Sulfuric acid, with a chemical formula of H2SO4 at 98% concentration, is a vital chemical used in the production of fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, it is employed in water treatment, sugar refining, gasoline and battery acid production, steel manufacturing, paper industry, and dyeing processes.
Characteristics:
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Sulfuric acid is a strong inorganic acid. It is a viscous, oil-like liquid, typically colorless but may appear yellow, gray, or brown if impurities are present. It is odorless and non-volatile.
Applications:
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Drain cleaning: Due to its highly corrosive nature, H2SO4 is indispensable in the production of drain cleaners used in households, restaurants, and eateries. It reacts with organic matter, oils, and fats that accumulate in pipes, breaking them down and allowing wastewater to flow more freely.
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Fertilizer production: H2SO4 is extensively used to produce fertilizers such as phosphate fertilizers and sodium phosphate, making it a central chemical in the chemical industry.
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Pesticides and chemicals: H2SO4 is utilized in the manufacturing of pesticides, synthetic fibers, cleaning agents, plastics, and in the production of colored paints.
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Phosphoric acid production: It is a critical raw material for the production of phosphoric acid.
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Aluminum compounds: H2SO4 is essential in producing aluminum sulfate, aluminum hydroxide, and is also known in the paper industry as paper alum.
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Petroleum industry: In the oil and gas sector, H2SO4 serves as a crucial catalyst in the reaction between isobutane and isobutylene to produce isooctane, a compound that boosts the octane rating of gasoline.
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Battery electrolytes: A mixture of sulfuric acid and water is used as an electrolyte in a wide range of batteries.
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Beyond these applications, sulfuric acid is also involved in numerous other chemical industry processes. For example, it acts as a catalyst in converting cyclohexane into caprolactam, and it is used in the Mannheim process to produce hydrochloric acid from table salt."
