Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Getting HCl to react with copper metal?

Draeger - 20-4-2020 at 14:48

I have a bit of HCl sitting on top of what supposedly looked like copper oxide. After I added HCl, though, I saw that there was now a red solid, which was copper, which was the most part of what was supposedly copper oxide. Now I have to get the HCl to react with the copper.

I was thinking about boiling off water from my very dilute 3% H2O2, but I don't have much of it, and it would also be really dangerous. So I was hoping that maybe a few drops with most of their water boiled off would be enough to get the reaction going, but I am really not sure how rigorous the decomposition would be if I overshot the goal. Or maybe there is an alternative to H2O2?

Bedlasky - 20-4-2020 at 15:00

I think that 3% H2O2 should be fine. Mix solutions and heat it.

You can use any source of nitrate instead of H2O2.

reactofurnace - 21-4-2020 at 00:14

Is your goal to make Copper (II) chloride? If so the 3% H2O2 should work just fine. You could also bubble air into the mixture, however, this might be slow. In addition, I read on Wikipedia that the reaction of copper oxide and ammonium chloride is feasible (at temps of about 300deg celsius)

Draeger - 21-4-2020 at 10:00

Quote: Originally posted by Bedlasky  
I think that 3% H2O2 should be fine. Mix solutions and heat it.

You can use any source of nitrate instead of H2O2.

Could I safely boil off the solution that I have now? It still contains some H2O2.

Bedlasky - 21-4-2020 at 12:26

Yes, but do it outside, because of chlorine formation.

Draeger - 21-4-2020 at 13:38

Quote: Originally posted by Bedlasky  
Yes, but do it outside, because of chlorine formation.

Is there some way I could prevent chlorine formation? I can't do it outside, and there is no well-ventilated place in my home, either.

Herr Haber - 22-4-2020 at 11:31

In front of a window, remove anything metallic from the immediate surroundings, if possible blow a fan.
But I dont think you'll be producing a worrying amount of chlorine anyway. Just dont stay around in the room if you cant do it outside.

lordcookies24 - 24-4-2020 at 19:32

I did this 2 years ago with 3% H₂O₂ to get CuCl₂ and it catalyzed it very well. Be sure to heat the solution well and if you have magnetic stirrer use it. Also I did this outside and it is a good thing I did because I might have heated it up a bit too much cause when I came outside after an hour my porch was well decorated with CuCl₂ crystals splattered all over:o.

[Edited on 25-4-2020 by lordcookies24]