TITLE:
Electrogravimetric Determination of Copper Using a Constructed Compact Electrolytic Cell
AUTHORS:
Dallatu E. Musa, Rufus Sha’Ato, Ishaq S. Eneji, Adams U. Itodo
KEYWORDS:
Electrochemistry, Electrolytic Cells, Design, Construction, Electrogravimetry Electrolysis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.5 No.3,
March
28,
2018
ABSTRACT: Conventional electrolytic cells are usually cumbersome and simulated with fragile open ended glass wares such as beakers, tubes, troughs or tanks which are prone to interference and contamination. Electrolytic cell was designed by allotting dimensions for its length: 12.0 cm, breadth: 6.0 cm and height: 8.0 cm to the cell; its casing for 9.0 V power source was allotted 2.5 cm length, 2.5 cm breadth and 2.5 cm height; bores for dispensing and draining out spent (used) electrolyte and those for fixing electrodes were allotted 1.2 cm diameter; it was also designed to have an innovated switch and electrodes storage facility (compartment) of 7.0 cm length, 2.5 cm breadth and 2.5 cm height with ammeter separately fixed at the left edge of the cell’s electrolytes compartment. Perspex was used to construct a compact, durable and portable unit of electrolytic cell. Capacity of the cell was determined to be 500 cm3. Compactability tests show that the designed and constructed electrolytic cell is a compact unit. Conventional and the compact (constructed) electrolytic cells were separately used to perform electrogravimetry (electrolysis) 25.0 cm3 aliquot at 0.2 A for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 mins. Relationship between mass (g) of electroplated Cu and time (10 to 60 mins) taken to electrolyze Cu in 25 cm3 aliquot was determined where conventional electrolytic cell electroplated 0.02 g to 0.22 g of Cu, compact electrolytic cell electroplated 0.03 g to 0.23 g of Cu and theoretically calculated mass of electroplated Cu in 25 cm3 aliquot was 0.04 g to 0.24 g respectively. Statistical comparison of the two set of systems at 95.0% percent confidence level indicated a significant difference in their performances. However at 99.0% - 99.9% confidence level the comparison showed that there is no significant difference in their performances. The results of this study buttress that Perspex is a good material for constructing compact, durable and portable electrolytic cells. It also showed that the constructed electrolytic cell is highly a sensitive tool as revealed by its ability to electroplate higher mass of electroplated copper than the conventional cell; that mass of electroplated copper and time of electrolysis have a positive correlation and statistical analysis revealed that the two sets of methods do not agree significantly with each other at 95.00% confidence level but they agree significantly with each other beyond this.