IChO 1995 · Theory problem 1

Corrosion of ancient bronze and a Cu-Zn alloy

1.1 Excavated Chinese ancient bronze musical instrument, carillon, was covered entirely by rust. Chemical analysis showed that the rust contains \(\ce{CuCl}\), \(\ce{Cu2O}\) and \(\ce{Cu2(OH)3Cl}\). Simulation experiments showed that \(\ce{CuCl}\) was formed first under the action of both air and \(\ce{Cl}\) containing aqueous solution and then \(\ce{Cu2(OH)3Cl}\) produced through the following two different ways:

Figure 1

Using the molar standard formation Gibbs free energies of the species concerned answer the following questions:

Species \(\ce{Cu2O(s)}\) \(\ce{CuO(s)}\) \(\ce{CuCl(s)}\) \(\ce{Cu2(OH)3Cl(s)}\) \(\ce{Cl(aq)}\) \(\ce{OH(aq)}\) \(\ce{H2O(l)}\)
\(\Delta_{\mathrm f}G^0(298\ \mathrm K)\;(\mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}})\) −146 −130 −120 −1338 −131 −157 −237

i) Write balanced equations for reactions (a), (b) and (c).

ii) Calculate the molar standard Gibbs free energy \(\Delta_{\mathrm f}G^0(298\ \mathrm K)\) for reactions (a), (b) and (c).

iii) Decide the spontaneous direction of reaction (a) in air through calculation, when \(T=298\mathrm K\), \(c(\ce{HCl})=1.0\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\).

1.2 Rate constants \(k_c\) for reaction (c) were measured at various temperatures in a simulation experiment in order to obtain its kinetic parameters. On the basis of the data given below answer the following questions:

\(t\;^\circ\mathrm C\) 25 40
\(k_c\,/\,\mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}\,s^{-1}}\) \(1.29\times10^{-4}\) \(2.50\times10^{-4}\)

i) Write the equation for calculating the activation energy of reaction (c) and find the value.

ii) Assign the overall reaction order of reaction (c).

iii) Knowing that the rate determining step of reaction (c) is the monolayer adsorption of \(\ce{O2(g)}\) on solid \(\ce{CuCl}\), write the overall rate equation of this heterogeneous reaction (c). Under what condition might the reaction order be the same as that you have given in ii)? Assume only \(\ce{O2}\) can be adsorbed.

1.3 A copper plate was divided into two parts, \(\ce{Cu}(1)\) and \(\ce{Cu}(2)\). \(\ce{Cu}(1)\) was then hammered so that \(\ce{Cu}(1)\) and \(\ce{Cu}(2)\) are different in certain thermodynamic properties.

i) An galvanic cell with \(\ce{Cu}(1)\) and \(\ce{Cu}(2)\) was designed as \(\ce{Cu}(1)|\ce{CuSO4(aq)}|\ce{Cu}(2)\) and the electromotive force \(E\) of the above cell was expressed as \(E=\Phi_{\mathrm R}-\Phi_{\mathrm L}\), where \(\Phi_{\mathrm R}\) and \(\Phi_{\mathrm L}\) being the right and left electrode potentials (i. e. half-cell potentials), respectively. Please choose the correct \(E\) value from the following and give the thermodynamic reason for your choice.

(A) \(E<0\)  (B) \(E=0\)  (C) \(E>0\)  (D) It cannot be decided

ii) Write the net cell reaction for the cell.

1.4 In a \(\ce{Cu-Zn}\) alloy the molar fractions of \(\ce{Cu}\) and \(\ce{Zn}\) are 0.750 and 0.250, respectively. The structure type of the alloy is the same as that of pure copper, except \(\ce{Zn}\) atoms substitute some \(\ce{Cu}\) atoms randomly and statistically, i. e. at every atomic position, the probability of the occupation of \(\ce{Cu}\) and \(\ce{Zn}\) is proportional to the composition of the alloy. In this sense the alloy can be considered as composed of statistical atoms \(\ce{Cu_{x}Zn_{1-x}}\). X-ray analysis shows that the arrangement of atoms in the alloy is of the cubic face-centred close packing type. Density of the alloy \(d=8.51\ \mathrm{g\,cm^{-3}}\). Calculate the radius of the statistical atoms in the alloy.

Given: \(A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Cu})=63.5,\quad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Zn})=65.4\).

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

The reaction Gibbs energies below refer to the equations as written, each involving two copper atoms.

  • 1.1(i)
    (a) \[ \ce{2CuCl(s) + H2O(l) -> Cu2O(s) + 2H+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq)} \] (b) \[ \ce{Cu2O(s) + 1/2O2(g) + H2O(l) + H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) -> Cu2(OH)3Cl(s)} \] (c) \[ \ce{2CuCl(s) + 1/2O2(g) + 2H2O(l) -> Cu2(OH)3Cl(s) + H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)} \]

  • 1.1(ii) \[ \boxed{\Delta_{\mathrm r}G_a^\circ=+69,\quad \Delta_{\mathrm r}G_b^\circ=-824,\quad \Delta_{\mathrm r}G_c^\circ=-755\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}} \]

  • 1.1(iii) \(\boxed{\Delta_{\mathrm r}G_a=-22.3\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}\). Reaction (a) proceeds spontaneously toward \(\ce{Cu2O}\).

  • 1.2(i) \[ E_a=\frac{R\ln(k_{c,2}/k_{c,1})}{1/T_1-1/T_2} =\boxed{34.2\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \]

  • 1.2(ii) The measured overall reaction order is \(\boxed{0}\).

  • 1.2(iii) The intended Langmuir saturation rate law is \[ \boxed{v=k_{\mathrm{sat}} \frac{K_{\mathrm{ads}}p_{\ce{O2}}} {1+K_{\mathrm{ads}}p_{\ce{O2}}}}. \] It becomes zero order when \(\boxed{K_{\mathrm{ads}}p_{\ce{O2}}\gg1}\), with \(k_c=k_{\mathrm{sat}}\).

  • 1.3(i) \(\boxed{\text{(C)}\ E>0}\), because hammered copper has the higher chemical potential.

  • 1.3(ii) \[ \boxed{\ce{Cu(1) -> Cu(2)}} \] Copper dissolves from the hammered electrode and deposits on the unhammered electrode.

  • 1.4 \[ \boxed{r=1.30\times10^{-8}\ \mathrm{cm}=130\ \mathrm{pm}}. \]

Solution

Chemical names and SMILES

These names and representations apply throughout the solution.

Species Name SMILES
\(\ce{H2O}\) Water O
\(\ce{O2}\) Dioxygen O=O
\(\ce{H+}\) Hydrogen ion, using the thermodynamic proton convention [H+]
\(\ce{Cl-}\) Chloride ion [Cl-]
\(\ce{OH-}\) Hydroxide ion [OH-]
\(\ce{Cu^2+}\) Copper(II) ion [Cu+2]
\(\ce{SO4^2-}\) Sulfate ion [O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{HCl(aq)}\) Hydrochloric acid, represented as dissociated ions [H+].[Cl-]
\(\ce{CuCl}\) Copper(I) chloride [Cu+].[Cl-]
\(\ce{Cu2O}\) Copper(I) oxide [Cu+].[Cu+].[O-2]
\(\ce{CuO}\) Copper(II) oxide [Cu+2].[O-2]
\(\ce{Cu2(OH)3Cl}\) Copper(II) hydroxychloride, or basic copper(II) chloride [Cu+2].[Cu+2].[OH-].[OH-].[OH-].[Cl-]
\(\ce{CuSO4}\) Copper(II) sulfate [Cu+2].[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]

The disconnected SMILES for ionic solids specify composition and formal charges; they do not describe crystal connectivity or coordination geometry. Copper and zinc have atomic representations [Cu] and [Zn], but these do not encode metallic lattices or deformation. A statistical alloy atom is an average lattice-site description and has no molecular SMILES.

1.1(i) Balanced reactions

In reaction (a), copper remains in oxidation state \(+1\): copper(I) chloride hydrolyses to copper(I) oxide.

\[ \ce{2CuCl(s) + H2O(l) -> Cu2O(s) + 2H+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq)} \tag{a} \]

In \(\ce{Cu2(OH)3Cl}\), three hydroxide ions and one chloride ion have total charge \(-4\), so both copper atoms are in oxidation state \(+2\). Therefore, reactions (b) and (c) require oxidation of copper(I). Dioxygen supplies the oxidizing agent.

\[ \ce{Cu2O(s) + 1/2O2(g) + H2O(l) + H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) -> Cu2(OH)3Cl(s)} \tag{b} \]

\[ \ce{2CuCl(s) + 1/2O2(g) + 2H2O(l) -> Cu2(OH)3Cl(s) + H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)} \tag{c} \]

Each equation balances both atoms and charge. Adding (a) and (b), then cancelling common species, gives (c).

1.1(ii) Standard reaction Gibbs energies

For a balanced reaction,

\[ \Delta_{\mathrm r}G^\circ =\sum_{\text{products}}\nu_i\Delta_{\mathrm f}G_i^\circ -\sum_{\text{reactants}}\nu_i\Delta_{\mathrm f}G_i^\circ. \]

We use the conventional values

\[ \Delta_{\mathrm f}G^\circ[\ce{H+(aq)}]=0, \qquad \Delta_{\mathrm f}G^\circ[\ce{O2(g)}]=0, \]

and the supplied value \(-1338\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\) for \(\ce{Cu2(OH)3Cl(s)}\).

For (a),

\[ \begin{aligned} \Delta_{\mathrm r}G_a^\circ &=[-146+2(-131)]-[2(-120)+(-237)]\\ &=\boxed{+69\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

For (b),

\[ \begin{aligned} \Delta_{\mathrm r}G_b^\circ &=-1338-[(-146)+(-237)+(-131)]\\ &=\boxed{-824\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

For (c),

\[ \begin{aligned} \Delta_{\mathrm r}G_c^\circ &=[-1338+(-131)]-[2(-120)+2(-237)]\\ &=\boxed{-755\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

The independent calculations satisfy Hess’s law:

\[ 69-824=-755\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}. \]

If equations (b) and (c) are doubled to give integer coefficients, their reaction Gibbs energies also double, to \(-1648\) and \(-1510\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\), respectively.

1.1(iii) Spontaneous direction at the specified acid concentration

For reaction (a), the activities of the pure solids and liquid water are taken as unity. Therefore,

\[ Q_a=a_{\ce{H+}}^2a_{\ce{Cl-}}^2. \]

Treating the dilute hydrochloric acid as fully dissociated and approximating activities by concentrations divided by \(c^\circ=1\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\),

\[ a_{\ce{H+}}\simeq a_{\ce{Cl-}}\simeq 1.0\times10^{-4}, \]

so

\[ Q_a=(10^{-4})^2(10^{-4})^2=10^{-16}. \]

Using \(R=8.314\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\),

\[ \begin{aligned} \Delta_{\mathrm r}G_a &=\Delta_{\mathrm r}G_a^\circ+RT\ln Q_a\\ &=69.0+ \frac{(8.314)(298)\ln(10^{-16})}{1000}\\ &=69.0-91.3\\ &=\boxed{-22.3\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

Thus, under the specified conditions, reaction (a) proceeds spontaneously to the right, producing copper(I) oxide. Oxygen pressure does not enter this calculation because reaction (a) itself does not consume oxygen.

1.2(i) Activation energy

The Arrhenius equation is

\[ k_c=Ae^{-E_a/(RT)}. \]

Taking the ratio at two temperatures eliminates \(A\):

\[ \ln\left(\frac{k_{c,2}}{k_{c,1}}\right) =\frac{E_a}{R}\left(\frac1{T_1}-\frac1{T_2}\right). \]

With \(T_1=298.15\ \mathrm K\) and \(T_2=313.15\ \mathrm K\),

\[ \begin{aligned} E_a &= \frac{(8.314)\ln\left[ (2.50\times10^{-4})/(1.29\times10^{-4}) \right]} {1/298.15-1/313.15}\\ &=3.424\times10^4\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}}\\ &=\boxed{34.2\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}}. \end{aligned} \]

This is the apparent activation energy associated with the measured rate constant.

1.2(ii) Overall reaction order

For an overall order \(n\), a concentration-based rate constant has dimensions

\[ [k]=(\mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}})^{1-n}\mathrm{s^{-1}}. \]

The supplied units are

\[ [k_c]=\mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}\,s^{-1}}. \]

Hence \(1-n=1\), giving

\[ \boxed{n=0}. \]

Thus, under the measurement conditions, \(v=k_c\).

1.2(iii) Surface rate equation and zero-order limit

The intended model is single-component Langmuir adsorption on a fixed population of surface sites. Let \(p=p_{\ce{O2}}\), and let \(K_{\mathrm{ads}}\) be an adsorption parameter with reciprocal-pressure units.

For molecular adsorption, the occupied fraction of the surface is

\[ \theta=\frac{K_{\mathrm{ads}}p}{1+K_{\mathrm{ads}}p}. \]

The corresponding phenomenological saturation rate equation is

\[ \boxed{ v=k_{\mathrm{sat}}\frac{K_{\mathrm{ads}}p}{1+K_{\mathrm{ads}}p} }. \]

Equivalently, it can be written as \(v=k'p/(1+K_{\mathrm{ads}}p)\), where \(k'=k_{\mathrm{sat}}K_{\mathrm{ads}}\). The coefficient \(k_{\mathrm{sat}}\) includes the available reactive surface per unit reaction volume.

At sufficiently high oxygen pressure or sufficiently strong adsorption,

\[ K_{\mathrm{ads}}p\gg1, \qquad \theta\simeq1, \]

and therefore

\[ v\simeq k_{\mathrm{sat}}=k_c. \]

The surface is effectively saturated, and the reaction is zero order in oxygen, agreeing with part (ii). This conclusion assumes that the exposed surface area remains effectively constant.

At low coverage,

\[ K_{\mathrm{ads}}p\ll1, \qquad v\simeq k_{\mathrm{sat}}K_{\mathrm{ads}}p, \]

so the same model predicts first-order dependence on oxygen pressure.

1.3(i) Sign of the cell emf

Hammering stores deformation energy in the copper through lattice strain and defects. Consequently, the hammered copper has a greater chemical potential:

\[ \mu_1>\mu_2. \]

Transfer of copper from the hammered to the unhammered state has

\[ \Delta_{\mathrm r}G=\mu_2-\mu_1<0. \]

The electrode process transfers two electrons per copper atom, so

\[ \Delta_{\mathrm r}G=-2FE. \]

Thus,

\[ E=\frac{\mu_1-\mu_2}{2F}>0. \]

The right electrode, unhammered copper, has the higher reduction potential:

\[ \boxed{\Phi_{\mathrm R}>\Phi_{\mathrm L},\qquad E>0,\qquad \text{choice (C)}}. \]

1.3(ii) Net cell reaction

At the left electrode, hammered copper dissolves:

\[ \ce{Cu(1) -> Cu^2+(aq) + 2e-}. \]

At the right electrode, copper deposits:

\[ \ce{Cu^2+(aq) + 2e- -> Cu(2)}. \]

Adding these half-reactions gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{Cu(1) -> Cu(2)}}. \]

The sulfate ion is a spectator.

1.4 Radius of the statistical atoms

The average molar mass per mole of occupied atomic sites is

\[ \begin{aligned} \overline M &=x_{\ce{Cu}}M_{\ce{Cu}}+x_{\ce{Zn}}M_{\ce{Zn}}\\ &=(0.750)(63.5)+(0.250)(65.4)\\ &=63.975\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \]

A face-centred cubic unit cell contains

\[ 8\left(\frac18\right)+6\left(\frac12\right)=4 \]

statistical atoms. Its average mass is therefore

\[ m_{\mathrm{cell}}=\frac{4\overline M}{N_{\mathrm A}}. \]

Writing its edge length as \(a\),

\[ d=\frac{m_{\mathrm{cell}}}{a^3} =\frac{4\overline M}{N_{\mathrm A}a^3}. \]

Using \(N_{\mathrm A}=6.022\times10^{23}\ \mathrm{mol^{-1}}\),

\[ \begin{aligned} a &=\left[ \frac{4(63.975)} {(8.51)(6.022\times10^{23})} \right]^{1/3}\mathrm{cm}\\ &=3.682\times10^{-8}\ \mathrm{cm}. \end{aligned} \]

In the face-centred cubic close-packed model, atoms touch along a face diagonal. That diagonal spans four radii:

\[ \sqrt2\,a=4r. \]

Hence,

\[ \begin{aligned} r&=\frac{a}{2\sqrt2}\\ &=1.302\times10^{-8}\ \mathrm{cm}\\ &=\boxed{130\ \mathrm{pm}}. \end{aligned} \]

This is the effective radius of the average statistical atom, rather than a separately determined radius for each element.

The solution was checked against the official solution.