ACTION OF CONCENTRATED SULPHURIC ACID ON IRON, 6§ 



In view of the results of the gas analyses, it may be 

 stated that the ferrous sulphate formed must for the most 

 part consist of the anhydrous salt, as the amount of water 

 formed according to Equation 2, would not be nearly 

 sufficient to convert the whole of the sulphate into the 

 monohydrated salt. Thus, considering that Equation 1 is 

 proceeding nine times as fast as Equation 2, there would 

 be ten molecules of FeSO* formed to two of H 2 0, so that 

 at the most only one-fifth of the sulphate formed could 

 be converted into FeSO* + H 2 0. 



It has been suggested by Van Deventer, 1 in connection 

 with the action of concentrated sulphuric acid on iron, that 

 the initial action consists rather in the formation of oxide, 

 sulphur dioxide and water than in the formation of sulphate 

 and hydrogen. He also states that no direct proof of the 

 formation of hydrogen has yet been found. The author's 

 results are contrary to this theory, and no oxide of iron 

 was found in the analysis of the compound formed. 



This investigation was carried out in the Chemical 

 Department of the University of Sydney, and I wish to 

 express my thanks to Professor O. E. Fawsitt, o.Sc, Ph.D., 

 for his advice throughout the work. 



1 Chem. Weekblad., n, pp. 137-140. 



