SULPHURIC ACID Introduction

A strong mineral acid with the chemical formula H2SO4. It is a colorless, oily liquid, sometimes called oil of vitriol or vitriolic acid. The pure acid has a density of 1.834 at 25C (77F) and freezes at 10.5C (50.90F). It is an important industrial commodity, used extensively in petroleum refining and in the manufacture of fertilizers, paints, pigments, dyes, and explosives. Sulphuric acid is produced on a large scale by two commercial processes, the Contact process and the lead-chamber process. In the Contact process, sulfur dioxide, SO2, is converted to sulphur trioxide, SO3, by reaction with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst. Sulphuric acid is produced by the reaction of the sulphur trioxide with water. The lead-chamber process depends upon the oxidation of sulfur dioxide by nitric acid in the presence of water, the reaction being carried out in large lead rooms. Sulphuric acid reacts vigorously with water to form several hydrates. The concentrated acid, therefore, acts as an efficient drying agent, taking up moisture from the air and even abstracting the elements of water from such compounds as sugar and starch. The concentrated acid also acts as a strong oxidizing agent. It reacts with most metals upon heating to produce sulphur dioxide.
Concentrated Sulphuric Acid

When heated, the pure 100% acid loses sulphur trioxide gas, SO3, until a constant-boiling solution, or azeotrope, containing about 98.5% H2SO4 is formed at 330C. Concentrated sulphuric acid is a weak acid and a poor electrolyte because relatively little of it is dissociated into ions at room temperature. When cold it does not react readily with such common metals as iron or copper. When hot it is an oxidizing agent, the sulphur in it being reduced; sulphur dioxide gas may be released. Hot concentrated sulphuric acid reacts with most metals and with several nonmetals, e.g., sulphur and carbon. Because the concentrated acid has a fairly high boiling point, it can be used to release more volatile acids from their salts, e.g., when sodium chloride (NaCl), or common salt, is heated with concentrated sulphuric acid, hydrogen chloride gas, HCl, is evolved. Concentrated sulphuric acid has a very strong affinity for water. It is sometimes used as a drying agent and can be used to dehydrate (chemically remove water from) many compounds

e.g., carbohydrates. It reacts with the sugar sucrose, C12H22O11, removing eleven molecules of water, H2O, from each molecule of sucrose and leaving a brittle spongy black mass of carbon and diluted sulphuric acid. The acid reacts similarly with skin, cellulose, and other plant and animal matter. When the concentrated acid mixes with water, large amounts of heat are released; enough heat can be released at once to boil the water and spatter the acid. To dilute the acid, the acid should be added slowly to cold water with constant stirring to limit the buildup of heat. Sulphuric acid reacts with water to form hydrates with distinct properties. Dilute Sulphuric Acid Dilute sulphuric acid is a strong acid and a good electrolyte; it is highly ionized, much of the heat released in dilution coming from hydration of the hydrogen ions. The dilute acid has most of the properties of common strong acids. It turns blue litmus red. It reacts with many metals (e.g., with zinc), releasing hydrogen gas, H2, and forming the sulphate of the metal. It reacts with most hydroxides and oxides, with some carbonates and sulfides, and with some salts. Since it is dibasic (i.e., it has two replaceable hydrogen atoms in each molecule), it forms both normal sulphate (with both hydrogen replaced, e.g., sodium sulfate, Na2SO4) and acid sulfates, also called bisulphate or hydrogen sulphate (with only one hydrogen replaced, e.g., sodium bisulphate, NaHSO4)