10 replies to this topic

[Demented Ferret]

I've got some useless Copper Sulphate (about 2kg) and was wondering if there was a way of turning it into Copper Oxide - or possibly any other more useful chemical using electrolysis.

I've read that by using carbon electrodes in Copper Sulphate solution you make a very small amount of Copper Oxide, that until the electrodes are coated in copper, whereby the Copper Oxide production stops - I've tried this and it seems true, the solution did turn a little more black than when things started - but after the electrodes were coated, no more black was produced.

Thanks in Advance,

Ferret.

[BigG]

You are aware of the fact that copper Oxide is a VERY cheap material you can get from ANY pottery supply?

[Demented Ferret]

Yeah, I know - I find it a lot more rewarding making things myself though.

EDIT: All that aside, there isn't a pottery supplier online I know that you can pay via card with without faxing/phoning people up - why don't they use a normal shop system?

Edited by Demented Ferret, 29 July 2004 - 01:03 PM.

[BigG]

Yeah, I know - I find it a lot more rewarding making things myself though.

EDIT: All that aside, there isn't a pottery supplier online I know that you can pay via card with without faxing/phoning people up - why don't they use a normal shop system?

This is not a chemical making forum - it's a pyrotechnic forum. I think the other moderators will probably be more relaxed about it - but from pyrotechnics point of view, such post really is outside the scope of the forum.

I understand the need to discuss the making of hard to reach chemicals - as you can not advance without them - but copper oxide?

And as for your second point - you obviously did not open a phone book or searched well enough. Doing a two minutes search over the internet I found three shops you can just step into and pay over the counter.

[Demented Ferret]

Ah, this was meant to be in the chemisty forum - my bad.

BigG, telling me the existance of Google and the Yellow Pages is pretty useless, I'm not a stupid individual, if you're going to help - at least post/pm me the links to what you've found - every search term I've used hasn't found me what I'm looking for.

[Dan]

here is a quote from stuart

Why do you want to make it anyway, it is easier to just buy it? If you do want to do it anyway...

It should be possible. The same method can be used to make Iron Oxide. Dissolve the Copper Sulphate and Sodium Hydroxide in a minimal amount of water each. Now pour one into the other. You should instantly get a precipitate. Stir it for a few minutes and leave for half an hour. You can then either slowly pour off the excess liquid and then add some more, clean water or leave it. Gently heat the mixture in boiling water and it should slowly change colour and change into Copper Oxide. Once done, leave it over night and then decant and wash you Copper Oxide.

No safety needs to be taken into account other than the obvious, don't breath in or eat anything, wash hands if anything gets on them etc.

u can get sodium hydroxide (lye) at the hardware store. the is something called "red devil lye" that will work. but that is in the US. this method is much easier than electrolysis.
Dan

[Demented Ferret]

Yeah, I've read that - I'm not sure if I can get hold of any Sodium Hydroxide.

[BigG]

Ah, this was meant to be in the chemisty forum - my bad.

BigG, telling me the existance of Google and the Yellow Pages is pretty useless, I'm not a stupid individual, if you're going to help - at least post/pm me the links to what you've found -  every search term I've used hasn't found me what I'm looking for.

Try:

http://www.bathpotters.co.uk/

Really nice people.

[Stuart]

Demented Ferret, which country are you from? I would be surprised if you cannot get Sodium Hydroxide. If you cant, then you can always make it

[Phoenix]

Add an excess of sodium carbonate (AKA washing soda) solution to copper sulphate solution, and filter out the precipitated copper carbonate. Wash it several times to remove remaining sodium carbonate. You can then dry it, and to convert it to copper oxide you will then need to heat it.

I have made a little copper carbonate in this way, and a flame test doesn't show any sodium left in it, but I have not yet tried it in a composition. Weingart says that precipitated copper carbonate is usable, although the procedure he outlines uses ammonium, rather than sodium carbonate.

This is a messy, laborious process, and given the low price and free availability of these copper compounds, probably not worthwhile.

[Demented Ferret]

Thanks a lot, I don't really care for the laboriousness of things, I enjoy the chemistry side of pyrotechnics.