how to get copper metal from a CuCl2

[rogerxd45]

ok so i have a solution of CuCl2 or copper (II) chloride (ive seen it called both)

 

well is there a way to precipitate the copper out?

 

or another reaction that will give me Cu metal?

[jordehwa]

well if you put iron in a CuCl2 solution a displacement reaction occurs,

so as the iron dissoves to iron chloride, the copper come's out of the solution, plating the iron.

 

hope this helps.

Edited April 29, 2010 by jordehwa

[rogerxd45]

well if you put iron in a CuCl2 solution a displacement reaction occurs,

so as the iron dissoves to iron chloride, the copper come's out of the solution, plating the iron.

 

hope this helps.

 

so just throw in some iron, like nails of a sheet? will steel work or does it have to be pure iron?

[jordehwa]

take a small amount of the solution and dip a steel nail in for about 10 seconds take it out and see if any copper is on the nail.

 

I have also heard that if you put aluminum foil in CuCl2 that a redish brown solid should precipitate out as the aluminium dissolves, filter it wash it and dry it, it should be very fine copper powder.

 

i have not done this so i am not really sure if it works.

[rogerxd45]

well so far it is working really well,

 

i put the cucl2 in a glass with hot water, i then put the glass in my ultrasonic cleaner which is also filled with hot water

 

then i removed the paint from a coat hanger and bent it so i could fit it all in.

i also threw in a nail and both the coat hanger and nail instantly had a coating of copper on them.

 

after running the ultrasonic cleaner for about 10min the coat hanger was pretty much gone and the nail was about 50% its original diameter

 

i now have a nice layer of copper powder on the bottom of the glass

 

im not sure if it did make a difference but i do think the ulrasonic cleaner is helping to speed up the reaction.

 

i guess one day i will have to do a side by side comparison

 

well thanks for your help

[jordehwa]

No problem im glad to help.

[rogerxd45]

so do i wash it plain water?

 

i just want to keep it from oxidizing

 

so any help with that will be appreciated

[DrP]

electrolysis?

[rogerxd45]

electrolysis?

 

that would probably work if i had an anhydrous CuCl2 and had it molten

 

BUT as i said in my first post i have a solution of copper chloride....

 

plus the problem has been answered. just adding iron caused a displacement reaction that formed iron chloride and copper metal.

 

now my only problem is how to dry the copper and have it not oxidize

[DrP]

there are many ways of doing things. Displacement, electrolysis....(don't think it would need to be molten would it? you can do it from solution I think).

 

 

Not sure what the 'correct' answer is, but drying in a vacuum oven or in a dessicator under Argon would get it dry it without oxidation.

[jordehwa]

You could try this, wash the copper with water to get rid of the excessCuCl2,

then to get rid of all the water, wash the copper again, but this time in anhydrous ethanol, the alcohol will evaporate off pretty fast if you spread the copper powder on a sheet of paper. once its dry you can store it.

 

I have not tried this it is just a guess sorry if it doesn't work.

But i think this should work.

 

 

That is of course, if you don't have a vacuum oven or a dessicator and argon.

Edited May 1, 2010 by jordehwa

[rogerxd45]

ok so this is what i did

 

filtered the iron chloride & copper solution

i then put the iron chloride aside

i poured in the 91% iso alcohol and let that filter

 

once all the liquid filtered through i spread the copper sludge on a piece of parchment paper and put a light near it.

 

it dried up in no time and now i have the finest copper powder ive ever seen.

its amazing...its like baby bowder

 

thanks everyone for you help

[jordehwa]

no problem:cool: I like helping so if you need anything else just ask.

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Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

I am thinking about doing this myself now, so may i ask how you made the CuCl2 solution?

Edited May 2, 2010 by jordehwa
Consecutive posts merged.

[wahldog84]

Hey if anyone actually reads this 8 years later lol, would you get a perfectly efficient set of reactions by doing this or is there any waste in the process? Just trying to figure out if itd even be worth the cost of the materials