Raw materials
1. Carbohydrate
2. Nitric acid
Process
Oxalic acid is mainly manufactured by the oxidation of carbohydrates or glucose using nitric acid or air in the presence of vanadium pentoxide. A variety of precursors can be used including glycolic acid and ethylene glycol.
A newer method entails oxidative carbonylation of alcohols to give the diesters of oxalic acid:
- 4 ROH + 4 CO + O2 → 2 (CO2R)2 + 2 H2O
These diesters are subsequently hydrolyzed to oxalic acid.
Product
Oxalic acid
Used for
Cleaning or bleaching (especially for the removal of rust), restoration of old wood, cleaning 'grubbyness' from dirty leather to get back to the flesh of the leather before reintroducing preservatives, rubbed onto completed marble sculptures to seal the surface and introduce a shine
Production facility
Mount Isa, QLD
Export
Moroni, Comoros
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