Manufacturing methods and characteristics of oxalic acid

Oxalic acid is an important organic compound with a chemical formula of H₂ C₂ O₂ · 2H₂ O. It is white or colorless crystal at room temperature and is widely used in food, medicine, chemical industry and other industries. This article will analyze the manufacturing method and characteristics of oxalic acid in detail to help readers fully understand this compound.

1. oxalic acid characteristics

1. Physical and chemical properties

Oxalic acid is a dibasic weak acid, its acidity is stronger than acetic acid but weaker than formic acid. It is easily soluble in water, and its solubility increases significantly with increasing temperature. Oxalic acid has a melting point of 221°C and a boiling point of 190°C (decomposition). At room temperature, oxalic acid is solid, but it is easy to absorb moisture and deliquescence in humid environment.

2. Chemical properties

Oxalic acid has strong oxidation and reduction, and can react with a variety of metals to generate the corresponding oxalate. It can also react with strong bases to form the corresponding salts and water. The reductive nature of oxalic acid gives it an important role in organic synthesis and is often used to reduce certain oxidized species.

3. Application characteristics

Oxalic acid is used in the food industry as an acidulant and antioxidant, in the pharmaceutical industry for synthetic drugs, and in the chemical industry for the production of plastics, dyes and surfactants. Oxalic acid is also widely used in textile, paper and electronics.

2. oxalic acid manufacturing method

1. Synthesis method

The synthesis method is the main production method of oxalic acid, which mainly includes the following steps:

• Raw material preparation: Use oxalate (such as sodium oxalate or potassium oxalate) and dilute sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid reaction.
• Crystallization and filtration: The reaction was followed by crystallization and filtration to obtain oxalic acid crystals.
• Drying and packaging: The oxalic acid crystals are dried and packaged for storage.

The advantages of the synthesis method are simple process and low cost, but the disadvantage is that a large amount of waste acid will be produced in the production process, which needs to be treated.

2. Fermentation method

Fermentation is a green production method, which uses microorganisms to produce oxalic acid. Its main steps include:

• Culture: the use of oxalic acid producing microorganisms (such as acetic acid bacteria) for culture.
• Fermentation: Under suitable conditions, microorganisms secrete oxalic acid.
• Isolation and purification: by filtration, crystallization and other methods to separate and purify oxalic acid.

The advantages of the fermentation method are environmental protection and low resource consumption, but the disadvantages are low production efficiency and high cost.

3. Oxidation-reduction method

Oxidation-reduction method is to prepare oxalic acid by oxidation or reduction reaction. For example, oxalic acid is produced by oxidation of glucose or ethanol under acidic conditions. The advantage of this method is that the reaction conditions are mild, and the disadvantage is that the cost of the required raw materials is high.

3. oxalic acid application prospect

With the progress of science and technology, the application field of oxalic acid is expanding. In the food industry, the demand for oxalic acid as an acidulant and antioxidant continues to grow. In the pharmaceutical industry, the demand for oxalic acid for synthetic drugs is also increasing. The application of oxalic acid in the field of new energy materials and environmental protection has gradually attracted attention.

4. summary

As an important organic compound, oxalic acid has a wide application prospect. Its manufacturing methods mainly include synthesis method, fermentation method and oxidation reduction method, each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Understanding the manufacturing methods and characteristics of oxalic acid will help to make better use of this compound and promote the development of related industries.

Through the analysis of this article, we have a deeper understanding of the manufacturing methods and characteristics of oxalic acid. It is hoped that this information can provide reference for related industries and promote the application and research of oxalic acid.