Do you know about the king of acids?
Yes, king of acids.
Sulphuric acid is considered as the king of acids.
Why?
Its interesting, because it can substitute salt from other acids. It is a chemical substance that is produced in huge amount because of its uses in many purposes .
It is composed of Sulphur hydrogen and oxygen. Also known as oil of vitriol or hydrogen sulphate. Its molecular mass is 98.
The great man Jabir ibn hyyan discovered sulphuric acid in 8th AD. Is also considered as the father of chemistry.
Dilute sulphuric acid is expressed as dil. H2SO4.
Concentrated is expressed as Conc. H2SO4.
Read History of chemistry
Sources.
1. Natural sources.
A. Sulphuric acid is not present in anhydrous form in nature because of its great affinity for water. It is present in measurable constituent in acid rain. When sulphur containing fuels are burnt then sulphur dioxide is produced
S + O2 ➡ SO2
After reacting with water vapour and oxidation make sulphuric acid which come to earth as acid rain. A low concentration acid can be obtained from this acid rain water.
B. The oxidation Sulphides of meltals also can produce sulphuric acid. The resulting oxidation and formation of sulphuric acid has a great impact on sulphide ores, because this resulting acidic water can dissolve metals present in the metal sulphide.
2 . Chemical sources
A. Lead chamber process.
B. Wet process.
C. Contact process.
Lead chamber process
Lead chamber process is an old days process of preparation of sulphuric acid, the acid obtained by the process is maximum 78% concentrated and is needs further concentration.
In this process sulphuric acid is produced by the oxidation of sulphur dioxide by nitrogen dioxide.
Here sulphuric acid is oxidised by nitrogen dioxide to produce sulphur tri-oxide.
SO2 + NO2 ➡ SO3 + NO
in the lead chamber there is a supply of steam, the sulphur trioxide is produced react with steam and make sulphuric acid.
SO3 + H2O ➡ H2SO4
Here NO2 is oxygen supplier to sulphur dioxide. This reaction was so important because the production cost was low but have some issues. If there is low supply of steam then HSO4.NO is formed.
Wet process
Is a very very important process for recovering sulphur for different processes.
Is very effective method to make sulphur wastage gas to sulphuric acid. This process sulphur or H2S or spent gas from rectisol is burnt to convert SO2
S/sources of recovering process + O2 ➡ SO2
Then the product sulphur dioxide is oxidised to sulphur trioxide where vanadium penta oxide (V2O5) can be act as a catalyst.
SO2 + O2 + V2O5(cat) ➡ SO3
The sulphur trioxide is hydrated in sulphuric acid.
SO3 + H2O ➡ H2SO4
Read 8 most funny reaction in chemistry.
Contact process
Nowadays conventional process for production of sulphuric acid is contact method .the process is invented by 'Peregrine Phillips'
In this process sulphur is burnt with oxygen to produce sulphuric acid
S + O2 ➡ SO2
Then sulphur dioxide produced is oxidised to form sulphur trioxide
SO2 + O2 ➡ SO3
Now absorption of sulphur trioxide is occured by sulphuric acid to produce olium (H2S2O7) which is diluted with water to produce conc. Sulphuric acid.
SO3 + conc.H2SO4 ➡ H2S2O7.
H2S2O7 + H2O ➡ H2SO4 .
Recommand : ✅ wet process ✅contact process ❎lead chamber process.
Grades of H2SO4 that avilable.
Though it is possible to produce 98% sulphuric acid by contact method but concentration makes sulphuric acid Different in grade
💧less than 4 mol/L is used as dilute H2SO4
💧 4.2-5 mol/L is used as battery acids
💧13-14 mol/L is used in the industries for producing fertilizer.
💧 Higher than 18 mol/L is used as concentrated sulphuric acid.
Properties of sulphuric acid
1.Dehydrating agent.
It acts as a dehydrating agent it can expell water from alcohol to produce alkene
C2H5OH ➡ C2H4 + H2O
2. Act as catalysis.
Acid cataysis hydrolysis of ester is done by sulphuric acid as a acid catalyst.
ROOR + H2O ➡ RCOOH + ROH
3. High Oxidising power.
Bromines are also good reducing agent, sulphuric acid react with Br to give bromine water and sulphur dioxide
Br- + H2SO4 ➡ Br2 + H2O + SO2.
4. Highly corrosive.
Sulphuric acid is highly corrosive it can burn skin and corrode metal, acid rain causes corrosion of metallic substance because of the presence of acids like H2SO4.
Read also
➡ All about sodium carbonate production.
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