NurdRage - 2015-05-16
Glassware generously provided by http://www.alchemylabsupply.com/ Use the discount code "copper" for a 5% discount. In this video we fully recycle copper chloride etchant back into the hydrochloric acid and copper that went into it. First the copper chloride and hydrochloric acid is filtered to remove any insoluble particles. If the solution contains greater than 20% by mass of hydrogen chloride then it's a good idea to dilute so that during distillation the hydrogen chloride is not lost to the atmosphere. (Usually most solutions contain less than 20% so this is not an issue). The solution is distilled to first remove water and then to recover the hydrochloric acid. The distillation continues until the residue is dry. Now the residue is recovered and weighed. For every 1g of copper chloride residue 7 mL of water is added followed by 1 mL of sulfuric acid (98%). The solution is thoroughly mixed. If there is insoluble white copper (I) chloride then air is bubbled in to oxidize it. This process can be accelerated by heating the solution to 60 degrees Celsius with stirring. After everything has been dissolved. The solution is again distilled to recover the remaining hydrochloric acid and convert the copper chloride into copper sulfate. The distillation proceeds until dry. For every 1 mL of sulfuric acid originally added 4 mL of water is added. The solution of copper sulfate is electrolyzed with a platinum anode and copper cathode. The current density used is 100 ma per square centimeter of platinum. At this point, the copper is plated into the cathode and the copper sulfate is slowly converted to sulfuric acid. The electrolysis is finished when the solution is clear. The sulfuric acid solution maybe purified by distillation. The hydrochloric acid and copper have now been recovered.
And this is why I chose Mechanical over Chemical. I could never wrap my head around a lot of this; it may as well just be black magic to me.
But I still enjoy your videos regardless. I may not understand everything you're doing, but I can appreciate all the same.
@Rabid Rabbit Rabbi If I learned something in chemistry, it's that if I had listened and done my homework, it's actaully very logical, and follows some rules. One just has to spend the time to understand those rules.
Now that's not my interest, my interest is electronics, but I see the parallel. I think you aren't interested in what you are good at. You get good at what you find interesting.
@dumle29 Words of wisdom right here! Well put :D
@dumle29 Yeah, it really does boil down to having an interest, no pun intended.
I tried releasing the tubestart campaign today but it seems they need to review it before it gets published. I'll keep you guys updated on its progress.
@NurdRage I'm a marketing person with video editing skills. I would be glad to help.
@Robert Bradbury wow, that would be awesome, i might indeed take you up on your offer!
Superb video, nice that you went to the trouble of making sure that all materials were recycled. Very very good content ;-)
+NurdRage At the very end of the video you list "Recycle Ferric Chloride Etchant" as a related video, but you've forgotten to link that video. There's still just the annontation that the "Recycle FeCl3 etchant"-video is not yet finished, even tho it's already out.
NurdRage seems I got quite a bit of nickel in my solution, i had to stop do too heavy bumping, after 2mins og cooling my roundbuttom flask was filled with green and blue crystals. any way to separate them, or do the nickel stay in solution under the electrolyse step?
I'd love to see a version of this where you recover silver metal from spent photographic bleach/fix solution.
I just re-watched this. Awesome and very informative! I'm about to start etching my own PCBs and I want to have this option available. :D
Thanks for being an inspiration @NurdRage :)
What book do you recommend on dye-sensitized solar cells?
Heh... Now all you have to do is teach us how to use that copper to clad boards for PCBs LOL! Then YOU Would have come full circle!
Extremely informative video! I definitely feel like I could do this now if I ever ran into a situation where I had a surplus of leftover etchant that I wanted to recycle. :D
I barely understand what you're saying, but I can watch you do chemistry for hours
YES! Thank you, this is the video I've been looking for for a while. thank you!
Best chemistry vids on YouTube. Keep up the good work!
It's so great to see you posting again, Nurdrage! How are things going?
@NurdRage Congrats on the nice new kit and glad to se you doing videos again. :)
I'm always happy when I see a new @NurdRage video in my sub list.
Damn! Nice video NR as always, very methodical
Sir, where would you recommend shopping for the tools and containers you most often use in these videos?
I'm a newb on a budget...
Thanks!
I was looking for this! I saw this video when was released and finally I need this solution ! Thanks NurdRage i really admire your work
Hell yeah! Thank you for a new video!
After looking back on some previous videos, would you also be able to add in H2O2 to oxidize the copper(1), without causing contamination?
@Cody Smallwood absolutely! But air is far cheaper :)
Here would be another hypothetical option. Could I use electrolysis to Crack water and pump pure oxygen through to speed it up?
Danggit Rage! Your videos make me wish I switched majors! It would have helped a great deal if the instructor made his lessons 1/8 as interesting at least ;-)
U have an awesome lab btw.
Let know when tubestart is running.
I am happy to see that your videos are back on YouTube. We missed you while you were away. I believe that your presentation may spark an interest in chemistry with some people. And who knows? Maybe one of them will go on to become a chemical engineer thanks to you.
Keep it up please. On with the Great Work...
- -- - Nikolai
Wow, that's some genius process!
@***** Thanks! Although i'm sure most chemistry students can probably devise the same solution too. :)
@NurdRage Your videos are absolutely awesome (watching them for years now)
You can totally make any video you like, but just as a suggestion, please try something other than etching related stuff
I miss the old NurdRage :)
still fun to see the science used in chemistry
Wow. That's all I can say, just wow.
That's really fantastic :D
Nice! Keep up with the superb videos :)
heres something i'm curious about.
what is the power cost for this entire process? not necessarily the monetary cost, but the kwatt cost.
Since the procedure requires two distillation steps, as well as dealing with copper(I) chloride (all steps which require time and energy), wouldn't it be more economical to simply waste the hydrochloric acid and recycle only the copper, since that is the expensive part of the etching solution?
I'm always first, get over it.
Too high pitched, try lowering it by ~20-50 cents and expanding the time by 10%
Cadence is right but the pitch is too low.
I want to etch a thin nickel coating without dissolving the copper layer below. Do you know a technique?
+NurdRage Instead of using an aquarium pump would it be possible to use hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer?
Tristan Shah yes
I LOVE IT!! Thank you!!
Nice. What temperature you used for distillation heater?
When I dissolve (using electrolysis) gold plated computer pins I end up with a solution containing copper sulfate and nickel sulfate. I have no problem plating out the copper, but what happens to the nickel sulfate that is in the solution? Does it plate out with the copper, or is it left behind in the solution?
so glad that you decided to keep making videos. you were the only youtuber (at the time) that i followed every new video.
@Anthony Vecchione Thanks for staying with me :)
=D
is there any chance that after the electrolysis end, the copper will react with the sulfuric acid solution?
Great work! Thanks!
I just recently subscribed, and I must admit...I love your videos!
What was your recovery rate of HCl?
Nice video. Can I use this method also for dirty solution of CuCl2 ? Platinum electrode is very expensive, is there some alternative metal?
I did not know that the copper does not react with sulfuric acid. learning something new with every video, thanks!
Has always great vids 👌🏻
I feel smart watching these videos :)
I have no idea what I Just watched but it was so interesting keep on making video's!!!
First reaction Oh no, I don't really feel like watching 8 minutes of this. I already lined up a whole list, and... oh, why not. Just see if I'll change my mind.
20 seconds later This shit is interesting...
8 minutes 16 seconds later Wait, the video's already over? But I need more homework!
This. Was. Awesome.
I've watched this before and I watched it twice today. Also I expect I'll be back to watch it again. (facepalm) I'm learning about copper chloride so I can think of ways to remove it from some of my solutions. In other words, thanks!
Love your videos!
But when you electrolize your copper solution into metal you should avoid contact with air or you will slow the process by oxidizing the metal with air, the acid attacking the CuO and again current to convert the Cu(II) back to Cu metal. Besides in electrolysis you just set the voltage, if you set the current output either you do nothing or slow your process. This is one rare case where electric current finds itself a solution to your problem, don't correct it!
amazing!
@NurdRage just curious what specific field of chemistry do you work in?
I loved using cupric chloride for making circuit boards.
cifer5262 - 2015-05-16
I don't know when I'll ever use this knowledge, but man is it fun to watch.