Method of preparing inorganic polymeric water complexes and products so produced

A silver-containing electrolyte solution for the electroplating of silver on a metal substrate prepared by the process comprising the steps of:

• mixing with aqueous ammonia hydroxide an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide;
• adding a solution of phosphoric acid to reach a pH of 7;
• adding to such solution an aqueous solution of silver nitrate to lower the pH to about 5;
• and
• adjusting the pH to at least about 7 with ammonium hydroxide.

The method for preparing a silver containing electroplating solution comprising the steps of:

• a) mixing ammonium hydroxide and an alkali metal hydroxide to form a solution having a pH of about 14;
• b) rapidly combining such solution from step a) with an aqueous phosphoric acid solution until a pH of about 7 is reached;
• c) cooling the reaction mixture of step b) to about an ambient temperature;
• d) adding thereto an aqueous solution of silver nitrate until the pH reaches about 5;
• e) adding phosphoric acid solution until the mixture is substantially clear;
• and
• f) adding ammonium hydroxide until the pH is at least about 7.

A solution for use in electroplating metals prepared by the steps comprising:

• (i) mixing and reacting in an aqueous medium a source of reactive NH.sub.2 groups with:
• a) an alkali metal hydroxide;
• or
• b) at least one mineral acid or carboxylic acid to form a highly acidic, in the case a) is used or highly alkaline if b) is used, mixture;
• and
• (ii) rapidly combine the mixture with the remaining hydroxide or acid not used in step (i) above at a rate sufficient to create a highly exothermic reaction and maintain the reacted NH.sub.2 groups at a pH of 7.