lysander
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CuCl (cuprous chloride) via electrolysis of HCl
This thread notes that CuCl forms easily from low-voltage electrolysis of NaCl + H2O, but doesn't contain much theory.
I need a solution of CuCl in HCl, so I was thinking that I could create it in similar fashion simply via electrolysis of copper electrodes in aqueous
HCl.
(Unfortunately I can't find any research specific to that, because CuCl-HCl electrolysis is a popular method of generating hydrogen, so all searches
return papers on that.)
Is anyone aware of research on the electrolytic reaction I'm proposing here?
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gboneu
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Iv'd made some cuprous chloride when i was doing some experiments on pH measurements ( http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=62399#... ) , iv'd made from electrolysis some KCl solution with copper wire and CuCl
formation in the copper wire was very rapid, And very pure, I used 12v power supply. The problem is the more you live it to precipitate, the more ir
oxidase , and Electric current also seems to increase oxidation of the CuCl
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deltaH
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Yes using a concentrated solution of HCl and copper anode would work very well. The copper(I) will be present in solution as CuCl3(2-) ions because of
the high concentration of Cl-.
One word of caution though: you will need to use a porous earthenware pot immersed into the annolyte, which in turn should contain your copper
pregnant catholyte and cathode inside it.
This is because if the copper salt gets to the cathode, it would simply be reduced back to copper instead of H+ being reduce to H2, which is what you
want. The porous separator will allow ionic conductivity but slow down the diffusion of the CuCl3(2-) ions over to the cathode.
You might want to boil the clay pot in conc. HCl a couple of times to remove any acid soluble contaminants that could dissolve before using it.
[Edited on 15-10-2015 by deltaH]
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lysander
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Ah ha, very clever solution!
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