Cu2S can be prepared by heating copper strongly in sulfur vapour or H2S. The reaction of copper powder in molten sulfur rapidly produces Cu2, wherea pellets of copper require much higher temperature Cu2S react with oxygen to form SO2:
2 Cu2 + 3 O2 2 Cu2O + 2 SO2
In the production of copper two thirds of the molten copper sulfide is oxidised as above, and the Cu2O reacts with unoxidised Cu2 to give Cu metal:
Cu2 + 2 Cu2O 6 Cu + SO2
You can boil the copper sulfate solution to recover your copper sulfate. Because the solution contain sulfuric acid, you wont be able to boil the liquid off completely (and you need to take care not to touch the liquid, which will become concentrated acid). The copper sulfate will precipitate out a a blue powder. Pour off the sulfuric acid and reuse it to make more copper sulfate!
If you would prefer to have copper sulfate crystal, you can grow them directly from the blue solution that you prepared. Just allow the solution to evaporate. Again, use care in recovering your crystals because the solution i very acidic.
|