...way to create a copper chloride solution? I only...

Answer by Calypso
Submitted on 1/18/2004
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I learned how to make copper chloride when my science fair project went wrong last year, and here's how: Use two lantern batteries and a large glass jar. Take 500mL of cold water and add 3 tablespoons of salt to it. Then take wires with rubber "covers" on them and attach alligator clips to them. Attach the batteries to each other (reversing the anode and cathode to make a 12 volt system instead of a 6 volt) and then attack the loose ends to alligator clips. Then attach two pennies (before 1965--they will be made completely out of copper) to the clips. Place them into the water (make sure the alligator clips are down there, too!) and you will see bubbles start to form. Now you just leave it alone and wait! Eventually, the copper from the cathode will coat the anode and the penny on the anode will no longer exist as a penny. Make sure not to smell the solution, though--it is poisonous! And though it's kind of confusing, it makes you copper chloride! (CuCl)

Answer by KupoMog
Submitted on 8/14/2005
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I learned how quite accidentaly while crystal growing ^.^ Get calcium chloride (easily gettable as ice melt. Just look for bags labeled calcium chloride in the fine print.) and Copper Sulfate, gettable at any agricultural store. 50lbs for 50$ is a normal price. So you can get 50lbs of copper sulfate and 50lbs of calcium chloride for 65$ total. Then, experiment! Mixing the two gives calcium sulfate which is highly insoluble and copper chloride which is extremely soluble, so they separate themsleves for you. Do things like put copper sulfate into solution but put solid calcium into it and don't mix... neat stuff happends. Calcium chloride is extremely hydroscopic (will take water out of the air and then disolve in it ^.^) so leave it on a table and watch it 'melt'. You can mix the CaCl2 flakes with the CuSO4 powder and just set it out without adding water! Reactions between the two are somewhat exothermic, so your solutions will get warm as you mix them.

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Question by cockroach
Submitted on 7/20/2003
Related FAQ: rec.pyrotechnics FAQ
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Is there a way to create a copper chloride solution? I only need a small amount for a homeschool experiment, and can't seem to find a place to buy it - most places only sell to schools and I homeschool. Thanks for any help out there.

Answer by Kudos
Submitted on 8/9/2003
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Find some copper wire (speaker wire, or other type with multiple thin strands is best). Cut down to fit in beaker. To a solution of 3% H202 (Hydrogen Peroxide) add sufficient HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) to make resulting solution 5% HCl. A rough guess would be 100 ml of 3% H202, 20ml of 30% HCl. What is important is that we have excess H202/HCl and not copper. In this reaction, the H202 oxides the surface of the copper, this oxide is immediately attacked by the HCl and becomes the soluble Cupric Chloride. Bare copper is exposed and is oxidized... repeat until your copper has been consumed. Minimal stirring is helpful.

Answer by somody
Submitted on 9/24/2004
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Actually, the easiest way is to get a piece of copper wire about 2 feet long and a 9 volt battery. Then you cut the wire into halves and attach one end of each wire to a terminal on the battery. Then put the other ends of both wires in to a 5% NaCl (salt) solution. The water will start turning green, this is copper chloride. There will also be a side-effect of creating H (hydrogen) and O (oxygen). On further note, lighting the hydrogen on fire is fun.

Answer by andyc
Submitted on 10/11/2004
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I don’t agree with the salt method for making copper chloride The salt might make the copper chloride but the sodium in the salt is made into sodium hydroxide which will then react with any copper chloride to precipitate out copper hydroxide is there any way to tell if you have CuCl2 or CuCl ?

Answer by RKirke
Submitted on 12/6/2004
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Another way would be to get some Hydrochloric acid (from a swimming pool shop or hardware store) and put a piece of copper wire or pipe in a small amount of the acid. Keep adding pieces of copper until the acid stops etching the copper. It would be best to do this outside, as bubbles of hydrogen gas will surface.

Answer by Hello
Submitted on 1/27/2005
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I need to make CuCl2 cupric chloride which in the anhydrous form is blue how do i do this

Answer by thecheat
Submitted on 2/12/2005
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hehe, that stuff turns fire blue doesnt it? im ognna try evaporating it and putting it ina zippo :)

Answer by Yura
Submitted on 3/19/2005
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Hello. Would copper replace Na in NaCl+water if it is heated or will there be no reaction at all?

Answer by Helper
Submitted on 9/20/2005
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Making copper chloride via sodium chloride and water electrolysis will not work for good copper chloride. You make copper chloride for a small amount of time, once the copper chloride hits the sodium hydroxide that has been made it will turn into a copper hydroixde and drop to the bottom of the soln.

Answer by jsatan
Submitted on 9/30/2005
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Come to think of it, you will end up making copper(i) oxide, copper hydroxide will not live long in water.

Answer by godders
Submitted on 11/13/2005
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To a solution of 3% H202 (Hydrogen Peroxide) add sufficient HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) to make resulting solution 5% HCl. A rough guess would be 100 ml of 3% H202, 20ml of 30% HCl. What is important is that we have excess H202/HCl and not copper. In this reaction, the H202 oxides the surface of the copper, this oxide is immediately attacked by the HCl and becomes the soluble Cupric Chloride. Bare copper is exposed and is oxidized... repeat until your copper has been consumed. Minimal stirring is helpful.

Answer by pyromaniac
Submitted on 11/18/2005
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copper in a gas jar of chlorine or copper carbonate in hydrochloric acid

Answer by 0512
Submitted on 12/19/2005
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I've heard there was a way to create it by using copper wire in a vinegar (acetic acid) / table salt (NaCl) solution. I haven't tried it, but perhaps when the salt is dissolved in the vinegar (speeded by heat and stirring) and the pure copper wire is placed in the solution aided by heat, the reaction may occur, covering the wire in copper chloride. (not sure if it's CuCl or CuCl2)

Answer by bush
Submitted on 1/29/2006
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i found it in my backyard and now i am selling it it makes a lot of $money$

Answer by PiAndWhippedCream
Submitted on 2/18/2006
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The process described above is electrolisis, the seperation of water into the component hydrogen and oxygen. Also works with copper wire. Pennies made before 1984 had no zinc cores (with the exception of course of pennies made in 1943 which are made of steal). H2O+Cu+NaCl --> CuCl+H2O+H2+O2+NaOH

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Answer by somebody
Submitted on 5/19/2006
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this is @ calypso, i found a few things wrong with your answer when i tried it, the first is, its impossible to dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in 500 ml of cold water, or even hot water for that matter. the second is, this process will leave you with a solution of copper chloride AND sodium hydroxide (lye), the third, and not so important thing, is that pennies are solid copper before 1982, not 1965.

Answer by cooliebwoy
Submitted on 10/1/2006
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Calypso what type of salt do you use and how long does it take

Answer by lee lee
Submitted on 1/27/2007
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yea thats cool