Discussion:
copper oxychloride
(too old to reply)
Bas
2004-02-02 13:17:50 UTC
Permalink
Hi people,

I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be made
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after that
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a (nice)
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go MUCH
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose CO2).
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat less
intense blue).

I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why then
the difference in color??


Bas from Holland
PyroLeo
2004-02-02 15:27:25 UTC
Permalink
I don't have time to look it up at the moment, but isn't there both a Copper
(i) Chloride, and a Copper (ii) Chloride?

Leo
------------------------
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be made
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after that
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a (nice)
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go MUCH
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose CO2).
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat less
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why then
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Bas
2004-02-02 16:28:35 UTC
Permalink
Yes there is (Im not sure which one is Copper (i) or Copper (ii), but how
come the difference??

Bas
Post by PyroLeo
I don't have time to look it up at the moment, but isn't there both a Copper
(i) Chloride, and a Copper (ii) Chloride?
Leo
------------------------
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be made
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after that
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a (nice)
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go MUCH
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose CO2).
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat less
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why then
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
PyroLeo
2004-02-02 18:24:04 UTC
Permalink
Copper forms compounds with more than one valence, hence the terms cuprous and
cupric. There exists a CuCl, and a CuCl2. They have somewhat different
chemical properties and different colors. Apparently the CuCl2 is also much
more soluble in water than CuCl.

Leo
--------------------
Post by Bas
Yes there is (Im not sure which one is Copper (i) or Copper (ii), but how
come the difference??
Bas
Post by PyroLeo
I don't have time to look it up at the moment, but isn't there both a
Copper
Post by PyroLeo
(i) Chloride, and a Copper (ii) Chloride?
Leo
------------------------
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be
made
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after
that
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a
(nice)
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go
MUCH
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose
CO2).
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat
less
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why
then
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Old Dog
2004-02-02 19:00:04 UTC
Permalink
Yes, Skylighter sells (or sold) both.

-Rich
Post by PyroLeo
I don't have time to look it up at the moment, but isn't there both a Copper
(i) Chloride, and a Copper (ii) Chloride?
Leo
------------------------
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be made
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after that
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a (nice)
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go MUCH
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose CO2).
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat less
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why then
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Bas
2004-02-02 20:59:00 UTC
Permalink
Yes I know... but I live in Holland. And Skylighter has shipping costs that
turn copper oxychloride into gold.. spoken about (al)chemistry!

Bas
Post by Old Dog
Yes, Skylighter sells (or sold) both.
-Rich
Post by PyroLeo
I don't have time to look it up at the moment, but isn't there both a Copper
(i) Chloride, and a Copper (ii) Chloride?
Leo
------------------------
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be made
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after that
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a (nice)
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go MUCH
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose CO2).
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat less
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why then
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Old Dog
2004-02-03 05:27:31 UTC
Permalink
Bas, I was merely affirming that there are two "copper" chlorides. The old names
"cupric" and "cuprous" are still commonly used. New names just use the valence
state numbers. This seems to be a common (though not unique) property of copper
compounds. I've also got samples of CuS (cupric sulfide) and Cu2S (cuprous
sulfide), and it drives me nuts when I run into a formula that calls for "copper
sulfide", because there's no such thing (or rather, there are two such things).

Tom Peregrin once posted a lot of information about the intricacies of copper
chemistry that covered some of the ins and outs - it may have been here, or only
on his website. I really don't remember. One of the problems with a compound
like "copper oxychloride" is that commercial samples can contain varying
proportions of copper, chlorine and oxygen; and I believe it may even change in
storage. That may or may not cause comps using it to change performance from one
lot to the next.

-Rich
Post by Bas
Yes I know... but I live in Holland. And Skylighter has shipping costs that
turn copper oxychloride into gold.. spoken about (al)chemistry!
Bas
Post by Old Dog
Yes, Skylighter sells (or sold) both.
-Rich
Post by PyroLeo
I don't have time to look it up at the moment, but isn't there both a
Copper
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
(i) Chloride, and a Copper (ii) Chloride?
Leo
------------------------
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be
made
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after
that
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a
(nice)
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go
MUCH
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose
CO2).
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat
less
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why
then
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Bas
2004-02-03 06:47:08 UTC
Permalink
Sorry Rich, when I read your post again, I understood. I was a little
grumpy... My two little daughters can be a nuisance sometimes!

Yes, I've read that post of Tom Peregrin...and almost gave me a headache.
I prefer also just the chemical formula, which is much more clear.

I've experimented some more. I had that green solution (made by dissolving
thin copper pieces in hydrochloric acid) and with an acquarium pump I
'pumped' air through it, for almost 4 hours. Nothing happened. (I read
somewhere that if this was done with a solution of CuCl2, it should give
'copper oxichloride': a precipitate). Some drops of this solution came upon
the table, and after a while they became yellow.. another change!

I'm going to try what Donald Haarmann suggested in his post: boiling a
concentrated CuCl2 solution with CuO (for hours).
Anyhow, this experimenting is fun, and maybe I learn some more about
chemistry (A long time ago I studied for about half a year chemistry, but
its all gone..).

Bas from Holland
Post by Old Dog
Bas, I was merely affirming that there are two "copper" chlorides. The old names
"cupric" and "cuprous" are still commonly used. New names just use the valence
state numbers. This seems to be a common (though not unique) property of copper
compounds. I've also got samples of CuS (cupric sulfide) and Cu2S (cuprous
sulfide), and it drives me nuts when I run into a formula that calls for "copper
sulfide", because there's no such thing (or rather, there are two such things).
Tom Peregrin once posted a lot of information about the intricacies of copper
chemistry that covered some of the ins and outs - it may have been here, or only
on his website. I really don't remember. One of the problems with a compound
like "copper oxychloride" is that commercial samples can contain varying
proportions of copper, chlorine and oxygen; and I believe it may even change in
storage. That may or may not cause comps using it to change performance from one
lot to the next.
-Rich
Post by Bas
Yes I know... but I live in Holland. And Skylighter has shipping costs that
turn copper oxychloride into gold.. spoken about (al)chemistry!
Bas
Post by Old Dog
Yes, Skylighter sells (or sold) both.
-Rich
Post by PyroLeo
I don't have time to look it up at the moment, but isn't there both a
Copper
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
(i) Chloride, and a Copper (ii) Chloride?
Leo
------------------------
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be
made
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after
that
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a
(nice)
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go
MUCH
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose
CO2).
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat
less
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why
then
Post by Old Dog
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh
2004-02-02 15:29:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bas
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go MUCH
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose CO2).
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat less
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why then
the difference in color??
Dunno about the color difference, for sure, but you sure couldn't get the
sulfate with that mixture. Ahhh... maybe the pH is higher, because you
consumed the acid in the carbonate reaction??? Maybe the color changes with
pH?

IIRC, a solution of cupric chloride is blue, so I suspect you got what you
were looking for.

LLoyd
Bas
2004-02-02 16:30:26 UTC
Permalink
No there isn't any sulfate, or the hydrochloric acid isn't pure, but I doubt
that..

I can try what happens if I use little HCl and a lot, with the same amount
of copper.

Thanks, Lloyd!
Post by Lloyd E. Sponenburgh
Post by Bas
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go
MUCH
Post by Bas
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose
CO2).
Post by Bas
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat
less
Post by Bas
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why
then
Post by Bas
the difference in color??
Dunno about the color difference, for sure, but you sure couldn't get the
sulfate with that mixture. Ahhh... maybe the pH is higher, because you
consumed the acid in the carbonate reaction??? Maybe the color changes with
pH?
IIRC, a solution of cupric chloride is blue, so I suspect you got what you
were looking for.
LLoyd
donald j haarmann
2004-02-02 19:48:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bas
No there isn't any sulfate, or the hydrochloric acid isn't pure, but I doubt
that..
I can try what happens if I use little HCl and a lot, with the same amount
of copper.
---------
I would posit that if you add potassium chlorate q.s. to the HCl - the copper will
dissolve a lot faster! With the HCL in excess bubbling air through the mixture WITH
exposure to sunlight should bet you what you want ...... however .... it may take a long time!
--
donald j haarmann — independently dubious
Bas
2004-02-03 06:50:04 UTC
Permalink
Donald, I read something alike.. dissolving some KNO3 with it, should do the
same thing. But I prefer the 'slow' option: I want to keep everything as
pure as possible.

Sunlight??? We don't have that in Holland..Why is the sunlight?

Bas
Post by PyroLeo
Post by Bas
No there isn't any sulfate, or the hydrochloric acid isn't pure, but I doubt
that..
I can try what happens if I use little HCl and a lot, with the same amount
of copper.
---------
I would posit that if you add potassium chlorate q.s. to the HCl - the copper will
dissolve a lot faster! With the HCL in excess bubbling air through the mixture WITH
exposure to sunlight should bet you what you want ...... however .... it
may take a long time!
Post by PyroLeo
--
donald j haarmann - independently dubious
donald j haarmann
2004-02-02 15:46:16 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bas
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride.
[snip]


--------------
Good old Brauer says:—

Stroc. quan of CUPRIC chloride, calcium carbonate (marble) and water are allowed
to react in a "bomb tube" [?] for 48 hours at 200oC. The product is filtered, freed from
unreacted CuCl2 by washing with boiling alcohol, and dried in a desiccator.

2CuCl2 + CaCO3 + H2O --> CuCl2-Cu(OH)2 + CaCl2 + CO2

Alt method: A conc sol of CuCl2 is boiled for several hours w CuO. The liquid is decanted;
the product is washed w acetone and dried.

He notes that it is "decomposed by boiling water."
--
donald j haarmann — independently dubious
Bas
2004-02-02 16:27:41 UTC
Permalink
Hey.. thanks, the second is a good one, I will try!

Bas from Holland
Post by donald j haarmann
Post by Bas
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride.
[snip]
--------------
Good old Brauer says:-
Stroc. quan of CUPRIC chloride, calcium carbonate (marble) and water are allowed
to react in a "bomb tube" [?] for 48 hours at 200oC. The product is filtered, freed from
unreacted CuCl2 by washing with boiling alcohol, and dried in a desiccator.
2CuCl2 + CaCO3 + H2O --> CuCl2-Cu(OH)2 + CaCl2 + CO2
Alt method: A conc sol of CuCl2 is boiled for several hours w CuO. The liquid is decanted;
the product is washed w acetone and dried.
He notes that it is "decomposed by boiling water."
--
donald j haarmann - independently dubious
donald j haarmann
2004-02-02 19:49:48 UTC
Permalink
At 200oC you have a chemical engineering problem!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post by Bas
Hey.. thanks, the second is a good one, I will try!
Bas from Holland
Post by donald j haarmann
Post by Bas
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride.
[snip]
--------------
Good old Brauer says:-
Stroc. quan of CUPRIC chloride, calcium carbonate (marble) and water are
allowed
Post by donald j haarmann
to react in a "bomb tube" [?] for 48 hours at 200oC. The product is
filtered, freed from
Post by donald j haarmann
unreacted CuCl2 by washing with boiling alcohol, and dried in a
desiccator.
Post by donald j haarmann
2CuCl2 + CaCO3 + H2O --> CuCl2-Cu(OH)2 + CaCl2 + CO2
Alt method: A conc sol of CuCl2 is boiled for several hours w CuO. The
liquid is decanted;
Post by donald j haarmann
the product is washed w acetone and dried.
He notes that it is "decomposed by boiling water."
--
donald j haarmann - independently dubious
Bas
2004-02-03 06:50:39 UTC
Permalink
That's why I choose for the second possibility!

Bas
Post by donald j haarmann
At 200oC you have a chemical engineering problem!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
Post by donald j haarmann
Post by Bas
Hey.. thanks, the second is a good one, I will try!
Bas from Holland
Post by donald j haarmann
Post by Bas
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride.
[snip]
--------------
Good old Brauer says:-
Stroc. quan of CUPRIC chloride, calcium carbonate (marble) and water are
allowed
Post by donald j haarmann
to react in a "bomb tube" [?] for 48 hours at 200oC. The product is
filtered, freed from
Post by donald j haarmann
unreacted CuCl2 by washing with boiling alcohol, and dried in a
desiccator.
Post by donald j haarmann
2CuCl2 + CaCO3 + H2O --> CuCl2-Cu(OH)2 + CaCl2 + CO2
Alt method: A conc sol of CuCl2 is boiled for several hours w CuO. The
liquid is decanted;
Post by donald j haarmann
the product is washed w acetone and dried.
He notes that it is "decomposed by boiling water."
--
donald j haarmann - independently dubious
Jeff
2004-02-02 20:28:11 UTC
Permalink
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. <snip>
Bas from Holland
I have emailed you a document taken from Tom Peregrin's old web site
that discusses the chemistry of copper and copper oxychloride. It is
223k in size, and I converted it from html to MS Word (doc) format so
I could embed the pictures in with the document.

Jeff
Jeff
2004-02-02 20:39:36 UTC
Permalink
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. >
Bas from Holland
Ummm, I TRIED to send that file. Bas, if you will email me with your
correct email address I will send the file to you.

Jeff
Jeff
2004-02-02 20:41:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride.
Bas from Holland
Oh, heck. TiP still has that page up on his site. Here is the URL.

http://www.pyrosafety.com/copper/copper.html

Jeff
Bas
2004-02-03 06:52:52 UTC
Permalink
Jeff, thanks a lot. I've read this article!

Bas
Post by Jeff
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride.
Bas from Holland
Oh, heck. TiP still has that page up on his site. Here is the URL.
http://www.pyrosafety.com/copper/copper.html
Jeff
Patrice Nadeau
2004-02-03 01:43:54 UTC
Permalink
Hello,

Most of it was said by Jeff's recommended article. Let me add a few info
taken from my experience and my chemical dictionary.

By dissolving CuCo3 in HCl solution, you almost for sure got CuCl2. That is
how I prepare my CuCl2. The solution will vary widely in color (blue,
green, almost opaque green-brown) depending the concentrations of the
various compounds in solution, as mentioned in the article recommended by
Jeff. If you boil the solution and let it evaporate, you will get green
crystals that will turn brown at 100°C if completely dehydrated. CuCl2 =
yellow-brown, CuCl2.2H2O =green.

I have contacted Cu with HCl solution and boiled it a long time ago. After
several days, I got a green solution. CuCl or CuCl2? That is the question,
although the color would suggest CuCl2. From my chem. dictionary, one
obtains CuCl (white cubical crystals, slightly soluble in water, becomes
greenish on exosure to air) by contacting Cu with CuCl2 or Cu with HCl in
air. CuCl is soluble in acids, ammonia, ether, etc., though. My guess
would be that contacting HCl with Cu (especially with an excess Cu) will
give some sort of mixture of CuCl and CuCl2, but that is just a guess.

By the way, you can also obtain CuCl by heating CuCl2 at 985°C (which is
what would happen in a pyrotechnic composition, except that CuCl2 is
unactractive due to its water absorption property).

Solubility of CuCl2.2H2O: 77 g/100 g H2O at 20°C, 107.9 g/100 g H2O at
100°C.
Solubility of CuCl: 1.52 g/100 g H2O at 25°C.
Copper oxychloride is said to be insoluble.

But then, what you are really interested is copper oxychloride, and the
article recommended by Jeff will tell more than what I can even master.

I will have to try to make copper oxychloride myself in the coming weeks, I
wonder if air could not be replaced with hydrogen peroxyde in the reactions
calling for bubbling air...
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be made
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after that
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a (nice)
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go MUCH
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose CO2).
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat less
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why then
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Bas
2004-02-03 06:52:31 UTC
Permalink
Thanks!
Post by Patrice Nadeau
Hello,
Most of it was said by Jeff's recommended article. Let me add a few info
taken from my experience and my chemical dictionary.
By dissolving CuCo3 in HCl solution, you almost for sure got CuCl2. That is
how I prepare my CuCl2. The solution will vary widely in color (blue,
green, almost opaque green-brown) depending the concentrations of the
various compounds in solution, as mentioned in the article recommended by
Jeff. If you boil the solution and let it evaporate, you will get green
crystals that will turn brown at 100°C if completely dehydrated. CuCl2 =
yellow-brown, CuCl2.2H2O =green.
I have contacted Cu with HCl solution and boiled it a long time ago.
After
Post by Patrice Nadeau
several days, I got a green solution. CuCl or CuCl2? That is the question,
although the color would suggest CuCl2. From my chem. dictionary, one
obtains CuCl (white cubical crystals, slightly soluble in water, becomes
greenish on exosure to air) by contacting Cu with CuCl2 or Cu with HCl in
air. CuCl is soluble in acids, ammonia, ether, etc., though. My guess
would be that contacting HCl with Cu (especially with an excess Cu) will
give some sort of mixture of CuCl and CuCl2, but that is just a guess.
By the way, you can also obtain CuCl by heating CuCl2 at 985°C (which is
what would happen in a pyrotechnic composition, except that CuCl2 is
unactractive due to its water absorption property).
Solubility of CuCl2.2H2O: 77 g/100 g H2O at 20°C, 107.9 g/100 g H2O at
100°C.
Solubility of CuCl: 1.52 g/100 g H2O at 25°C.
Copper oxychloride is said to be insoluble.
But then, what you are really interested is copper oxychloride, and the
article recommended by Jeff will tell more than what I can even master.
I will have to try to make copper oxychloride myself in the coming weeks, I
wonder if air could not be replaced with hydrogen peroxyde in the reactions
calling for bubbling air...
Post by Bas
Hi people,
I'm trying to make copper oxychloride. I read somewhere that it can be
made
Post by Bas
by dissolving copper in hydrochloric acid (takes a while..) and after that
pumping air through the solution.
First I've tried to solve thin pieces of copper in HCl, which gives a
(nice)
Post by Bas
green solution, but it took days.
So I thought that dissolving copper carbonate (CuCO3?) in HCl would go
MUCH
Post by Bas
faster. It dissolved indeed much faster (and gas came free, I suppose
CO2).
Post by Bas
But.. the solution is blue..(looks like CuSO4 solution, maybe somewhat
less
Post by Bas
intense blue).
I don't understand. I thought in both cases I would get CuCl2, but why
then
Post by Bas
the difference in color??
Bas from Holland
Bill Westfield
2004-02-03 07:51:03 UTC
Permalink
Add some hydrogen peroxide to your HCl, and the copper will dissolve much
faster. Ordinary 3% drugstore H2O2 will work fine. I THINK I've made
copper oxychloride like this, but I was trying for CuCl2 PCB etchant at the
time. After you've disolved as much copper as you can in the HCl/H2O2, by
adding (say) copper wire and aeriating with an acquarium pump, if you keep
adding copper and keep bubbling air through it without adding more HCl, you
should get a light blue percipitate, which is PROBABLY the oxychloride. At
least, that's what happened to mine.

BillW

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