Cupric Oxide (Black) CuO · Black · CAS 1317-38-0
The stable, fully oxidized copper oxide — black, dense and chemically unfussy, and the one that belongs in a glaze or a catalyst bed rather than in a feed premix.
Chelora Chemicals is a cupric oxide supplier and sourcing partner serving ceramics, catalyst and chemical buyers across the United States, with a batch COA, SDS and UN 3077 documentation on every consignment.
- CAS Number
- 1317-38-0
- Chemical name
- Copper(II) oxide
- Molecular formula
- CuO
- Molecular weight
- 79.55 g/mol
- Copper as Cu (theoretical)
- 79.9%
- Appearance
- Black powder or granule
- Density
- 6.31 g/cm³
- Transport
- UN 3077 · Class 9 · PG III
- HS Code
- 2825 50
Note: this is not the red one, and the difference is not cosmetic. Cupric oxide is copper(II), CuO, black, 79.9% copper, CAS 1317-38-0. Cuprous oxide is copper(I), Cu₂O, red, 88.8% copper, CAS 1317-39-1. The CAS numbers differ by one digit and the compounds differ in oxidation state, color, copper content and application. Order by CAS, never by the words "copper oxide".
The end of the oxidation road
Cupric oxide is copper fully oxidized. Unlike the red cuprous oxide, it has nowhere further to go — which is exactly why it keeps.
Why it matters: stability is the selling point — CuO does not drift oxidation state in storage the way Cu₂O and copper hydroxide do
What cupric oxide is used for
Cupric oxide is a black powder or granule, CuO, carrying 79.9% copper. It is copper in its fully oxidized +2 state, which makes it the most chemically settled of the copper compounds we supply: it does not darken, does not drift oxidation state, and does not need stabilizing the way copper hydroxide does.
Its uses follow from that stability and from its solubility in acid. It is a colorant in ceramic glazes and glass — where, counterintuitively, it gives greens and blues rather than black — a catalyst and catalyst precursor, a convenient feedstock for making copper salts, and a component of welding fluxes, pyrotechnic compositions and some battery chemistries.
What the specification controls
- Copper as Cu, 79.9% theoretical. Commercial grades sit close to it; the assay is agreed per order.
- Particle size and surface area. In catalysis surface area does the work; in glazes particle size governs color development.
- Acid solubility. The parameter that matters where the oxide is a feedstock for copper salts.
- The red oxide, which is a different compound: cuprous oxide.
Handling character
Cupric oxide is a Class 9 dangerous good on aquatic toxicity grounds. Full detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Black powder or granule |
| Copper as Cu | Per agreed specification |
| Theoretical Cu for pure CuO | 79.9% |
| Acid solubility | Per agreed specification |
| Moisture | Per grade specification |
| Particle size / surface area | Per agreed specification |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Black solid |
| Molecular weight | 79.55 g/mol |
| Density | 6.31 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | ≈ 1,326 °C |
| Water solubility | Insoluble |
| Acid solubility | Soluble in mineral acids |
| Oxidation state | Cu(II) — stable |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 1317-38-0 and rounded for readability. Commercial grades differ widely in particle size and surface area, which matter more than the headline assay in catalysis and in glaze work. Treat the table as orientation, not as a specification.
Where US industry uses cupric oxide
Ceramics and glass, catalysis, copper salt manufacture and metallurgy.
Ceramic glazes & glass
A colorant giving greens and blues in glazes and glass despite being black itself — the fired color depends on the glaze chemistry and atmosphere.
- Particle size to specification
- Low iron on request
- Shade matched to retained sample
Catalysis & catalyst precursors
A catalyst and catalyst precursor where surface area, not bulk assay, governs performance.
- Surface area specified
- Documented impurity profile
- Technical desk review on request
Copper salt manufacture
A clean, acid-soluble feedstock for making copper sulfate, copper chloride and other copper salts.
- Acid solubility specified
- Low insolubles
- Bulk and bagged supply
Welding fluxes & metallurgy
Used in welding consumables, brazing fluxes and metallurgical additions where a stable copper source is wanted.
- Consistent assay lot to lot
- Sized to the process
- Retained sample held
Pyrotechnics & electronics
A copper source in pyrotechnic compositions and in some battery and electronic materials chemistry.
- High purity grades on request
- Small quantities available
- Documented traceability
Contract & scheduled supply
Glaze and catalyst production run to campaign schedules, so contracted tonnage with call-off matters on this line.
- Annual contracts with call-off
- Price held across the contract
- Second source held in reserve
Delivered to US plants and ports
We ship cupric oxide to nominated delivery points across the United States. The regions below are destinations we serve — Chelora Chemicals is a sourcing and supply partner, not a US manufacturer, and does not hold US stock.
Gulf Coast
The largest US chemical cluster, and the usual entry point for bulk consignments.
- Houston & Galveston, TX
- New Orleans & Baton Rouge, LA
- Mobile, AL
Northeast
Container and bulk delivery into the mid-Atlantic and New England manufacturing belt.
- Newark & Elizabeth, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Boston, MA
Southeast
Port-side delivery for the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida processing plants.
- Savannah, GA
- Charleston, SC
- Jacksonville, FL & Norfolk, VA
Midwest & Great Lakes
Inland rail and truck forwarding from the nearest coastal port to the industrial Midwest.
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Cleveland & Columbus, OH
West Coast
Pacific routing for West Coast processors and formulators.
- Los Angeles & Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Seattle & Tacoma, WA
Southwest & Mountain
Inland delivery to interior states, forwarded from the Gulf or Pacific gateway.
- Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Denver, CO
Importing into the United States
Cupric oxide is a TSCA-regulated chemical substance. Under TSCA section 13 the importer of record, or its authorized agent, must certify to US Customs and Border Protection that each shipment either complies with TSCA or is not subject to it. We confirm the substance's TSCA Inventory status and agree in writing who files that certification before the first consignment moves.
Which party carries that duty follows the Incoterm. On FOB, CFR or CIF terms it is usually the US buyer; on DDP terms it can be the seller or its agent. Safety data sheets and labels are supplied to OSHA's updated Hazard Communication Standard, and the UN 3077 Class 9 transport documentation is prepared before booking.
| Item | How it works |
|---|---|
| Delivery points | Any nominated US plant, terminal or port of discharge |
| Incoterms quoted | FOB · CFR · CIF · DDP |
| Importer of record | Agreed in writing before the first shipment |
| TSCA certification | Section 13 positive certification filed at entry |
| Documentation | Batch COA, SDS, packing list, certificate of origin |
| Pack formats | 25 kg bags or bulk bags |
Note: regional coverage describes where we deliver, not where we hold inventory. Lead time depends on producer scheduling and ocean transit to your nominated US port — we confirm both in the quotation.
How we supply cupric oxide
Chelora Chemicals is a cupric oxide supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. This is the least temperamental copper compound we handle — it does not oxidize further, does not need stabilizing and does not darken — so the specification work moves to particle size, surface area and acid solubility.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your specification, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm US import requirements before booking.
We will also tell you where not to use it. The animal nutrition literature advises against cupric oxide as a copper supplement, and we would rather lose that order than sell you the wrong copper.
- We will not sell this as a feed copper supplement. Published nutrition work finds cupric oxide very poorly bioavailable; a university extension review states plainly that "copper oxide is not recommended" for livestock diets.
- Ordered by CAS, not by name. CAS 1317-38-0 is the black copper(II) oxide; 1317-39-1 is the red copper(I). One digit apart, and a different product.
- Surface area specified where it matters. In catalysis the bulk assay tells you almost nothing; surface area does the work.
- Acid solubility specified for salt manufacture. The parameter that decides whether the oxide dissolves cleanly into your process.
- UN 3077 documentation prepared before booking. Class 9 on aquatic toxicity grounds; the paperwork is not optional.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
Bagged or bulk bagged
25 kg bags, bulk bags or drums — all to UN 3077 marking and labeling requirements.
25 kg poly-lined bags
Moisture-barrier bags on stretch-wrapped pallets, UN-marked, the standard commercial unit.
500–1,000 kg bulk bags
Liner-fitted bulk bags for glaze, catalyst and chemical plants.
Steel or fiber drums
Sealed drums where extra protection or extended storage is needed.
Small sealed units
Smaller sealed units for laboratory, pilot and glaze development work.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with dangerous goods documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for glaze firing, catalyst and dissolution trials before a commercial order.
Stable in storage — but still a Class 9 good
Cupric oxide is chemically stable and does not drift oxidation state, but it is harmful by ingestion and very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects — which is what makes it a Class 9 dangerous good for transport. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H302Harmful if swallowed.H319Causes serious eye irritation.H410Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Do not specify cupric oxide as a feed copper source. This is worth stating plainly because the compound is still sold into that use. Published animal nutrition work finds copper oxide very poorly available compared with copper sulfate; a University of Florida extension review summarising cattle, swine and poultry studies states that "copper oxide is not recommended but is still widely used in livestock diets", and a separate paper argues it should not be used as a copper supplement for animals or humans at all. If you need a feed copper source, tribasic copper chloride or copper sulfate are the forms the literature supports — see our copper oxychloride technical page.
Storage
Store in sealed packaging in a dry, covered area away from strong acids. Cupric oxide is stable and does not require the moisture and temperature control that cuprous oxide and copper hydroxide do. Bunded or contained storage is advised because of the aquatic hazard.
Handling
Handle with dust control, gloves and eye protection; the material is harmful if swallowed and irritates the eyes. Prevent any release to drains, watercourses or soil. Follow the exposure controls set out in the batch SDS.
Transport
Copper oxides are classified as dangerous goods for transport on the basis of aquatic toxicity, normally shipped as UN 3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s., Class 9, Packing Group III. Marked and labeled packaging, a dangerous goods declaration and IMDG or DOT-compliant documentation are required. We confirm and document the classification for your specific grade, packaging and destination before booking.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Copper content basis, crystal form, shade, particle size and moisture confirmed against your requirement before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, SDS, TSCA or FIFRA position and UN 3077 dangerous goods paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How cupric oxide is made
Cupric oxide is made by oxidising copper metal or scrap at high temperature, or by calcining a copper salt — the carbonate, hydroxide or nitrate — which drives off the volatile component and leaves the oxide. Copper hydroxide calcines to cupric oxide too, which is exactly the decomposition that makes the hydroxide such a careful product to store.
What makes cupric oxide straightforward is that it is the end of the oxidation road. Copper has nowhere further to go, so unlike cuprous oxide, which drifts toward it in moist air, and unlike copper hydroxide, which converts to it on warming, CuO simply keeps. That is the whole reason it is the copper of choice where a compound has to sit in a warehouse or a glaze batch for months.
Because the end states converge, the specification questions move downstream of assay. Particle size and surface area govern catalytic performance and color development in a glaze; acid solubility governs whether the oxide dissolves cleanly when it is being used as a feedstock to make copper salts. Two lots at the same copper assay can behave very differently on all three.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Chemical family | Copper(II) oxide |
|---|---|
| Copper content | 79.9% theoretical |
| Color | Black — but gives green and blue in glazes |
| Stability | Fully oxidized; does not drift |
| Not the same as | Cuprous oxide, Cu₂O, CAS 1317-39-1 |
| Not suitable for | Feed copper supplementation |
The copper range and related inorganics
The other copper chemistries and the acids and salts supplied from the same desk.
Cupric oxide, answered
What is the difference between cupric and cuprous oxide?
What is cupric oxide used for?
Why does a black oxide give green and blue glazes?
Can I use cupric oxide as a copper source in animal feed?
Is cupric oxide stable in storage?
Which specification parameters actually matter?
Is cupric oxide hazardous?
Does it need a pesticide import route?
Do you supply cupric oxide in the United States?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Get a quote on cupric oxide
Send us your required copper assay, particle size or surface area, acid solubility requirement, pack size and US delivery point. Tell us the application — a glaze, a catalyst bed and a dissolution tank want very different things from the same assay.