sulfate

—sulfation, n.

/sul"fayt/, n., v., sulfated, sulfating.

n.

1. Chem. a salt or ester of sulfuric acid.

v.t.

2. to combine, treat, or impregnate with sulfuric acid, a sulfate, or sulfates.

3. to convert into a sulfate.

4. Elect. to form a deposit of lead-sulfate compound on (the lead electrodes of a storage battery).

v.i.

5. to become sulfated.

[1780-90; < NL sulphatum. See SULFUR, -ATE²]

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Any of numerous inorganic and organic chemical compounds related to sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄).

One subgroup comprises salts containing the sulfate ion (SO₄^2-) linked via ionic bonds with any of various cations. Another subgroup of sulfates, the esters, are organic compounds in which sulfuric acid's hydrogen atoms are replaced by organic groups (e.g., methyl, ethyl, phenyl); a carbon atom in the organic group bonds to an oxygen atom, whose second bond is to the sulfur atom. (In sulfonates, a carbon atom bonds directly to the sulfur atom.) See also bonding.

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▪ chemical compound

also spelled  Sulphate,  

      any of numerous chemical compounds related to sulfuric acid, H₂SO₄. One group of these derivatives is composed of salts containing the sulfate ion, SO₄^2-, and positively charged ions such as those of sodium, magnesium, or ammonium; a second group is composed of esters, in which the hydrogen atoms of sulfuric acid have been replaced by carbon-containing combining groups such as methyl (CH₃) or ethyl (C₂H₅).

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