Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate as accelerator of the rate of copper cementation

The effects of Cu2+ ion concentration and temperature on the cementation rate of copper from copper sulphate on zinc and the effect of additives of the organic compound “sodium diethyldithiocarbamate” (NaDDC) were studied. It was noticed that the cementation increases significantly by increasing the concentrations of NaDDC. The rate of cementation increased by 58.58−100.31%. Our data showed that sodium diethyldithiocarbamate reacts with the Cu2+ solution giving a complex of copper diethyldithiocarbamate, which enhances the rate of cementation.