Plating Divanyl Ethylene Glycol Complex to Copper for Art.

Hello.

I found that if I add 19 grams of Vanadium oxide sulfate, to 40 g ethylene glycol and 30 g HCl (Hydrochloric acid) to 800 mL of water and plate I can create a green to blue hinge on copper. This requires copper wire and copper strips with 7-9 volts, 0.9 Amps around there.

If you do this u have to know that Vanadyl sulfate is harder to find on eBay and is toxic it is used in animal models to induce diabetes in rats and mice. Ethylene glycol is toxic and Hydrochloric acid is toxic and corrosive. Also, this project is tricky the product is air sensitive.

After the use of these chemicals for plating, they should be stored in bottles to reduce air exposure. This kind of makes it a pain to use but you will be well awarded in the end. Blackening or greying is the first sign the chemicals are oxidizing in the air and should be stirred and placed in a 600 mL bottle (glass).

Materials Required:

Vanadyl sulfate 50 g.

Hydrochloric acid 31.45%.

Pure Ethylene glycol. Mine has a dye but it 94 percent EG.

Tap water.

Materials: Non chemical.

Copper wire.

Power supply 0-15 volts,0-2 amps.

Digital Scale.

Stirring device (Magnetic stirrer).

Beakers

Bottles 1L

Cups with Lids.

Here if you have Vanadium Oxide (V2O5) and Sulfuric acid plus Sulfur dioxide you may be able to make this product Instead of buying it. However Ultra-pure products are preferred over crude products and I will still show this video.

However, you can buy it on eBay from the Russian federation for 50 dollars for 50 grams. Yes, it is not cheap either.

Weigh out 19.8 g of Vanadyl sulfate into plastic cups with lids pre weigh the lids. Also, use the cups to weigh out 30 g of Hydrochloric acid and 40.5 g of Ethylene glycol in similar cups, and since they are Liquids that could destroy a scale carefully close the cups with the Lids.

Insert the copper wire to negative into the liquid and the Positive wire with the copper crimps into it. Stirring should be set to Medium 500 Rotations per Min to 1000 rotations per minute.

In solution prepare the electroplating solution. See the last step. Here is one of my videos on the electroplating method.

Please watch the video to explain to do this correctly.

In solution once mixed add the negative wire and the positive wire (Copper pipes) to the powersupply. The voltage should be around 9 volts 0.9-1 amp current. With constant stirring allow the blue foam to appear on the copper pippes or copper crimps. This takes 30 minutes.

Then allow the pippes or crimps to air dry for 12-24 hrs. If you are done with the material (EG, HCl and Divanydl sulfate in water place it in a bottle (glass one) with a cap for storage. Pierrer water bottles work great this.

Finally after 24 hrs we add the Urethane polymer paint to the metals. Allow this material to dry for 12 hrs. And thus you are done. You should have a Emerald green colored plating over copper which is worth sharing and is very beautiful.

This is a very good way of Plating a New and experimental Vandyl ethylene glycol complex with sulfate ions attached to it. It is air-sensitive but not as sensitive as my other vanadium plating projects I showed a few years ago and I must share this to explain how it can be done safely.

Thanks for viewing this Instructable.

SHOE0007.