Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Although very corrosive, it can be stored and shipped in steel or common
alloys at commercial concentrations. In some chemical processes, it is used
simply as an acid while in others it is used as a
to remove
water, as an agent to increase the rate of a chemical reaction (catalyst), or
as a solvent for reactions in which it remains unchanged. It rarely ends up
in the final product. Waste sulfuric acid can be recycled.
Sulfur is a yellow, relatively low melting solid. Traditionally it has been
obtained from underground deposits where it is melted in place with steam
and then pumped out in a fairly pure state. Newer sources are metal ores or
natural gas where the sulfur exists in a chemically combined state.
In the most common process for making sulfuric acid, sulfur is burned
at a very high temperature in dry air to make sulfur dioxide, which is then
reacted with more oxygen over a catalyst to make sulfur trioxide. Reaction
of sulfur trioxide with water produces sulfuric acid.
dehydrating agent
