Correct sulfuric dilution to dissolve copper filings

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Ash1111

New member
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
3
Hi all

I'm a novice trying my first backyard experiment.

Would a 1pt sulphuric acid/ 4pts tap water solution (kept at approx temp 20C) dissolve very fine copper filings?

Thanks
 
Copper is not dissolved by dilute sulfuric acid. Sulfuric is commonly used to pickle copper, as it will dissolve copper oxide. I can't comment on the idea of heated concentrated sulfuric being able to dissolve copper, but I would suggest to you that you should avoid that procedure, as it is quite hazardous. There are easier ways to dissolve copper, one of them being using dilute nitric.

Harold
 
Thanks Harrold_V
I actually did read your earlier post on Sulfuric acid and copper but as there was no specificity re the dilution percentages I thought it worth starting a new thread. Thanks again
 
Copper sulfate can be bought as a chemical root killer. Check places like the farmers co-op or ace hardware.
 
I am not sure if your goal is to make copper sulfate. or just to dissolve some copper.

If you want a solution or salt of copper sulfate, one way you can make it is to dissolve copper into the copper II chloride, with HCl and 3% H2O2 and air like we normally do, or use the excess copper II chloride you probably already have on hand, add sulfuric acid to it, heating and evaporating the solution will drive off water first, then the chloride will be driven off as gases, the copper chloride in solution will be replaced with the sulfuric acid forming copper sulfate, which can be evaporated to bright blue crystals, with re-dissolving and re-crystallizing the crystals you can end up with some very pure crystals of copper sulfate. (Note the copper sulfate crystals are much easier to redissolve in boiling hot water before they are cooled or dried hard).

Dilute nitric acid can also be used to dissolve the copper as copper nitrate, which can then be made into a copper sulfate as described above.

There are also several other methods to get copper sulfate.

Search the forum for killing two birds with one rock, it gives a way to make copper sulfate as a byproduct, while you strip the gold from gold plated copper pins in one process.

With any chemical experiments with acids and metals, you should spend some time doing your research, in the safety section you will find some good information on the topics, and in dealing with waste products of toxic metal solutions, these simple processes can be dangerous, or even become deadly if done without an understanding of the safety needed to protect yourself and others.
 
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