How To Grow Copper Acetate Monohydrate Crystals

Natural Blue-Green Crystals Are Easy To Grow

These are crystals of copper(II) acetate grown on a copper wire.
These are crystals of copper(II) acetate grown on a copper wire. Choba Poncho, public domain
By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on March 06, 2017

It's easy to grow blue-green monoclinic crystals of copper acetate monohydrate [Cu(CH3COO)2.H2O].

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: a few days

What You Need To Grow Copper Acetate Crystals

  • copper acetate monohydrate
  • hot distilled water
  • acetic acid (if necessary)

How To Grow Copper Acetate Crystals

  1. Dissolve 20 grams of copper acetate monohydrate in 200 ml of hot distilled water.
  2. If there is a scum of undissolved material, stir in a couple of drops of acetic acid.
  3. Cover the solution with a paper towel or coffer filter and allow it to cool in an undisturbed location.
  4. Blue-green crystals should start to spontaneously deposit within a couple of days. You can allow them to grow or can select one small crystal to use as a seed crystal to grow a larger single crystal.
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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How To Grow Copper Acetate Monohydrate Crystals." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/grow-copper-acetate-monohydrate-crystals-606249. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). How To Grow Copper Acetate Monohydrate Crystals. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/grow-copper-acetate-monohydrate-crystals-606249 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How To Grow Copper Acetate Monohydrate Crystals." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/grow-copper-acetate-monohydrate-crystals-606249 (accessed June 10, 2023).