Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Making Sulfuric Acid,Hydrochloric Acid and copper (I) chloride

symboom - 2-4-2011 at 15:29

reaction 2 CuCl2 + SO2 + 2 H2O → 2 CuCl(s) + 2 HCl(g) + H2SO4(l)
-> Ive tried this process burned sulfur and lead the sulfur dioxide through a funnel which bubbled in to a solution of copper (II) chloride forming insoluble copper (I) chloride and sulfuric acid in the reaction vessel and led Hydrogen chloride gas that is formed from the reaction vessel into water to for hydrochloric acid.
->> does the hydrogen chloride gas absorb in to the copper chloride and sulfuric acid mix (since hydrogen chloride gas is very hygroscopic) or does the sulfuric acid more that is formed boot out the hydrogen chloride gas from getting absorbed in the reaction vessel?
Second is, will adding a plastic check valve to the connection that leads from the reaction vessel to a container of water help yield and purity or is the check valve not needed?

note: copper (I) chloride
white powder,
slightly green from oxidized impurities

[Edited on 2-4-2011 by symboom]

[Edited on 3-4-2011 by symboom]

[Edited on 3-4-2011 by symboom]

[Edited on 3-4-2011 by symboom]

symboom - 2-4-2011 at 15:51

i found this to be maybe beneficial when i make potassium chlorate through electrolysis a lot of chlorine gas is released and might as well not waste and funnel the gas in to copper in hydrogen peroxide to form copper (II) chloride

any suggestions

blogfast25 - 3-4-2011 at 07:16

Quote: Originally posted by symboom  
does the hydrogen chloride gas absorb in to the copper chloride and sulfuric acid mix (since hydrogen chloride gas is very hygroscopic) or does the sulfuric acid more that is formed boot out the hydrogen chloride gas from getting absorbed in the reaction vessel?


Unless the formed sulphuric acid solutiion is really strong, much of the formed HCl will remain in solution with the solid CuCl and the sulphuric acid. Heating will drive off some more of the HCl, as gases are always less soluble in hot solutions.

Unless you've got SO2 'on tap' (you haven't) this is a really complicated way of making H2SO4 (and HCl). Also expensive because of the copper, although I guess you could recover the Cu as CuCl2 by exposing the CuCl to NaCl solution and air...

symboom - 3-4-2011 at 11:30

thank you that helps much