Lam Wen Hong(16) Class 2I1

More Sulfuric acid, H2SO4, is made in the United States than any other chemical. Research on the production and uses of sulfuric acid and write a report on your findings. H2SO4, known as sulphuric acid, is the most commonly used and produced chemical in the United States. In this report, I shall cover the ways this chemical is made, and its many purposes. Sulfuric acid is mostly produced using the Contact process. 1. Solid Sulphur is obtained. Following that, it is burned in air, forming sulphur dioxide gas, which is SO2. The chemical equation goes as follows: S+O2 = SO2 2. The gas is then mixed with air. 3. It is later cleaned by electrostatic precipitation to remove any particulate matter. 4. Now, we have a mixture with sulphur dioxide and air. This mixture is heated to 450oC and subjected to pressure in the presence of vanadium catalyst to produce sulphur trioxide (about 2% of the chemical will be lost in the process). The chemical equation goes as follows: 2SO2 + O2 = 2SO3 5. The sulphur trioxide that has been obtained is now dissolved in 98% of existing sulphuric acid. This produces disulphuric acid or pyrosulphuric acid, also known as fuming sulphuric acid/oleum, which is H2S2O7. The chemical equation is as follows: SO3+H2SO4 = H2S2O7 6. Finally and only now will the oleum be added with water to produce sulphuric acid. H2S2O7 + H2O= 2H2SO4 On a side note: In step 4, you might have noticed that the sulphur trioxide can be directly added to water to produce sulphuric acid. However this method is not usually used because when water is added directly to sulphur trioxide, the reaction is very slow, and it tends to form a mist in which the particles do not form together. Now I shall describe its uses. Firstly, Sulphuric Acid is used in the manufacture of ammonium sulphate fertiliser and phosphate fertiliser. The sulphuric acid is able to convert insoluble calcium phosphate which is in phosphate rock, into mixtures that can dissolve in water, and thus plants can use it. Secondly, Sulphuric Acid is used to dry chlorine gas produced when sodium chloride solution is electrolysed. It can also act as a drying agent in manufacturing explosives, dyes and detergents. It also results in condensation reactions when used in production of polymers and esters. Lastly, it can be used to clean iron and steel. It helps in removing grease and dirt on the surface of iron and steel. It can also remove oxide that has formed on the surface of iron and

Lam Wen Hong(16) Class 2I1

steel; such as removing rust. The iron or steel will be treated with sulphuric acid before it can be galvanised or plated.

Sources:
http://www.ausetute.com.au/sulfacid.html http://hsc.csu.edu.au/chemistry/options/industrial/2762/Ch953.htm