Homebrew PCBs

Electrolysis would certainly get copper in solution. The solution 
may need agitation to minimize chlorine gas evolving at the 
copper anode. When the copper gets high it will want to plate on 
the cathode, along with hydrogen. This usually produces a growth 
of copper sponge. You can stop copper ions reaching the cathode 
by a porous wall, such as a earthenware garden pot suspended in 
the middle of the bath and the cathode inside this pot. Hydrogen 
ions have much greater ionic mobility than copper(II) ions and 
will readily pass through the electrolyte absorbed ceramic wall. 
I've prepared sulfuric acid / stannous sulfate a similar way for 
a tin plating tank.

Assuming 100% electrode  efficiency, then to dissolve 1 kg of 
copper metal requires 840 amp-hours, (e.g. 10 amps for 3.5 days).

Electrolysis is not fast, and not easy as to setup.


Jan Kok wrote:
> Just some brainstorming from someone who is not very knowlegeable about chemistry:
> 
> Would electrolysis speed up the dissolving of the copper and getting the reaction you want?  Just pass 6.3VAC (more or less, to suit your taste) between two copper electrodes.  You get gaseous oxygen (which you apparently want) during part of the electrical cycle, and hydrogen in the other half (so watch out for explosive gas mixture!).
> 
> Cheers,
> - Jan
> 
>