Copper(II) oxide or cupric oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula CuO. A black solid, it is one of the two stable oxides of copper, the other being Cu2O or copper(I) oxide (cuprous oxide). As a mineral, it is known as tenorite, or sometimes black copper. It is a product of copper mining and the precursor to many other copper-containing products and chemical compounds.[3]

Copper(II) oxide
Names
IUPAC name
Copper(II) oxide
Other names
Cupric oxide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.013.882 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 215-269-1
RTECS number
  • GL7950000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/Cu.O/q 2;-2 checkY
    Key: KKCXRELNMOYFLS-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  • InChI=1/Cu.O/rCuO/c1-2
    Key: QPLDLSVMHZLSFG-PHEGLCPBAN
  • InChI=1/Cu.O/q 2;-2
    Key: KKCXRELNMOYFLS-UHFFFAOYAT
  • [Cu]=O
  • [Cu 2].[O-2]
Properties
CuO
Molar mass 79.545 g/mol
Appearance black to brown powder
Density 6.315 g/cm3
Melting point 1,326 °C (2,419 °F; 1,599 K)
Boiling point 2,000 °C (3,630 °F; 2,270 K)
insoluble
Solubility soluble in ammonium chloride, potassium cyanide
insoluble in alcohol, ammonium carbonate
Band gap 1.2 eV
238.9·10−6 cm3/mol
2.63
Structure
monoclinic, mS8[1]
C2/c, #15
a = 4.6837, b = 3.4226, c = 5.1288
α = 90°, β = 99.54°, γ = 90°
Thermochemistry
43 J·mol−1·K−1
−156 kJ·mol−1
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS09: Environmental hazard
Warning
H410
P273, P391, P501
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 2: Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury. E.g. chloroformFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 1: Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. E.g. calciumSpecial hazards (white): no code
2
0
1
Flash point Non-flammable
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)
TWA 1 mg/m3 (as Cu)[2]
REL (Recommended)
TWA 1 mg/m3 (as Cu)[2]
IDLH (Immediate danger)
TWA 100 mg/m3 (as Cu)[2]
Safety data sheet (SDS) Fisher Scientific
Related compounds
Other anions
Copper(II) sulfide
Other cations
Nickel(II) oxide
Zinc oxide
Related compounds
Copper(I) oxide
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Production

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It is produced on a large scale by pyrometallurgy, as one stage in extracting copper from its ores. The ores are treated with an aqueous mixture of ammonium carbonate, ammonia, and oxygen to ultimately give copper(II) ammine complex carbonates, such as [Cu(NH3)4]CO3. After extraction from the residues and after separation from iron, lead, etc. impurities, the carbonate salt is decomposed with steam to give CuO.[3]

It can be formed by heating copper in air at around 300–800 °C:

2 Cu O2 → 2 CuO

For laboratory uses, copper(II) oxide is conveniently prepared by pyrolysis of copper(II) nitrate or basic copper(II) carbonate:[4]

2 Cu(NO3)2 → 2 CuO 4 NO2 O2 (180°C)
Cu2(OH)2CO3 → 2 CuO CO2 H2O

Dehydration of cupric hydroxide has also been demonstrated:

Cu(OH)2 → CuO H2O

Reactions

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Copper(II) oxide reacts with mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid to give the corresponding hydrated copper(II) salts:[4]

CuO 2 HNO3 → Cu(NO3)2 H2O
CuO 2 HCl → CuCl2 H2O
CuO H2SO4 → CuSO4 H2O

In presence of water it reacts with concentrated alkali to form the corresponding cuprate salts:

2 NaOH CuO H2O → Na2[Cu(OH)4]

It can also be reduced to copper metal using hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon:

CuO H2 → Cu H2O
CuO CO → Cu CO2
2 CuO C → 2Cu CO2

When cupric oxide is substituted for iron oxide in thermite the resulting mixture is a low explosive, not an incendiary.

Structure and physical properties

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Copper(II) oxide belongs to the monoclinic crystal system. The copper atom is coordinated by 4 oxygen atoms in an approximately square planar configuration.[1]

The work function of bulk CuO is 5.3 eV.[5]

Uses

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As a significant product of copper mining, copper(II) oxide is the starting point for the production of many other copper salts. For example, many wood preservatives are produced from copper oxide.[3]

Cupric oxide is used as a pigment in ceramics to produce blue, red, and green, and sometimes gray, pink, or black glazes.[3]

It is incorrectly used as a dietary supplement in animal feed.[6] Due to low bioactivity, negligible copper is absorbed.[7]

It is used when welding with copper alloys.[8]

A copper oxide electrode formed part of the early battery type known as the Edison–Lalande cell. Copper oxide was also used in a lithium battery type (IEC 60086 code "G").

Pyrotechnics and fireworks

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Used as moderate blue coloring agent in blue flame compositions with additional chlorine donors and oxidizers such as chlorates and perchlorates. Providing oxygen it can be used as flash powder oxidizer with metal fuels such as magnesium, aluminium, or magnalium powder. Sometimes it is used in strobe effects and thermite compositions as crackling stars effect.

Similar compounds

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An example of natural copper(I,II) oxide is the mineral paramelaconite, Cu 2Cu2 2O3.[9][10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the ambient temperature structure of CuO, Forsyth J.B., Hull S., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 3 (1991) 5257–5261, doi:10.1088/0953-8984/3/28/001. Crystallographic point group: 2/m or C2h. Space group: C2/c. Lattice parameters: a = 4.6837(5), b = 3.4226(5), c = 5.1288(6), α = 90°, β = 99.54(1)°, γ = 90°.
  2. ^ a b c NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. "#0150". National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
  3. ^ a b c d Richardson, H. Wayne (2002). "Copper Compounds". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a07_567. ISBN 978-3527306732.
  4. ^ a b O. Glemser and H. Sauer (1963). "Copper, Silver, Gold". In G. Brauer (ed.). Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry, 2nd Ed. Vol. 1. NY, NY: Academic Press.
  5. ^ F. P. Koffyberg and F. A. Benko (1982). "A photoelectrochemical determination of the position of the conduction and valence band edges of p-type CuO". J. Appl. Phys. 53 (2): 1173. Bibcode:1982JAP....53.1173K. doi:10.1063/1.330567.
  6. ^ "Uses of Copper Compounds: Other Copper Compounds". Copper Development Association. 2007. Archived from the original on 2013-08-15. Retrieved 2007-01-27.
  7. ^ Baker, David H. (1999). "Cupric Oxide Should Not be Used as a Copper Supplement for Either Animals or Humans". The Journal of Nutrition. 129 (12): 2278–2279. doi:10.1093/jn/129.12.2278. PMID 10573563.
  8. ^ "Cupric Oxide Data Sheet". Hummel Croton Inc. 2006-04-21. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
  9. ^ "Paramelaconite".
  10. ^ "List of Minerals". 21 March 2011.
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