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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Citizen Chemist => Topic started by: WaxHaX0rS on June 18, 2004, 10:40:24 PM

Title: Pure Copper Solution
Post by: WaxHaX0rS on June 18, 2004, 10:40:24 PM

Can anyone tell me how I can obtain a copper compound that I can dissolve in water to get pure copper ions (by pure I mean no other positive ions) in aqueous solution?  I want to try a little electroplating experiment.  I'm no expert, but I'm guessing that something like copper sulfate or copper nitrate would work?  I don't know, anyway, the catch is that I have very limited resources and I would probably be limited to buying things from the local hardware or grocery stores.

Title: Re:Pure Copper Solution
Post by: Donaldson Tan on June 19, 2004, 12:02:14 PM

You must be joking if you want a solution whereby the only cation is copper when your solvent is water. water exihibits autoprotolysis - something you cannot ignore. anyway, hydrogen ion is the least of your worries. copper ions will be discharged preferentially given it's relative instability to H⁺

I cant guarantee pure, but you can try the following:
1. Dissolve CuO in excess aq HCl
2. Titrate using diluted NaOH with a suitable indicator

Sodium ion in solution won't pose a problem for your electroplating, as discharging the ion requires overcoming a large energy barrier.

Title: Re:Pure Copper Solution
Post by: jdurg on June 19, 2004, 01:15:59 PM

I know that hardware stores and gardening stores sell very pure copper sulfate crystals.  I can't recall what name it goes by in the stores, but you can't mistake the rich blue color of the crystals.  

Title: Re:Pure Copper Solution
Post by: WaxHaX0rS on June 19, 2004, 04:17:27 PM

English please?  I think I used the word pure too lightly here.  I just mean something I can buy where I can easily get rid of other stuff or where there is very little other junk floating around that'll screw it up.  I don't pretend to be an expert or to know what you're talking about.  Can you enlighten me a bit?  BTW, thanks, I'll look jdurg.

Title: Re:Pure Copper Solution
Post by: Scratch- on June 20, 2004, 10:19:37 AM

Also some stores sell copper chloride as white pellets for absorbing moisture in the air.

Title: Re:Pure Copper Solution
Post by: billnotgatez on June 20, 2004, 08:39:25 PM

These links talk about copper sulfate and electroplating
http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/chemistry/institutes/1986/exp30.html
http://www.thinktink.com/faqs/cupltfaq/cupltf01.htm#crystal


These links talk about copper sulfate not being very good for electroplating
http://www.finishing.com/faqs/index.html
http://www.finishing.com/faqs/school.html
http://www.finishing.com/0000-0199/064.html