Copper acetate crystals. Very easy to synthesise with household chemicals.

Prepare a solution of 100ml acetic acid (white vinegar) and add to it 10ml of hydrogen peroxide (3% works fine). Dump in scrap pieces of copper metal (pennies, or copper pipe). 10-15 pennies worth is good. The purer the better! Cover solution and leave for a few days. It should turn a medium blue colour. Three or fours days is good enough to saturate it. Extract a small amount of the solution, 5ml, and put in a dish so that a large surface area of liquid is exposed. Leave this for another three to four days to evaporate the solution (it might take longer depending on the humidity level and how much solution you’re evaporating). After this time the crystals will have deposited, this can be quickened by heating the solution, but the quicker it evaporates the smaller the crystals will be.

What’s going on is the hydrogen peroxide is oxidizing the copper, (the copper is losing electrons) to become Cu(II) ions in solution. This then forms a salt with the acetate ions.

If you try this out, feel free to share a picture!

8:25 pm • 5 June 2013 • 26 notes