Question: “Are silver particles or silver ions being released?”
Just as silver as a metal has hardly any effect, the silver nanoparticles on your keyboard are “without effect”. The antibacterial effect occurs as soon as silver ions are released from the particles. In fact, however, the quantity of silver used in the keyboard coatings is so small that the amount of released ions is quasi irrelevant. Far more ions are released from e.g., sterling cutlery when in contact with food, water, acids or other substances. Moreover, you never known whether your keyboard’s silver coating is real or just a faked advertising gimmick.
