of analytical chemistry, silver sulfate is employed in polarography, a technique for measuring the current that flows in a solution as a function of an applied voltage.

Silver sulfate is also used in some plating processes. The compound can provide a source of silver ions for processes such as silver plating and the manufacture of silver-containing chemicals.

In medicine, silver compounds, including silver sulfate, have been used as antimicrobial agents. However, its use in this capacity is less common now due to the emergence of safer and more effective alternatives.