Thanks for the quick response.
The temperature here is just starting to warm up a bit; it was below
freezing last week. Spring has not quite arrived yet. So it will be
easier to take the lid off and keep the tank in the basement. There
are some iron/steel tools and nuts/bolts stored within 6 or 7 feet but
I assume short term exposure will not wreak havoc with them. I can
temporarily move them into another room if that is advisable. (List
members please advise!)
I had just moved the tank before I got your email and when I took the
lid off I thought maybe the blue bits had faded. So now it will be off
with the lid. Thanks again.
Grant
--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Adam Seychell
<adam_seychell@y...> wrote:
> Opps, I forgot of mentioned that the reaction needs lots of
> atmospheric air !. keep the container open.
> Copper doesn't react with HCl acid by its self. There is probably
> a complex oxidation process happening with the wetted copper,
> air, and HCl. I know that several copper compounds are made in a
> similar way. I once made copper acetate with vinegar and copper,
> but it took days just to get a tablespoon of the dried salt.
>
> I actually had the container outside completely exposed (covered
> with a shade cloth to stop leaves blowing in), so I suppose
> that's why it seemed to work faster that what you are
> experiencing. You could of very well seen the formation of blue
> cupric hydroxide before your eyes. The oxygen starved environment
> was preventing it from happening before you removed the lid.