View source for Sulfuric acid

[[w:Sulfuric_acid|Sulfuric acid]] is the most important industrial [[acid]].  Its chemical formula is H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>.  Any industrial society on Mars will produce tonnes of the stuff, as it is used in countless chemical and industrial reactions.

==[[In-situ resource utilization|In Situ Production]]==
Sulfuric acid on Mars could be a by-product of copper production, or of regolith mineral processing for magnesium, calcium or other metals .  Sulfur is very common in the Martian lithosphere<ref>http://elementsmagazine.org/get_pdf.php?fn=king.pdf&dr=e6_2</ref>.  In the form of SO<sub>3</sub> it can represent  up to 37% by weight of certain rock formations.  SO<sub>3</sub> + H<sub>2</sub>O can produce sulfuric acid, although not directly in an industrial process as the reaction is too exothermic.

The washing of iron sulfides, common on Mars, with liquid water could also be a source of sulfuric acid.
==Applications==
*Sulfuric acid is mainly used on Earth for producing fertilizers(60%), industrial regents and plastics.  It is also used  in making [[steel]], mostly as a cleaning agent and surface preparation role.  Sulfuric acid in steel making plants is usually recycled at the plant.
**Sulfuric acid is combined with [[ammonia]], and therefore [[Nitrogen]], to produce ammonium sulfate fertilizers. 
**It is combined with Phosphates to produce [[Phosphorus|Calcium phosphates]] fertilizers.
*It can be used to produce explosives for mining when combined with suitable fuels.

==References==
[[Category:Materials]]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid
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