Abstract Based on the principle of selective corrosion of copper-clad boards, experimenters can freely use oil-based pens to draw electrodes of arbitrary sizes, shapes, and quantities. After etching, miniature electrolytic cells can be fabricated. Using copper sulfate as the electrolyte solution, the electrolytic reaction was conducted in the thin-layer gap between the copper-clad board and a cover glass, allowing clear observation of phenomena within 3 min. This highly adaptable experiment could simulate various scenarios, such as electrolytic copper refining, electroplating on irregularly shaped cathodes and series-connected electrolytic cells. This experiment also investigated the effect of electrode spacing on reaction rate.
YIN Zhi-Jun, SONG Wei. Innovative Design for Electrolytic Copper Refining and Electroplating: Design Electrolytic Cells Using Etched Copper-Clad Laminates[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Education, 2026, 47(3): 84-88.
