Sulphuric acid is an important chemical used in various processes across the globe. It has its advantages and disadvantages, and many uses.
What is sulphuric acid?
Sulphuric acid is a chemical compound and strong acid that is made from hydrogen, sulphur, and oxygen.
It has a pH value of 2.75, which makes it one of the strongest acids. It is part of a group of seven ‘strong acids’ that also includes hydrochloric, nitric, hydrobromic, hydroiodic, perchloric, and chloric.
Appearance and properties
Sulphuric acid is, perhaps unsurprisingly, highly-corrosive. In-terms of appearance, it can be either clear and colourless or brown and oily.
It is denser than water, has a boiling point of 337°C, a freezing point of 10.3°C, and it is highly soluble in water. Sulphuric acid is an effective dehydrating agent and, under certain conditions, can also act as an oxidising agent. It is also a reactive component.
Industry use
Sulphuric acid is used in numerous industries. In agriculture, it is used in the manufacturing of fertilisers and phosphate compounds. In the petroleum industry, it is used to refine crude oils.
It is used in metal processing to remove rust/oxides, and is a key part of the anodising method used for treating surfaces. It can be used to adjust the pH levels in water treatment facilities to ensure that it meets safety standards.
In the electronics industry, it is used to clean the surfaces of electronic components. In mining, it is used in the leaching process.
Additionally, sulphuric acid is used as a reagent in laboratories, as a bleaching agent in textile/paper production, in the pharmaceutical sector to create intermediates for drugs, and in lead-acid batteries.
Experts in surface treatments
Surface treatments can provide benefits including enhancing existing attributes and extending lifespan. If you would like to know more, specialists such as www.poeton.co.uk/surface-treatments/anodising/sulphuric-acid-anodising can offer a variety of options, including sulphuric acid anodising.
Sulphuric acid – disadvantages
Whilst it has numerous advantages, sulphuric acid is highly-corrosive, toxic, can release heat when mixed with water, and has limitations in terms of transportation and storage.
