Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Reaction of copper and ethanol

toom99 - 5-8-2013 at 23:16

I want to know the reaction between copper (Cu) metal and ethanol (C2H5OH). It right or wrong. Thank you for explain.:)

The corrosive effect of oxygen can be divided into several steps as follows:
(1) The oxygen reacts with the working fluid:
O2 + C2H5OH = H2O + CH3COOH (acetic acid)
(2) This is extremely corrosive to the copper, and generates metal oxide on the metal surface:
2Cu (solid) + 2CH3COOH (aq) = 2CH3COOCu (solid) + H2 (gas)
(3) When the decomposition pressure of the metal oxide is larger than the oxygen pressure component in the vapor after the oxygen in the vapor is exhausted, decomposition of metal oxide occurs:
CH3COOCu (solid) = Cu + CH3COOH

Oscilllator - 6-8-2013 at 00:05

Firstly, this is not a reaction between copper metal and ethanol, its a reaction between copper and acetic acid.
Also, equation 2 does not represent the formation of copper oxide. perhaps you are talking about the thermal decomposition of the formed acetate? Or maybe you have simply got copper acetate and copper oxide mixed up?
Equation 3 is not balanced. Where did that hydrogen come from?