Sulphuric Acid is one of the most widely used industrial chemicals, prized for its versatility and strength. With a high level of acidity and reactivity, it is essential in a vast range of industrial, agricultural, and environmental processes. Whether you are manufacturing chemicals, refining petroleum, or producing fertilisers, our top-tier sulphuric acid ensures optimal performance every time. It’s highly effective and formulated to meet stringent quality standards, making it a reliable choice for various applications.
Top 5 Common Uses for Sulphuric Acid:
- Fertiliser Production: Key component in phosphoric acid manufacturing, used in phosphate fertilisers.
- Chemical Manufacturing: Used to produce hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and various other chemicals.
- Petroleum Refining: Helps remove impurities during the refining process.
- Metal Processing: Essential for the pickling process to clean and prepare metals for further treatment.
- Batteries: These act as the electrolytes in lead-acid batteries, which are crucial for energy storage systems.
Reliable and efficient, sulphuric acid drives innovation across industries, making it indispensable for both large-scale operations and specialised applications.
Technical Reference
Technical Specifications
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chemical Name | Sulphuric Acid |
| IUPAC Name | Sulfane-1,1-diol dioxide / Dihydrogen sulphate (accepted systematic: sulphuric acid) |
| Common Names | Oil of vitriol, battery acid (dilute), hydrogen sulphate, vitriol |
| Molecular Formula | Hâ‚‚SOâ‚„ |
| Molecular Weight | 98.08 g/mol |
| CAS Number | 7664-93-9 |
| Concentration / Grade | 98% w/w (concentrated, technical/industrial grade) |
| Physical State | Liquid |
| Appearance | Clear to slightly yellowish, oily, viscous liquid; odourless to faintly pungent |
| Density | 1.84 g/mL at 20°C (1,840 kg/m³) |
| Boiling Point | 337°C (decomposes near 340°C) |
| Freezing Point | 10°C (98% grade); avoid storage below 15°C to prevent solidification |
| Vapour Pressure | <0.1 mmHg at 20°C (low volatility at 98%, increases significantly on dilution and heating) |
| pH (of solution) | <1.0 (neat and as diluted solution; highly corrosive to pH <1 at concentrations above 0.1% v/v) |
| Solubility | Miscible with water in all proportions; dissolution is highly exothermic |
| UN Number | UN 1830 |
| ADG Class | Class 8 — Corrosive Substance; Packing Group II |
| Hazchem Code | 2X |
| EINECS Number | 231-639-5 |
Applications & Use Cases
- pH Correction in Water Treatment: Lowering feed water and process water pH in municipal, industrial, and cooling tower water treatment systems across Australia.
- Swimming Pool & Aquatic Facility pH Reduction: Reducing elevated pH in pool water to the target range of 7.2–7.6 (diluted working solutions only; never dosed neat).
- Fertiliser Manufacturing: Production of superphosphate and ammonium sulphate fertilisers; sulphuric acid reacts with phosphate rock to produce phosphoric acid, the backbone of phosphate-based fertiliser manufacture.
- Chemical Synthesis: Production of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, aluminium sulphate, ferric sulphate, and a broad range of organic and inorganic sulphates.
- Petroleum & Mineral Refining: Alkylation processes in petroleum refining; acid leaching in hydrometallurgical extraction of copper, uranium, nickel, cobalt, and zinc in Australian mining operations.
- Battery Electrolyte (Dilute Grade): Lead-acid battery manufacture and maintenance (typically 30–38% w/w dilute grade; the 98% product is diluted prior to use).
- Metal Pickling & Surface Treatment: Descaling and pickling of steel and non-ferrous metals prior to galvanising, electroplating, or coating.
- Wastewater Neutralisation: pH correction of alkaline effluent streams prior to discharge to sewer or receiving waters in compliance with state EPA trade waste licence conditions.
- Pulp & Paper Industry: Kraft pulping process chemistry and bleaching liquor pH adjustment.
- Cleaning & Descaling: Removal of carbonate and mineral scale in industrial heat exchangers, boilers, and pipework (diluted working solutions).
- Laboratory & Analytical Use: Wet chemistry digestion, titrimetric analysis, and reagent preparation in Australian laboratory environments.
- Soil Acidification (Agriculture): Correction of alkaline soils in horticultural and broadacre agricultural applications in regions including the Riverina and Western Australian wheatbelt.
- Resin Regeneration: Regeneration of strong-acid cation exchange resin beds in demineralisation and water softening plants.
Dosing Rates & Guidelines
All dosing rates below are indicative. Actual rates must be determined by site-specific water chemistry, system design, and on-site jar testing or titration. Always dilute concentrated sulphuric acid before metering into a water stream. Never dose 98% acid neat into a pipeline or vessel without adequate dilution and mixing provisions.
| Application | Typical Dosing Rate | Units | Notes & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming pool pH reduction (commercial/aquatic centre) | Controlled by an automated dosing system; set point pH 7.2–7.4 | Continuous proportional feed; system-specific calibration required | Commercial pools must use automated pH dosing controllers compliant with SPASA guidelines and state public health regulations. Acid feed is typically as 33–50% v/v diluted solution via a peristaltic or diaphragm dosing pump into a high-turbulence injection point. |
| Cooling tower water pH correction | Maintain system pH 6.8–7.6; typical acid consumption 5–30 | mg/L as H₂SO₄ per day (system-dependent) | Dose as a diluted solution (≤10% w/w) via an automated controller. High-hardness water (common in SE Queensland and inland Australia) requires higher acid consumption to suppress scale. Consult a water treatment specialist for Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) calculations. |
| Wastewater/effluent neutralisation (alkaline streams) | 0.5–5.0 (as 10–50% working solution, determined by titration) | mL/L of effluent to achieve target discharge pH | Target typically pH of 6.5–8.5 per state EPA trade waste limits. Jar testing mandatory. Bicarbonate and carbonate alkalinity buffer consumption. Allow adequate residence time (minimum 10–15 minutes) with mixing before pH measurement. |
| Cation exchange resin regeneration (demineralisation) | 50–100 (as 2–4% w/w dilute solution) | g H₂SO₄ per litre of resin bed volume | Slow regeneration at ≤4% w/w is recommended to avoid calcium sulphate precipitation within the resin bed (CaSO₄ has low solubility; exceeding 4% risks irreversible resin fouling). Contact time 30–45 minutes minimum. Rinse with 3–5 bed volumes of treated water post-regeneration. |
| Metal pickling (steel) | 5–20% w/w working solution at 40–70°C | % w/w in bath | Concentration and temperature depend on steel grade and scale thickness. Inhibitors (e.g., thiourea-based) are typically added at 0.1–0.5% to reduce base metal attack. Bath titration and iron content monitoring required. Spent pickle liquor is scheduled waste — dispose of per state EPA requirements. |
| Soil acidification (agricultural) | 100–500 | kg H₂SO₄ per hectare (single application; rate set by soil test) | The rate depends on soil buffering capacity, target pH, and initial pH. Application as a diluted solution (≤5% w/w) via irrigation injection or surface banding. Consult the agronomist and state agriculture department guidelines. Avoid application within 48 hours of rain or irrigation to prevent runoff. |
| Boiler/heat exchanger descaling | 2–8% v/v working solution; contact time 2–6 hours | % v/v in recirculating cleaning solution | Only applicable to compatible metallurgy (consult OEM). Not suitable for stainless steel without an inhibitor. Monitor iron concentration in solution. Neutralise and dispose of spent solution per trade waste licence conditions. Post-clean passivation treatment required. |
Dilution Instructions
Critical Safety Rule — Always Add Acid to Water. Never Add Water to Acid.
Adding water to concentrated sulphuric acid causes violent, potentially explosive exothermic spattering due to the extreme heat of dilution (approximately 880 kJ/mol heat released on infinite dilution). This rule is non-negotiable and must be enforced at all times.
- Step 1 — PPE on before starting: Don chemical-resistant gloves (neoprene, butyl rubber, or PVC; minimum 0.4 mm thickness), full-face chemical splash shield or chemical goggles, chemical-resistant apron or full-body chemical suit, and closed-toe chemical-resistant footwear. Ensure emergency eyewash and safety shower are within 10 seconds travel and are operational before commencing.
- Step 2 — Prepare the dilution vessel: Use a clean, dry container constructed of HDPE, polypropylene, or fibreglass. Never use aluminium, zinc, mild steel, or glass containers for concentrated acid. The vessel must be rated for acid service and sized so the final volume occupies no more than 80% of vessel capacity to allow for thermal expansion.
- Step 3 — Add the required volume of water first: Measure the full volume of cold, clean water required for the target concentration and add it to the dilution vessel first.
- Step 4 — Add sulphuric acid slowly: Using a chemical-resistant measuring vessel or metered transfer system, slowly add the calculated volume of concentrated sulphuric acid 98% to the water. Add in small increments with continuous stirring (use a HDPE or polypropylene paddle or mechanical mixer — never a metal implement). Do not add more acid until the previous addition has dispersed and the solution temperature has stabilised.
- Step 5 — Monitor temperature: For target concentrations above 30% v/v, significant heat generation will occur. If the solution temperature exceeds 60°C, cease acid addition and allow cooling before continuing. Do not attempt to accelerate cooling by adding more water once acid is in the vessel — cease acid addition and allow thermal dissipation.
- Step 6 — Allow to cool before use: Allow the diluted solution to cool to ambient temperature before transferring to dosing systems or storage containers.
- Step 7 — Label immediately: Label the diluted product clearly with chemical name, concentration, date of preparation, and hazard information before leaving unattended.
Common Dilution Ratios (98% Sulphuric Acid to Water)
| Target Concentration (% v/v approx.) | Parts 98% Hâ‚‚SOâ‚„ (by volume) | Parts Water (by volume) | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~10% v/v | 1 | 9 | Pool pH dosing (manual), general water treatment, soil acidification, dilution |
| ~20% v/v | 1 | 4 | Cooling tower dosing, effluent neutralisation working solution |
| ~33% v/v | 1 | 2 | Commercial pool dosing pump inlet solution, resin regeneration |
| ~5% v/v | 1 | 19 | Laboratory dilution, battery topping-up checks, and low-rate agricultural injection |
Note: Due to the non-ideal behaviour of sulphuric acid solutions and the density of 98% acid (1.84 g/mL), volume-based dilutions are approximate.
| Weight | 28 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 28 × 28 × 38 cm |
| Volume | 5L, 20L |
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