Experiment 2: Electrolysis of KI Solution and Electroplating of Copper Wire

M. Aquino, A. Badua, A. Belardo, A. Cabasag, I. Cantal

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sto. Tomas
ABSTRACT
Electrochemistry involves two types of cells: galvanic and electrolytic cell.
Electrolytic cell is capable of undergoing redox reaction when an external force is
applied. Electrolysis of KI solution and electroplating is included in the application of
electrolytic cell. The objectives of this experiment are to understand the principles
behind the electrolytic cell and to relate the concept of Faradays law in
electroplating. Visible results were present only in the electrolysis of KI solution,
producing pink solution with rapid gas bubbling for the cathode and yellow
substance that turned black in anode. Electroplating of copper wire did not happen
because of several factors that affected the experiment such as the concentration
of the cupric sulfate (CuSO4) solution and amount of current applied.

INTRODUCTION solution. Depending on the nature of

the electrolyte, different reactions may
Electrochemistry is the study of
take place at the anode and the
electricity and how it relates to
cathode during the electrolysis of an
chemical reactions. In
aqueous solution.
electrochemistry, electricity can be
generated by the flow of electrons An electrolytic cell consists of a

from one element to another in a power source or a battery connected

reaction known as redox reaction. [1] to two electrodes in an electrolyte

solution. The electrodes act as
Electrolysis is defined as the
external conductors and provide
decomposition of a substance by
surfaces at which electron transfer will
means of an electric current. When an
take place. Electrons flow from the
electric current is passed through
anode, which is the site of oxidation,
water containing an electrolyte, the
to the cathode, which is the site of
water molecules decompose via the
reduction. The power source or battery
redox reaction. Oxygen gas is
push the electrons into the electrolytic
generated at the anode while
cell from the negative pole and pulling
hydrogen gas is generated at the
electrons from the cell at the positive
cathode. The purpose of the
pole. The negative electrode, where
electrolyte, which is KI in this
the electrons enter the cell, is the
experiment, is to provide ions that will
cathode. The electrons are consumed
carry the current through the
in a reduction half-reaction at the
cathode. Electrons are generated at METHODOLOGY
the anode, the positive electrode, via
an oxidation half-reaction. The A. Electrolysis of KI solution
migration of ions in the electrolyte
solution completes the electrical Potassium iodide was used for the

circuit. [2] experiment of electrolysis. Ten

milliliters of 0.1M KI solution was
Electroplating involves passing
prepared and transferred into an
an electric current through an
evaporating dish. Two drops of
electrolyte. This is done by dipping
phenolphthalein and 10 drops of starch
two terminals called electrodes into
solution were added to the KI solution.
the electrolyte and connecting them
Sand paper was used to polish two
into a power supply. The electrodes
copper wires. After polishing, each
and electrolyte are made from
copper wire was coiled around two
carefully chosen elements or
separate pencil lead. The other ends of
compounds. When the electricity flows
each copper wires were also coiled
through the circuit, the electrolyte
onto the positive and negative poles of
splits up and some of the metal atoms
the 9V battery. After coiling, the two
it contains are deposited in a thin
graphite electrodes or pencil lead were
layer on top of one of the electrodes
immersed in the KI solution for 2
and becomes electroplated. All kinds
minutes. The chemical reactions
of metals can be plated in this way,
observed in each electrode were
including gold, silver, tin, zinc, copper,
recorded as data.
cadmium, chromium, nickel, platinum,
and lead. Electroplating is very similar
B. Electroplating of Copper
to electrolysis (using electricity to split
Wires
up a chemical solution), which is the
reverse of the process by which
In the electroplating of copper
batteries produce electric currents.
wires, 100-ml 1M CuSO4 was prepared.
Fifty milliliters of the copper sulfate
solution were obtained and transferred
in an evaporating dish. Two copper
wires were polished using sand paper
and washed with warm distilled water.
The copper wires were dried using
filter paper and were also allowed to
air-dry. After air-drying, the copper
wires were weighed individually using
an analytical balance. One end of each
copper wires was curled onto the
positive and negative terminals of the
According to Faradays First Law of
Electrolysis, in a two electrode cell, the
moles of a substance produced at both
electrodes are directly proportional to
the moles of electrons in the cell which
is true and applicable in the
electrolysis of KI. [3]
Table 1. Observations in cathode and
anode
Observations

9-volt battery along with the black and Catho Rapid bubbling observed at
de negative electrode. Solution
red voltmeter probes. The free ends of immediately surrounding the
copper wires were immersed in the cathode turned bright pink.
copper sulfate solution for 30 minutes
with current flowing from the battery. Anode Yellow substance formed at
positive electrode and
In the experiment, there was no
dissolved in solution.
reading observed in the voltmeter Brownish yellow solid
even after several trials. The analysts observed on electrode.
Solution turned black.
therefore were not able to proceed and
finish the second part of the
experiment which is electroplating of
copper wires.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A. Electrolysis of KI solution

The following oxidation and

reduction half-reactions occurred in Figure 1. Visible results of
each electrode are possible for the electrolysis of KI Visible results in
electrolysis of potassium iodide electrolysis of potassium iodide
solution: solution are shown in Table 1 and
Figure 1. Two separate half reactions
Anode: 2I-(aq) I2(s) + 2e-
occur at each electrode. The iodide
Cathode: 2H2O(l) + 2e- H2(g) + 2OH- anion (I-) is oxidized to I2 at the anode.
(aq)
This is confirmed by the appearance
of a yellow-brown color in solution encountered is the errors of the
which is due to the formation of method. It arises from the chemical
triiodide ions (I3-) which turned black behavior of analytical systems.
because of the starch.
There are several factors involved
This reaction occurs as follows:
in electroplating:
I2 (aq) + I- (aq) I3- (aq)
a. Total charge transferred to the
cathode.
At the cathode, the reduction of
hydrogen in water to H2 gas is This will be equal to the current
confirmed by the evolution of gas and (charge/second) times the number of
appearance of a pink color which is seconds the current is applied. There
due to phenolphthalein indicator, are two ways of increasing the amount
-
indicating the presence of OH in the of copper deposited: (1) increase the
solution. amount of current applied, and (2)
increase the length of time the current
B. Electroplating of Copper is applied.
Wires
Increasing the current too much
will deplete the solution at the surface
Table 2. Initial weight of each copper
wire in the positive and negative of the cathode of Cu2+, and the
terminal of battery hydrogen may be reduced along with
the copper:
Initial weight of 0.3257 g
Cu0
2H+(aq) + 2e- = H2(g)
wire (+)
Initial weight of 0.3525 g The little bubbles of hydrogen gas
Cu0 forming at the cathode surface will
wire (-) produce a brittle, poorly adhering
copper deposit. Stirring the solution
In electroplating of copper wires, no during the electrolysis will minimize
results were obtained because of prevent hydrogen reduction at the
possible errors. One of the errors would cathode, but the amount of current
be personal error which is due to the applied as well as the potential applied
carelessness and inattentiveness of to cathode is only limited. To prevent
the analysts. Another error that was reduction of hydrogen on the copper
surface, adding a little amount of
nitrate will be reduced to ammonia at
the cathode, thus the
deposited will be smooth, shiny, and
pure. [4]
b. Solution composition.
The concentration of the Cu 2+
will influence the amount of copper
you see deposited. For the reduction of
Cu2+ ion at the cathode:
When [Cu2+ ] is less than 1 M,
the log term will be negative, and the
copper electrode potential will be more
negative. That means that the lower
the concentration of Cu2+, the more
negative potential (applied voltage)
will be required. For a given applied
voltage then, the more dilute the
CuSO4 solution is, the less copper will
be deposited on the cathode.
c. Other factors.

Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- = Cu(s). Most chemical reactions go

faster at higher temperatures. More
The Nernst equation implies that copper will deposit from a warm
the cathode's potential is proportional copper(II) sulfate solution than a cooler
2+
to the log of the molarity of Cu : one, all other things being equal.

E = Eo + (RT/nF) ln [Cu2+] Other ions in solution will

surround and impede the copper(II)
o
where E is the electrode ions at the cathode surface, slowing
potential under standard conditions down the rate of electrodeposition.
(about +0.34 V for this reaction), n is
The condition of the electrode
the number of moles of electrons
surface and the positioning and shape
transferred (2 moles of electrons per
of the electrodes influences
mole of Cu deposited), F is the charge
electrodeposition rates.
per mole of electrons transferred (F =
96487 Coulombs/mol), R is the gas law The above-mentioned factors

constant affected the electroplating experiment.

(8.31451 J/mol K) and [Cu2+] is the The analysts did the electroplating

molarity of the copper(II) ions in the experiment but were not able to

solution. perform electroplating of the copper

wires even after several trials. The
copper sulfate solution used was only
an approximation concentration of experiment because of several factors
copper sulfate, causing errors in the such as the concentration of the
experiment. Presence of contaminants copper sulfate solution used and
must have also interfered in the amount of current applied.
electroplating of copper wires.
The objectives of this
experiment are to review the principles
CONCLUSION
behind electrolytic cells and to relate
In an electrolytic cell, electrons the concept of Faradays law in
are provided by an outside source to electroplating. Electrolytic cells were
the cathode and are lost from the explained and clarified and Faradays
system at the anode. The charge will law of electrolysis which is related in
positive in the source of the electrons electroplating was also briefly
while negative in the site where they discussed in this experiment.
are lost, thus reversing its charges.
REFERENCES
Faradays First Law of
[1] L. (2016, August 29).
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product. The product is iodine which is _of_Electrochemistry
[2] Electrolysis of Potassium Iodide.
yellow, water-soluble, and turns black
(2016). Retrieved February 22, 2017,
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substance formed at the cathode is a https://www.flinnsci.com/globalassets/fl
inn-scientific/all-free-pdfs/dc91208.pdf
reduction product. The product is [3] Houston, Z. (2009). Experiment 13:
hydrogen gas, and is accompanied by Electrolysis of Potassium Iodide.
Retrieved February 22, 2017, from
the formation of a base https://chemistry.missouri.edu/sites/def
(phenolphthalein turned pink). ault/files/class-
files/electrolysis_of_ki.pdf
Hydroxide ions are formed as a
[4] What factors affect the amount of
byproduct. copper plated from a CuSO4 solution?
(n.d.). Retrieved February, 2017, from
Electroplating of copper wires http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/sene
was not properly done in the se/101/redox/faq/cu-deposition.shtml