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Home-Purification and use of electrolytic copper
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Purification and use of electrolytic copper
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Electrolytic purification of copper: blister copper (99% copper) is pre-made into a thick plate as the anode, pure copper is made into a thin sheet as the cathode, and a mixture of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and copper sulfate (CuSO4) is used as the electrolyte. After energization, copper dissolves into copper ions (Cu) from the anode and moves to the cathode. After reaching the cathode, electrons are obtained and pure copper (also known as electrolytic copper) is precipitated at the cathode. Impurities in blister copper, such as iron and zinc, which are more active than copper, will dissolve into ions (Zn and Fe) along with copper. Since these ions are less likely to be precipitated than copper ions, the precipitation of these ions on the anode can be avoided by appropriately adjusting the potential difference during electrolysis. Impurities that are less active than copper, such as gold and silver, are deposited at the bottom of the electrolytic cell. The copper plates produced in this way, called "electrolytic copper", are of extremely high quality and can be used to make electrical products. The “anode slime” deposited on the bottom of the electrolytic cell is rich in gold and silver, which is very valuable, and it has extremely high economic value when it is taken out and processed. The electrolytic copper is further processed to produce extremely fine electrolytic copper powder.
The principle of copper electrolytic refining is as follows:
Anode reaction: Cu—2e = Cu2+Me—2e = Me2+H2O—2e=2H+＋1/2O2SO42-—2e=SO3＋1/2O2 where Me represents Fe, Ni, Pb, As, Sb, etc., which are more negative than Cu Metals, they dissolve from the anode into the solution. The reaction of H2O and SO4 2- to lose electrons will not occur under normal circumstances because of its potential more positive than copper. The potential of the noble metal is corrected and does not dissolve, but enters the anode slime.
Cathodic reaction: Cu2+＋2e=Cu2H+＋2e=H2Me2+＋2e=Me In these reactions, metal ions with a standard potential than copper positive and higher concentration may be reduced on the cathode, but they are not dissolved in the anode, so only The reduction of copper ions is the main reaction of the cathode reaction.
Uses of electrolytic copper:
Electrolytic copper is widely used in electrical, light industry, machinery manufacturing, construction industry, national defense industry and other fields, second only to aluminum in the consumption of non-ferrous metal materials in my country.
Copper is the most widely used and used in the electrical and electronic industries, accounting for more than half of the total consumption. Used in various cables and wires, windings of motors and transformers, switches and printed circuit boards, etc.
In the manufacture of machinery and transportation vehicles, it is used to manufacture industrial valves and fittings, meters, sliding bearings, molds, heat exchangers and pumps.
is widely used in the chemical industry to manufacture vacuum vessels, distillation pots, brewing pots, etc.
It is used in the defense industry to manufacture bullets, shells, gun parts, etc. For every 1 million bullets produced, 13-14 tons of copper are required.
In the construction industry, it is used as various pipes, pipe fittings, decorative devices, etc.
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