Disclosed in the present invention are a method and apparatus for using metallic
copper to prepare
copper oxide by means of an electrolytic method. In the method, a
copper dissolution electrolytic cell comprising a metallic
copper anode, a
cathode, an electrolytic power supply, a liquid
sprayer, and / or a vibrator is used. An
electrolyte is a solution containing
sodium sulfate and / or
potassium sulfate and having a
chloride ion content less than or equal to 600 mg / L. The electrolytic power supply is turned on and the output
voltage between positive and negative electrodes of the electrolytic power supply is caused to be greater than or equal to 0.34 V. Under this condition, an electrolytic copper
dissolution operation is carried out so that metallic copper on the surface of the
anode undergoes an electrochemical reaction to generate
basic copper sulfate, the
cathode electrically precipitates
hydrogen, and as an electrolytic reaction proceeds, the
basic copper sulfate is converted into
copper oxide under a basic condition. During the electrolytic copper
dissolution operation, the liquid
sprayer is used to extract the
electrolyte and spray the
electrolyte to the
anode, and / or the vibrator is used to oscillate the metallic
copper anode and / or the electrolyte, so that the
basic copper sulfate layer generated in the reaction and adhesively covering the surface of the metallic
copper anode falls off under the action of an external force and the
copper metal therein is exposed to continue to participate in an electrolytic copper
dissolution reaction.