Synthesis of Copper Acetate

Copper Acetate is used for quite a few things, I've heared that it can be used in PCB etching, so if you're here for that then welcome! (Welcome to everbody else as well so I don't know why I'm being specific..) Anyway, it can also be used to make nice looking blue-ey crystals that's what I'm making mine for, and I'm just trying to use some of my chemical knowledge to work out how much I need of each substance based off how much copper I have. So I'll see what happns.

DISCALIMER:

-DON'T CONSUME ANY OF THIS, OR LET ANYONE ELSE CONSUME THIS, LIKE CHILDREN. OR PETS, OR ANYONE. OKAY? YOU/THEY WILL PROBABLY DIE, HORRIBLY. SO, DONT.

- THIS SHOULD BE PERFORMED OUTSIDE OR IN A FUME HOOD.

- SO BASICALLY, IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG (shouldn't do though, if you do it right) I AM NOT TO BLAME AND YOU CAN'T SUE ME OR ANYTHING.

- ALL IN ALL, DON'T BE STUPID, BE A CHEMIST.

I used:

- 40 grams of acetic acid solution (vinegar 5%) Approx.

- Equal amount of hydrogen peroxide (I used 9% by volume)

- 1g of copper (I have a copper foil I cut to 1g)

- At least two containers but whatever really

I'm expecting a low yield because I'm only using 1 gram of copper but really you would use more and it doesn't have to be pure copper, its just the copper acetate my be contaminated by other acetate salts. I'm just trying to test my knowlegde whilst making my first (ooh) instructable (So any comments would be appreciated (Please be nice even if it's a negative comment :3)).

Okay, that's taking it too far. But what I mean is when you add vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in a 50:50 ratio, this creates a solution that 'eats' at metals far better than regular acetic acid, the hydrogen peroxide acts a catalyst in the reaction.

- 40g of vinegar (or there abouts)

- about 40g of hydrogen peroxide (doesn't really matter, could be 20g out and it'll proably still work just as well)now you should be ready to add your copper

If you didn't in the first place, transfer your vinegar/hydrogen peroxide solution into a container that you won't need to use in a while.

I cut my copper into shreds so that there is more surface area, and the reaction can take place at a faster rate.

Then I put my copper into the container with the vinegar solution.

The reaction was slow at the start but picked up a bit after (I suspect this is due to the small scale I'm using, your reaction may be faster)

After there are no more bubbles being made, you are done!! this is an (impure) solution of copper (II) acetate, it may have impurities such as residual acetic acid or hydrogen peroxide. I'm confident to say that more than most (it works, shut up) of your solution will be copper acetate (and water, but then it's not a solution and it's easy to remove anyway.) Sorry this might be a bit naff, but it's my first and I'll try and improve on my next ones.