Sulfuric Acid and John Harrison: The Chemical Revolution in

Philadelphia

Introduction

Throughout time, alchemists searched for ways to turn common minerals into gold and other valuable
substances. Back in the 8th century, alchemists discovered oil of vitriol.(1) Although they never found a
way to make gold, the oil of vitriol they discovered has become one of their most important discoveries.
Eventually, scientists changed the official name from oil of vitriol to sulfuric acid.

There is still more sulfuric acid produced than any other chemical in the United States. According to
Chemical and Engineering News, the US produced 39.62 billion kilograms of sulfuric acid in 2000. That is
atleast35% more than any other chemical.(2) Philadelphia was the first place sulfuric acid was produced
in the United States.

Uses

The reason the US produces so much sulfuric acid is simple; it has many uses.

Common uses:

 Sulfuric acid is a key component in car batteries.

 Sulfuric acid mixes with aluminum to form aluminum sulfates. These aluminum sulfates are a
main ingredient in paper.
 Sulfuric acid combines with sodium compounds to help refine petroleum to create gasoline.
 Sulfuric acid has a high affinity for water and is sometimes used as a drying agent.
 Sulfuric acid combines with ammoniums and phosphates to produce fertilizers.
 Sulfuric acid removes oxides and rust from steel before galvanizing or electroplating the steel.
 Sulfuric acid was used in paints and dyes.

Early Production

Alchemists produced sulfuric acid all the way back to medieval times. They burned various sulfur
containing compounds in the presence of steam to create a weak form of the acid.
 Green and Blue Vitriol, Iron(II) Sulfate and Copper(II) Sulfate
respectively, are both sulfur containing compounds that were used to make sulfuric acid before the saltpeter method was
discovered.

ML2R Consultancy, a leading fertilizer and acid expert, states that in the 17th century the German-Dutch
chemist Johann Glauber prepared sulfuric acid by burning sulfur together with saltpeter(potassium
nitrate, KNO3), in the presence of steam.(3) This was the best way to produce sulfuric acid until John
Roebuck discovered a new method in 1746.

Saltpeter(Potassium nitrate) in its most common form

John Roebuck found that replacing the typical glass chambers used previously with lead-lined chambers
allowed for better production efficiency of sulfuric acid. Lead chambers are built bigger, stronger, and
cheaper than glass chambers. Although Roebuck made this discovery in 1746, it was some time before
anyone in the US took advantage of this knowledge.

The Father of American Sulfuric Acid

John Harrison produced sulfuric acid on a large scale for the first time in the US. John Harrison was born
into a wealthy and famous family in Philadelphia. As part of his education, he spent two years studying
in England. Part of this time was spent learning from Joseph Priestley. Joseph Priestley was one of the
great scientists of the times, with his greatest achievement being the discovery of oxygen. After
studying in Europe, John returned to Philadelphia and started a pharmacy.

During the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, Philadelphia boomed into a bustling manufacturing center.
Business at his pharmacy took off. Harrison seized the opportunity to work on other projects and
expand his influence in the city. He soon started producing sulfuric acid in the back of his shop. In
1793, at the age of 20, Harrison used the knowledge that he gained in Europe to setup the lead chamber
process.

Boosting Production

The lead chamber process is the method of sulfuric acid production that was first brought to the United
States by John Harrison. Lead chambers were used because they were not reactive with the chemicals
used in the process and they were more durable than glass.

Typical lead chamber setup in the late 1700’s

As seen in the figure below, hot sulfur dioxide gas(SO 2) enters the bottom of a Glover Tower where it is
washed and then mixed with nitrous vitriol. This nitrous vitriol is sulfuric acid with nitric oxide and
nitrogen dioxide dissolved in it. The Glover Tower is a series of lead chambers that decrease the
temperature of and condense the weak acid. Some of the sulfur dioxide is oxidized to form sulfur
trioxide(SO3) and dissolved in the acid wash to form Glover Acid. It is called this because it is formed in
the Glover Tower. From the Glover Tower, the SO 2 and SO3 enter the lead-lined chamber, where they
are mixed with steam to create the acid.

Schematic of the lead chamber process

They are then moved to a final chamber where the resulting chemicals are separated and the sulfuric
acid is claimed. The chemist in charge recycles many of the byproducts to complete repeat the process.
This reuse of byproducts is one of the main advantages over previous methods that allowed the
byproducts to escape into the atmosphere.

In 1793 Harrison was only able to produce about 45,000 lbs. of sulfuric acid per year. By 1804 his plant
was 18 ft high, 18 ft wide, and 50 ft long and could turn out nearly 500,000 lb annually.(4)

Cultural Significance

The production of sulfuric acid in Philadelphia allowed Americans to further break away from Europe.
Harrison’s plant broke the European monopoly on sulfuric acid. Previously, Americans depended on
England for many of their goods. With a reliable and capable plant in Philadelphia, the manufacturers
that needed sulfuric acid were able to expand. Harrison’s plant created jobs both within the plant and in
multiple related industries. This helped cement Philadelphia’s place as one of the biggest and most
diverse manufacturing centers in history.
According to Workshop of the World’s website, Harrison’s plants moved throughout Philadelphia. At
times, he had plants in Spring Garden, Frankford, Kensington, and Gray’s Ferry. Harrison Brothers and
Co. employed nearly 500 workers in their paint factory, which used sulfuric acid.(5) It was one of the
largest production facilities in all of Philadelphia. Harrison Brothers and Co. remained in business until it
was bought by the chemical giant DuPont in 1917.

Conclusion

Sulfuric acid was and still is the most widely used chemical in the world. Harrison’s process led the way
for chemical manufacturing in the United States. His plant created jobs and increased the capability of
other industries in the area. John Harrison saw an opportunity to make money and increase production
in Philadelphia. Without large amounts of sulfuric acid, the United States and Pennsylvania would not
be where they are today.

Works Cited
1. Kietzmanast, Shannon. "What is Sulfuric Acid?." wiseGEEK. wiseGEEK, 10 May 2010. Web. 02 Jun
2010. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-sulfuric-acid.htm>.

2. Chemical and Engineering News. 79.26 (2001): Print.

3. "Sulacid History 1." ML2R Consultancy. Ml2R Consultancy, 02 June 2010. Web. 06 Jun 2010.
<http://ml2rconsultancy.com/SULACIDHISTORY.aspx>.

4. Kiefer, David M. "Sulfuric acid: Pumping up the volume ." Today's Chemist at Work. American
Chemical Society, 2001. Web. 06 Jun 2010.
<http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/archive/tcaw/10/i09/html/09chemch.html>.

5. Spivak, Joel. "DuPont de Nemours." Workshop of the World. Workshop of the World, 05/2007. Web.
13 May 2010. <http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/south_phila/dupont.html>.

Images
1. Imageshack. Web. 02 Jun 2010. <http://img24.imageshack.us/i/799pxironiisulfatehepta.jpg/>.

2. Web. 02 Jun 2010.

<http://www.taiwantrade.com.tw/MAIN//resources/member/8952/productcatalog//5eb462f2-
1a93-4e6d-8cc9-f7acae2312cd_AD200808chianleiCopperSulphate98.jpg>.
3. Web. 02 Jun 2010. <http://www.asia.ru/images/target/photo/50873948/Potassium_Nitrate.jpg>.

4. Sulacid History 1. Web. 02 Jun 2010. <http://ml2rconsultancy.com/SULACIDHISTORY.aspx>.

5. Web. 28 May 2010. <http://kojomoe.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/lead-chamber.png?

w=263&h=176>.