IChO 2016 · Theory problem 2

Copper(I) oxide

One of the first materials used in solid state electronics was red copper(I) oxide. Interest is renewed nowadays because it could be a non-toxic and cheap component of solar cells.

Figure 1
Figure 2

The two figures above depict the cubic unit cell of the \(\ce{Cu2O}\) crystal. The lattice constant of the structure is 427.0 pm.

2.1.1 Which of the atoms (A or B) is copper?

Which basic structure (primitive cubic, face centered cubic, body centered cubic, diamond) is formed by the A atoms and which structure is formed by the B atoms?

What are the coordination numbers of the atoms?

2.1.2 Calculate the smallest \(\ce{O-O}\), \(\ce{Cu-O}\) and \(\ce{Cu-Cu}\) distances in the structure?

2.1.3 What is the density of pure copper(I) oxide?

A common defect in this crystal is some copper atoms missing with the oxygen lattice unchanged. The composition of one such crystal sample was studied, and 0.2% of all copper atoms were found to be in oxidation state +2.

2,2 What percentage of normal copper sites are empty in the crystal sample? What is \(x\) in the empirical formula \(\ce{Cu_{2-x}O}\) of the crystal?

Copper(I) oxide is insoluble in water. It is stable in dry air, but humidity in the air catalyses a transformation (Reaction 1).When copper(I) oxide is dissolved in dilutesulfuric acid, a blue solution containing a precipitate is formed without evolution of a gas (Reaction 2). When hot, concentrated sulfuric acid is used, no precipitate remains, but an odorous gas forms (Reaction 3).The same gas forms when the precipitate from reaction 2 is dissolved in hot concentrated sulfuric acid.

2.3 Write balanced chemical equations for reactions (1-3).

Copper (I) oxide can be produced in a number of ways. Heating copper in air is a common method in the synthesis of semiconductor \(\ce{Cu2O}\). In a pure oxygen atmosphere, the three species containing copper (\(\ce{Cu(s)}\), \(\ce{Cu2O(s)}\) or \(\ce{CuO(s)}\)) can potentially interconvert.

Suppose that the \(\Delta_\mathrm{f}H^\circ\) and \(S^\circ\) data given for \(10^5\ \mathrm{Pa}\) are independent of temperature:

Compound \(\Delta_\mathrm{f}H^\circ/\mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\) \(S^\circ/\mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\)
\(\ce{Cu(s)}\) 0 65
\(\ce{O2(g)}\) 0 244
\(\ce{CuO(s)}\) −156 103
\(\ce{Cu2O(s)}\) −170 180

2.4. Determine the temperature ranges, if any, of thermodynamic stability of copper and its oxides between 500 and 1500 K in a \(10^5\ \mathrm{Pa}\) oxygen atmosphere.

Important data are given for 298 K. Use this temperature in the following calculations:

\[ K_\mathrm{sp}(\ce{Cu(OH)2})=2\times10^{-19} \]

\[ \ce{Cu2O(s) + H2O(l) + 2e- -> 2Cu(s) + 2OH-(aq)} \qquad E^\circ=-0.360\ \mathrm{V} \]

\[ \ce{Cu^{2+}(aq) + e- -> Cu+(aq)} \qquad E^\circ=+0.159\ \mathrm{V} \]

\[ \ce{Cu^{2+}(aq) + 2e- -> Cu(s)} \qquad E^\circ=+0.337\ \mathrm{V} \]

One possibility for producing \(\ce{Cu2O}\) is the anodic oxidation of copper. Electrolysis of an aqueous basic solution (e.g. \(\ce{NaOH}\)) with a copper anode and platinum cathode can lead to formation of copper(I) oxide on the anode.

2.5 Write the half reaction equations for the electrode processes during the anodic production of \(\ce{Cu2O}\) in \(\ce{NaOH}\) solution with a platinum cathode and copper anode.

Electrolytic reduction of copper(II) ions in solution is another possibility.

2.6.1 Write the half reaction equation of the cathode process giving \(\ce{Cu2O}\) in acidic medium.

Let us use \(0.100\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\) \(\ce{Cu^{2+}}\) solution and carry out electrolysis with platinum electrodes.

2.6.2 What is the maximum pH of this solution at which the concentration of copper(II) can be maintained at \(0.100\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\)?

If the pH is too low, reduction to metallic copper is preferred to the formation of copper(I) oxide.

2.6.3 What is the minimum pH at which the cathodic production of \(\ce{Cu2O}\) in a \(\ce{Cu^{2+}}\) solution (\(c=0.100\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\)) is still possible?

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 2.1.1: B is copper; A is oxygen. A forms a body centered cubic sublattice; B forms a face centered cubic sublattice. Copper has coordination number 2, with linear coordination; oxygen has coordination number 4, with tetrahedral coordination.

  • 2.1.2: \[ \boxed{d_{\ce{O-O}}=369.8\ \mathrm{pm},\quad d_{\ce{Cu-O}}=184.9\ \mathrm{pm},\quad d_{\ce{Cu-Cu}}=301.9\ \mathrm{pm}} \]

  • 2.1.3: \[ \boxed{\rho=6.104\ \mathrm{g\,cm^{-3}}\approx6.10\ \mathrm{g\,cm^{-3}}} \]

  • 2.2: The calculated fraction of vacant copper sites is \(0.1996\%\approx0.20\%\). \[ \boxed{x=0.003992\approx0.004,\qquad \ce{Cu_{1.996}O}} \]

  • 2.3: \[ \begin{aligned} \text{(1)}\quad&\ce{2Cu2O(s) + O2(g) -> 4CuO(s)}\\ \text{(2)}\quad&\ce{Cu2O(s) + H2SO4(aq) -> CuSO4(aq) + Cu(s) + H2O(l)}\\ \text{(3)}\quad&\ce{Cu2O(s) + 3H2SO4 -> 2CuSO4 + SO2(g) + 3H2O(l)} \end{aligned} \] Reaction 1 is promoted by humidity; reaction 3 uses hot, concentrated sulfuric acid.

  • 2.4: Let \(T_*=1479.17\ \mathrm{K}\). \(\ce{CuO}\) is stable for \(500\ \mathrm{K}\le T<T_*\); both oxides coexist at \(T_*\); \(\ce{Cu2O}\) is stable for \(T_*<T\le1500\ \mathrm{K}\). Metallic copper has no thermodynamic stability range under the specified conditions.

  • 2.5: Copper anode: \[ \boxed{\ce{2Cu(s) + 2OH-(aq) -> Cu2O(s) + H2O(l) + 2e-}} \] Platinum cathode: \[ \boxed{\ce{2H2O(l) + 2e- -> H2(g) + 2OH-(aq)}} \]

  • 2.6.1: \[ \boxed{\ce{2Cu^{2+}(aq) + H2O(l) + 2e- -> Cu2O(s) + 2H+(aq)}} \]

  • 2.6.2: \(\boxed{\mathrm{pH}_{\max}=5.15}\).

  • 2.6.3: \(\boxed{\mathrm{pH}_{\min}\approx2.71}\), the limiting value at which the potential range for selective oxide production closes.

Solution

The molecular and ionic species used below have the following names and SMILES:

Species SMILES
Water, \(\ce{H2O}\) O
Dioxygen, \(\ce{O2}\) O=O
Dihydrogen, \(\ce{H2}\) [H][H]
Sulfuric acid, \(\ce{H2SO4}\) OS(=O)(=O)O
Sulfur dioxide, \(\ce{SO2}\) O=S=O
Copper(I) ion, \(\ce{Cu+}\) [Cu+]
Copper(II) ion, \(\ce{Cu^{2+}}\) [Cu+2]
Hydrogen ion, \(\ce{H+}\) [H+]
Hydroxide ion, \(\ce{OH-}\) [OH-]
Sulfate ion, \(\ce{SO4^{2-}}\) [O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
Sodium ion, \(\ce{Na+}\) [Na+]

Copper(II) sulfate has the ionic composition SMILES [Cu+2].[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-], and sodium hydroxide has [Na+].[OH-]. Formal ionic formula-unit representations for copper(I) oxide, copper(II) oxide, and copper(II) hydroxide are respectively [Cu+].[Cu+].[O-2], [Cu+2].[O-2], and [Cu+2].[OH-].[OH-]. These disconnected representations do not describe hydration or the extended solid structures. The coordination geometry of the oxide is described explicitly below.

For numerical calculations, use the standard constants \(N_\mathrm A=6.022\times10^{23}\ \mathrm{mol^{-1}}\), \(R=8.314\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\), and \(F=96485\ \mathrm{C\,mol^{-1}}\), with atomic molar masses \(M(\ce{Cu})=63.55\) and \(M(\ce{O})=16.00\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\). For the aqueous calculations, approximate activities by concentrations relative to \(1\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\), and take \(pK_\mathrm w=14.00\) at 298 K.

2.1.1 — Atom identification, sublattices, and coordination

The A atoms occupy the eight corners and the body center. Their number per unit cell is therefore

\[ N_A=8\left(\frac18\right)+1=2. \]

There are four B atoms wholly inside the unit cell, so

\[ N_B=4. \]

The ratio \(B:A=2:1\), together with the composition \(\ce{Cu2O}\), establishes that B is copper and A is oxygen.

The corner-and-body-center arrangement of A is body centered cubic. The B positions form a face centered cubic sublattice, displaced relative to the conventional origin of an fcc cell.

A convenient set of fractional coordinates is

\[ \begin{aligned} \ce{O}:&\quad (0,0,0),\ \left(\tfrac12,\tfrac12,\tfrac12\right),\\ \ce{Cu}:&\quad \left(\tfrac14,\tfrac14,\tfrac14\right),\ \left(\tfrac14,\tfrac34,\tfrac34\right),\ \left(\tfrac34,\tfrac14,\tfrac34\right),\ \left(\tfrac34,\tfrac34,\tfrac14\right). \end{aligned} \]

Each copper atom lies midway between two oxygen atoms along a body-diagonal direction. Its two oxygen neighbors are collinear, giving coordination number 2 and a \(180^\circ\) coordination angle.

Each oxygen atom has four nearest copper neighbors directed toward alternate vertices of a cube. These form a regular tetrahedron, giving coordination number 4, with angles of approximately \(109.47^\circ\).

2.1.2 — Shortest interatomic distances

Let \(a=427.0\ \mathrm{pm}\).

In the oxygen bcc sublattice, the shortest separation is from a corner to the body center:

\[ d_{\ce{O-O}} =\sqrt{\left(\frac a2\right)^2+ \left(\frac a2\right)^2+ \left(\frac a2\right)^2} =\frac{\sqrt3}{2}a =\boxed{369.8\ \mathrm{pm}}. \]

Copper is midway along such a corner-to-center segment:

\[ d_{\ce{Cu-O}}=\frac{\sqrt3}{4}a =\boxed{184.9\ \mathrm{pm}}. \]

Two nearest copper sites differ by half a cell edge along each of two axes:

\[ d_{\ce{Cu-Cu}} =\sqrt{\left(\frac a2\right)^2+ \left(\frac a2\right)^2} =\frac{a}{\sqrt2} =\boxed{301.9\ \mathrm{pm}}. \]

2.1.3 — Density

There are four copper atoms and two oxygen atoms per unit cell, corresponding to \(Z=2\) formula units of \(\ce{Cu2O}\).

\[ M(\ce{Cu2O})=2(63.55)+16.00 =143.10\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Since

\[ a=427.0\ \mathrm{pm}=4.270\times10^{-8}\ \mathrm{cm}, \]

the unit-cell volume is

\[ V_\mathrm{cell}=a^3 =7.78545\times10^{-23}\ \mathrm{cm^3}. \]

Thus

\[ \rho =\frac{ZM}{N_\mathrm A a^3} =\frac{2(143.10)} {(6.022\times10^{23})(7.78545\times10^{-23})} =\boxed{6.104\ \mathrm{g\,cm^{-3}}}. \]

2.2 — Copper vacancies

Let \(f=0.002\) be the fraction of the copper atoms actually present that are copper(II). The mean oxidation state of the occupied copper sites is

\[ (1-f)(+1)+f(+2)=1+f=1.002. \]

For one oxygen atom in \(\ce{Cu_{2-x}O}\), electroneutrality requires

\[ (2-x)(1.002)=2. \]

Hence

\[ x=2-\frac{2}{1.002} =\frac{0.004}{1.002} =\boxed{0.003992\approx0.004}. \]

There are two normal copper sites per oxygen atom. The percentage that are vacant is consequently

\[ \frac{x}{2}\times100\% =\frac{0.002}{1.002}\times100\% =\boxed{0.1996\%\approx0.20\%}. \]

Each copper(II) ion contributes one additional positive charge relative to copper(I), compensating for one missing copper(I) ion. The small difference between \(0.2000\%\) and \(0.1996\%\) comes from the different denominators: occupied copper sites versus all normal copper sites.

2.3 — Reactions of copper(I) oxide

In moist air, oxygen oxidizes copper(I) to copper(II). Water promotes the reaction without being consumed in the net equation:

\[ \boxed{\ce{2Cu2O(s) + O2(g) -> 4CuO(s)}}. \]

In dilute sulfuric acid, copper(I) disproportionates:

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

One copper(I) center is oxidized to copper(II), while another is reduced to copper metal. The hydrated copper(II) ions account for the blue solution, and copper metal is the solid product. Including protonation of the oxide gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{Cu2O(s) + H2SO4(aq) -> CuSO4(aq) + Cu(s) + H2O(l)}}. \]

Hot, concentrated sulfuric acid acts as an oxidant. Both copper atoms reach oxidation state \(+2\), while sulfur is reduced from \(+6\) to \(+4\), producing sulfur dioxide:

\[ \boxed{\ce{Cu2O(s) + 3H2SO4 -> 2CuSO4 + SO2(g) + 3H2O(l)}}. \]

This also explains why the copper precipitate from reaction 2 dissolves in hot, concentrated sulfuric acid with evolution of the same gas:

\[ \ce{Cu(s) + 2H2SO4 -> CuSO4 + SO2(g) + 2H2O(l)}. \]

2.4 — Thermodynamic stability ranges

At the specified oxygen pressure,

\[ p_{\ce{O2}}=p^\circ=10^5\ \mathrm{Pa}, \]

and the pure solids have unit activity. Consequently, the reaction Gibbs energies equal their standard values.

First consider oxidation of copper to copper(I) oxide:

\[ \ce{2Cu(s) + 1/2O2(g) -> Cu2O(s)}. \]

The reaction enthalpy and entropy are

\[ \Delta_\mathrm rH^\circ=-170\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}, \]

\[ \Delta_\mathrm rS^\circ =180-2(65)-\frac12(244) =-72\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \Delta_\mathrm rG^\circ =-170+0.072T \quad\mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}. \]

This is negative throughout 500–1500 K: it ranges from \(-134\) to \(-62\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\). Thus metallic copper is unstable toward oxidation throughout the requested interval.

To compare the two oxides, use

\[ \ce{Cu2O(s) + 1/2O2(g) -> 2CuO(s)}. \]

For this reaction,

\[ \Delta_\mathrm rH^\circ =2(-156)-(-170) =-142\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}, \]

\[ \Delta_\mathrm rS^\circ =2(103)-180-\frac12(244) =-96\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}. \]

Hence

\[ \Delta_\mathrm rG^\circ =-142+0.096T \quad\mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}. \]

The oxide equilibrium occurs when this is zero:

\[ T_*=\frac{142}{0.096} =\boxed{1479.17\ \mathrm{K}}. \]

Below \(T_*\), oxidation to \(\ce{CuO}\) is favorable; above \(T_*\), the reverse reaction is favorable.

Temperature Thermodynamically stable copper-containing phase
\(500\ \mathrm{K}\le T<T_*\) \(\ce{CuO(s)}\)
\(T=T_*\) \(\ce{CuO(s)}\) and \(\ce{Cu2O(s)}\) coexist
\(T_*<T\le1500\ \mathrm{K}\) \(\ce{Cu2O(s)}\)

2.5 — Anodic production of copper(I) oxide

At the copper anode, copper is oxidized from oxidation state 0 to \(+1\). Reversing the supplied oxide-reduction half-reaction gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{2Cu(s) + 2OH-(aq) -> Cu2O(s) + H2O(l) + 2e-}}. \]

At the platinum cathode, water is reduced to hydrogen:

\[ \boxed{\ce{2H2O(l) + 2e- -> H2(g) + 2OH-(aq)}}. \]

Adding the two half-reactions gives the overall electrolytic process:

\[ \ce{2Cu(s) + H2O(l) -> Cu2O(s) + H2(g)}. \]

2.6.1 — Cathodic formation of copper(I) oxide in acid

Two copper(II) ions each accept one electron, giving two copper(I) centers. Water supplies the oxide oxygen; balancing hydrogen in acidic solution gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{2Cu^{2+}(aq) + H2O(l) + 2e- -> Cu2O(s) + 2H+(aq)}}. \]

The total charge is \(+2\) on each side.

2.6.2 — Maximum pH before copper(II) hydroxide precipitation

The limiting condition is saturation with copper(II) hydroxide:

\[ \ce{Cu(OH)2(s) <=> Cu^{2+}(aq) + 2OH-(aq)}. \]

Thus

\[ K_\mathrm{sp} =[\ce{Cu^{2+}}][\ce{OH-}]^2. \]

At \([\ce{Cu^{2+}}]=0.100\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\),

\[ [\ce{OH-}]_\mathrm{max} =\sqrt{\frac{2\times10^{-19}}{0.100}} =\sqrt{2\times10^{-18}} =1.414\times10^{-9}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \mathrm{pOH} =-\log_{10}(1.414\times10^{-9}) =8.8495, \]

\[ \boxed{\mathrm{pH}_\mathrm{max} =14.00-8.8495 =5.1505\approx5.15}. \]

Above this pH, precipitation prevents the dissolved copper(II) concentration from remaining at the specified value.

2.6.3 — Minimum pH for cathodic oxide production

At 298 K, define the Nernst coefficient

\[ s=\frac{2.303RT}{F}=0.05913\ \mathrm{V}. \]

For direct deposition of copper,

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

the equilibrium reduction potential at the specified concentration is

\[ E_\mathrm m =0.337+\frac{s}{2}\log_{10}(0.100) =0.337-\frac{s}{2} =\boxed{0.3074\ \mathrm{V}}. \]

For reduction of copper(I) oxide to copper,

\[ \ce{Cu2O(s) + H2O(l) + 2e- -> 2Cu(s) + 2OH-(aq)}, \]

the Nernst equation gives

\[ E_\mathrm o =-0.360-\frac{s}{2}\log_{10}[\ce{OH-}]^2 =-0.360-s\log_{10}[\ce{OH-}]. \]

Using \(\log_{10}[\ce{OH-}]=\mathrm{pH}-14.00\),

\[ E_\mathrm o =-0.360+s(14.00-\mathrm{pH}) =0.4678-0.05913\,\mathrm{pH}. \]

To establish the condition for oxide deposition, let \(E_\mathrm f\) denote the equilibrium reduction potential for

\[ \ce{2Cu^{2+}(aq) + H2O(l) + 2e- -> Cu2O(s) + 2H+(aq)}. \]

Adding this reaction to oxide reduction written in acidic form,

\[ \ce{Cu2O(s) + 2H+(aq) + 2e- -> 2Cu(s) + H2O(l)}, \]

gives

\[ \ce{2Cu^{2+}(aq) + 4e- -> 2Cu(s)}. \]

Because Gibbs energies add, and each constituent half-reaction transfers two electrons,

\[ -2FE_\mathrm f-2FE_\mathrm o=-4FE_\mathrm m, \]

so

\[ E_\mathrm f=2E_\mathrm m-E_\mathrm o. \]

Selective oxide deposition becomes possible when its deposition potential is more positive than the potential for direct metal deposition:

\[ E_\mathrm f>E_\mathrm m. \]

Using the relation above, this is equivalent to

\[ E_\mathrm m>E_\mathrm o. \]

The limiting pH therefore satisfies

\[ 0.337-\frac{s}{2} =-0.360+s(14.00-\mathrm{pH}_\mathrm{min}). \]

Rearranging,

\[ \mathrm{pH}_\mathrm{min} =14.50-\frac{0.697}{s} =14.50-\frac{0.697}{0.0591296} =\boxed{2.7123\approx2.71}. \]

At this boundary, the metal-deposition, oxide-deposition, and oxide-to-metal reduction potentials coincide. Just above it, a finite electrode-potential interval permits oxide deposition without direct copper deposition.

Combining this limit with part 2.6.2 gives the thermodynamic operating interval

\[ \boxed{2.71<\mathrm{pH}\le5.15}, \]

where the upper endpoint is the onset of copper(II) hydroxide saturation.

The solution was checked against the official solution.