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Author: Subject: Sulfuric Acid
happycamper723
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[*] posted on 26-4-2012 at 13:37
Sulfuric Acid


I've learned from my last attempt that I should use a dry glass.

But here lies the question: What is the best way to make sulfuric acid???

Here are my priorities:

1. Cheap
2. Safe
3. Simple
4. Not time-consuming
5. Produces quality product
6. Everything else desirable (?)

Now i've looked over the sticky with like 40,000 views. I am not trying to produce large amounts of sulfuric acid, and I really don't know where to find a lead chamber.

I would try simply bubbling SO2 into H2O2, but that produces a VERY dilute acid (boiling it down is far to dangerous for someone of my limited knowledge and attention span).

I could try burning KNO3 and sulfur in the a steamy setting, but I don't know how I would set that up. I have an idea here of how I might do it...




Will that work well?


[Edited on 26-4-2012 by happycamper723]
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elementcollector1
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[*] posted on 26-4-2012 at 17:07


I would honestly recommend electrolysis of a transition metal sulfate.
For example, copper sulfate can do this easily, and is a relatively easily-obtained chemical (pottery supply, McLendon's, Ace, etc.)
When the liquid is not blue, all the copper sulfate has been electrolyzed, and this can be boiled down (if it turns blue again, repeat electrolysis). This will give you some quantity of sulfuric acid.




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watson.fawkes
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[*] posted on 26-4-2012 at 17:26


Quote: Originally posted by happycamper723  
Now i've looked over the sticky with like 40,000 views. I am not trying to produce large amounts of sulfuric acid, and I really don't know where to find a lead chamber.
Read it through completely then, because you would have found out that certain plastics can substitute for lead, and not exotic plastics.
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AJKOER
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[*] posted on 26-4-2012 at 17:30


Pass steam over Oxalic acid and MgSO4. Reaction:

MgSO4 + H2C2O4 --> MgC2O4 (s) + H2SO4

Relatively safe and cheap (depending on what deal you can get on Oxalic acid). Also, definitely simple, not time-consuming and capable of producing a quality product.

There is a Sciencemadness thread on the uses of Oxalic acid (Link: http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=18963 ) and one YouTube video on a synthesis (Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cnqWepbVhY&feature=g-upl... ). Check it out.


[Edited on 27-4-2012 by AJKOER]
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Pyridinium
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[*] posted on 26-4-2012 at 17:31


Quote: Originally posted by happycamper723  

I would try simply bubbling SO2 into H2O2, but that produces a VERY dilute acid (boiling it down is far to dangerous for someone of my limited knowledge and attention span).


Not to pile on you, but the "limited knowledge and attention span" might be a good reason to stick with the very dilute H2SO4 until you build up the level of knowledge (and patience) for handling stronger varieties.

That said, if you had something to catch the condensate beneath the steam chamber, it looks like the diagram might work. I don't like how much water your flask shows there, but that probably wasn't intended. Also, obviously, you wouldn't heat the flask with a direct flame.

If you are set on doing it this way, consider doing it on as small a scale as possible (using small glassware). Even there, ventilation would be extremely important.
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[*] posted on 26-4-2012 at 21:11


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHLeFSY_OJU&list=UUB4M84U...

Safe Way to do so
cheap way (if you have a fish pump)
Simple way

Ive got alot of complements for coming up with this idea :)




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AJKOER
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[*] posted on 30-4-2012 at 06:33


Another simple synthesis for H2SO4 I am planning on trying out:

1. Add fine Sulfur powder to H2O. Stir to make a suspension. If one has fresh colloidal Sulfur from, say, scrubbing H2S or another source, I would speculated, given the large reactive surface area, that would be best for this synthesis.

2. Treat with Chlorine (see net reaction equation below for required quantity of 'reacted' Cl2).

3. Bubble air into the concentrated solution to remove unwanted HCl.

Chemistry:

3 Cl2 + 3 H2O <---> 3 HOCl + 3 HCl

S + 2 HOCl + H2O ---> H2SO3 + 2 HCl

H2SO3 + HOCl ---> H2SO4 + HCl

So, on net:

3 Cl2 + 4 H2O + S --> 6 HCl + H2SO4

So, 3 moles of Chlorine is required for each mole of Sulfur. Note the moles of water consumed possibly permitting the formation of concentrated acid.

Source:
Per Watts' Dictionary of Chemistry, Volume 2, Page 16, even dilute solution of HOCl can oxidize Sulfur all the way to H2SO4. To quote the relevant section from Watts':

"Reactions.--1. HClOAq acts generally as an oxidiser; it easily parts with 0 while HClAq remains. Thus, As is rapidly oxidised with evolution of light; P, S, Se, Br, I are converted to H3P04Aq, H2S04Aq, &c., even by dilute HClOAq; lower oxides or salts are converted into higher, e.g. SO2Aq to H2SO4Aq, FeO to Fe203, As203Aq to As2O5Aq, FeS04Aq to Fe2(S04)3Aq, Fe2Cl6Aq, and Fe2O3, MnSO4Aq to MnO2; sulphides yield sulphates, c.g. H2SAq gives" H2SO4,Aq and S; "

Link: http://books.google.com/books/reader?id=ijnPAAAAMAAJ&dq=...


[Edited on 30-4-2012 by AJKOER]
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CrEaTiVePyroScience
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[*] posted on 1-5-2012 at 02:48


You got several ways to go one of the way is indeed the copper sulfate method I got a youtube video about the whole proces:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vem4COJtihY

Another way could be by using sodium methabisulphate and HCl in an improvised gas generator which leads to 35% hydrogen peroxide.
You can also buy it as draincleaner which is already from a very high quality 98% pure not much contaminations but then you actually haven"t made it.

I am sure there are still alot of other ways but those are just the ways where I am familiar with if you would have any questions let me know!

~CrEaTiVePyroScience
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nerdalert226
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[*] posted on 9-5-2012 at 16:56


that may work but, where will your H2SO4 deposit in the box?
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Pyridinium
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[*] posted on 9-5-2012 at 17:07


Quote: Originally posted by CrEaTiVePyroScience  


Another way could be by using sodium methabisulphate and HCl in an improvised gas generator which leads to 35% hydrogen peroxide.


Just to mention a caution to this method ... couple people on here have tried this and found it goes rather exothermic (as in, boiling / spattering).

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