shaheerniazi
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Electrolysis of Sodium Hypochlorite with copper electrodes
I want to know the result and danger of doing the electrolysis of 3%Sodium Hypchlorite with two copper electrodes.
My idea is that sodium will be seperated and will react with water to form NaOH,
The Hypochlorite ion will react with the other copper electrode and possibly form copper Hypochlorite, with some hydrogen gas and maybe chlorine?
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woelen
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Thread Moved
25-11-2013 at 06:49 |
woelen
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This is not a question about organic chemistry, and given the question posted here, I moved the thread to beginnings.
You can safely perform the experiment. If you use electrolysis with low voltages (e.g. 5 volts), then nothing dangerous can happen, certainly not if
you limit the electrolysis process to running for a few minutes.
Electrolysis of copper electrodes leads to corrosion of the anode and to formation of hydrogen at the cathode. But in a solution of sodium
hypochlorite it might be that you get only a small amount of hydrogen and that instead the hypochlorite is reduced to chloride and hydroxide ion.
Just try it and see what happens. No need to fear dangerous situations, just do not electrolyse directly from a mains voltage like 110 V, 220 V or so.
I also recommend you to read a book or a website on basic chemistry. Interesting subjects are general inorganic chemistry and if you go into a little
more detail, read about acid/base reactions and redox chemistry. Electrolysis also is an interesting subject and you can do many interesting
experiments with that at home.
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shaheerniazi
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Thank you, Though will this bleach sodium hypochlorites crystals melt after heating them? and the Sodium hydroxide will it be strong because last time
I did a electrolysis of Sodium chloride and the Sodium Hydroxide solution formed was very weak and did'nt display any properties which are shown on
the internet(like reacting with aluminum e.t.c), I think I can concentrate it by evaporation? And what will happen if I connect it to the mains?
Sorry for so many questions.
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shaheerniazi
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Well I saw from your website what happens at high voltage, thanks again!!
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