Chemical Knowledge Share – Copper Oxide

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Its chemical formula is CuO; it is a black solid that is insoluble in water and ethanol, but soluble in dilute acids, potassium cyanide solution, and ammonium carbonate solution. It dissolves slowly in ammonia. Basic oxides. It has high thermal stability; it begins to decompose into cuprous oxide and oxygen only when heated to above 1,000°C. Under heating conditions, copper oxide possesses a certain oxidizing capacity and can oxidize carbon to CO2; it can also be reduced to metallic copper by reducing agents such as C, CO, H2, etc. Copper oxide can be used as a coloring agent for glass and ceramics (green or blue), as a catalyst in organic synthesis, as a desulfurizing agent for oils, and it is also used in the production of rayon and for gas analysis. As an oxidizing agent, it is commonly used in organic analysis to determine the carbon content in compounds. Copper reacts with oxygen when heated to form copper oxide; copper oxide can be produced by heating copper nitrate or copper carbonate, as well as when copper hydroxide or basic copper carbonate is heated.