Sulfuric acid is one of the most commonly used acids in the US and in the world. It is widely produced and used in many different areas. One of the most conventional processes to obtain sulfuric acid is the Contact Process. Contact Process is made up of three main stages: making sulfur dioxide, converting sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide and convert sulfur trioxide to concentrated sulfuric acid.
Sulfur dioxide can be obtained by burning sulfur in an excess of air as burning involves oxygen. Excess oxygen is used to mix the sulfur dioxide for the next stage. The sulfur dioxide oxidises to sulfur trioxide using oxygen in the presence of vanadium oxide catalyst. Sulfur trioxide is more efficient in producing sulfuric acid.
SO3 + H2O -> H2SO4
However, water cannot be added directly to sulfur trioxide as its reaction is so uncontrollable that it creates a fog of sulfuric acid. The reaction forms a corrosive aerosol which is very difficult to separate, instead of a liquid. Therefore, the sulfur trioxide is first dissolved in concentrated sulfuric acid to form oleum, also known as fuming sulfuric acid.
H2SO4 + SO3 -> H2S2O7
The product can then be reacted with water to produce twice as much concentrated sulfuric acid as what was used to make the oleum.
H2S2O7 + H2O -> 2H2SO4
There are also many other production methods of sulfuric acids like the Wet Sulfuric Process, which is also a conventional method that is used widely. The large production of sulfuric acid is essential as it is so commonly use that large production is necessary to meet the demands of the world.
Sulfuric acids are commonly found all around the world as it has many usages. They are often used in manufacturing fertilisers, different form of acids, disinfectants, cleaning agents and many other substances and chemicals. Sulfuric acid is extremely corrosive, hence proving to be an effective cleaning agent and disinfectant.
Sulfuric acid is mainly used in fertilisers like the superphosphate of lime and ammonium sulfate. It is often reacted with potassium and phosphate to create a fertilizer for the plant as these chemicals provide the plant with nutrients. Therefore, it is commonly used in the production of fertilizer.
Sulfuric acid is also greatly used in steelmaking and iron industries as it helps to remove oxidation, rust and scale. It is also used as an electrolyte in lead acid batteries, used in the manufacturing of nitroglycerin acid and tri-nitro-toluene (TNT) in the explosive industry, and it helps to remove sulfur compounds in gasoline.
All in all, sulfuric acid poses as a useful substance that is produced and used greatly in the world. It has conventional production methods and a wide range of usage, hence making it one of the most used chemical in the world.
15/05/2011
