Make Sulfuric Acid by the Copper Chloride Process

there are lots and lots of ways to make sulfuric acid. It really depends on what you have available. Copper sulfate electrolysis is pretty simple and straightforward but expensive. Another method is to simultaneously bubble sulfur dioxide and chlorine gas into water. this produces both hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. you can then separate by distillation. There are more methods but you need to detail what you have available.

NurdRage

I'm trying to solve a chicken-and-egg problem of creating sulfuric acid without using things (like hydrochloric acid or sodium bisulfate) that are usually made FROM sulfuric acid. The best opportunities seem to arise from burning nitrates with sulfur (to get the NO2+SO2=NO+SO3 reaction) or find the weathering products from pyrite and chalcopyrite: iron sulfate and copper sulfate. Copper (II) acetate is more easily available than -sulfate or -chloride. I'm wondering if it (alone) or in solution with sodium chloride, might be a reasonable substitute, providing acetic and sulfuric acids rather than hydrochloric and sulfuric acids. Any thoughts or tips before I try this?

Jeff Evarts

Now I understand better why you used Nitric Acid for your first choice of demo. Thanks :-)

hmm.. i'll see what i can do. No guarantees though.

NurdRage

Can you do us a synthesis of sodium polyacrylate?

Donald W

Brilliant! I can't wait to try it out.

Sean Walton

i think the usual idea is to use something like a paint can. poke two holes in it on either side, one for inlet and one for outlet and lower a sulfur candle into it. light the candle, seal it, and start pumping air.

NurdRage

Fascinating. Slightly off-topic, but is it possible to push sulfur dioxide from burning sulfur into a reaction? You did a pull in the other experiment. I have thought about using an aquarium air pump to blow over burning sulfur in a reaction chamber. I tried it but could not figure out how to create a reaction chamber so that I can add the sulfur then ignite it. Ideas?

Sean Walton

👍😎

Michael Aichlmayr