I appreciate the information but note that:

a. I cannot send my students/readers down to Home Depot to pick up a pound
of copper chloride along with the muriatic (swimming pool grout etch) acid.

b. Now I've got a couple of gallons of etchant to keep around the lab in a
proper container for the next go-around.

BTW, what is the color of the CuCl2 and the HCl mixed together?

Jim



"Dr. Grok" wrote in message
news:doqfg.11456$ho6.769@trnddc07...


For etchant I find that CuCl2 and HCl work very nice -- and it is
especially advantagous to agitate by bubbling air thru the solution
since not only does it agitate but the oxygen in the air helps
regenerate the CuCl2 in situ. You can continue to bubble air thru it
after the etching is done to completely regenerate the etchant.

The reactions:
Etching: CuCl2 + Cu - 2CuCl
Regenerating: 4(CuCl) + O2 + 4HCl - 4(CuCl2) + 2(H2O)

Dr. G.

RST Engineering wrote:
I appreciate the information but note that:

a. I cannot send my students/readers down to Home Depot to pick up a pound
of copper chloride along with the muriatic (swimming pool grout etch) acid.

b. Now I've got a couple of gallons of etchant to keep around the lab in a
proper container for the next go-around.

BTW, what is the color of the CuCl2 and the HCl mixed together?

If you start off with HCl and H2O2, you get CuCl2. You don't need to
actually buy the stuff, it gradually becomes more concentrated with
use. Some form of chemical titration is needed with CuCl2 to ensure
that the concentration is correct and that it has the right pH.

Leon

On 1 Jun 2006 02:16:48 -0700, "Leon"
wrote:


RST Engineering wrote:
I appreciate the information but note that:

a. I cannot send my students/readers down to Home Depot to pick up a pound
of copper chloride along with the muriatic (swimming pool grout etch) acid.

b. Now I've got a couple of gallons of etchant to keep around the lab in a
proper container for the next go-around.

BTW, what is the color of the CuCl2 and the HCl mixed together?

If you start off with HCl and H2O2, you get CuCl2. You don't need to
actually buy the stuff, it gradually becomes more concentrated with
use. Some form of chemical titration is needed with CuCl2 to ensure
that the concentration is correct and that it has the right pH.


Maybe this will help if you want to try...

http://www.xertech.net/Tech/CuCl_ech.html

Excellent. I gotta get me a copy of that out of print book.

Jim




Maybe this will help if you want to try...

http://www.xertech.net/Tech/CuCl_ech.html

"RST Engineering" wrote in
:

I appreciate the information but note that:

a. I cannot send my students/readers down to Home Depot to pick up a
pound of copper chloride along with the muriatic (swimming pool grout
etch) acid.

Send them to HD to get some CuSO4.5H2O [Root killer Zep is one brand] and
some CaCl2 [Damp Rid (or in the winter: ice melter)]

Make a solution of each [equal molar amounts for each chemical] and mix.
Let it sit overnite. The white precipitate is CaSO4 [Plaster of Paris] and
the Blue-green solution on top is the CuCl2 solution. Best to filter that
to remove any remaining CaSO4. Now you have your starting supply of CuCl2
and as you can see from the equations you create more of it as you etch.
If you get too much offer it to another ham to get him/her started.


b. Now I've got a couple of gallons of etchant to keep around the lab
in a proper container for the next go-around.

BTW, what is the color of the CuCl2 and the HCl mixed together?

A very bright green. When it turns a dirty olive green you know it has too
much CuCl so start bubbling air thru until its bright green again.



Jim



"Dr. Grok" wrote in message
news:doqfg.11456$ho6.769@trnddc07...


For etchant I find that CuCl2 and HCl work very nice -- and it is
especially advantagous to agitate by bubbling air thru the solution
since not only does it agitate but the oxygen in the air helps
regenerate the CuCl2 in situ. You can continue to bubble air thru it
after the etching is done to completely regenerate the etchant.

The reactions:
Etching: CuCl2 + Cu - 2CuCl
Regenerating: 4(CuCl) + O2 + 4HCl - 4(CuCl2) + 2(H2O)

Dr. G.