👉 In chemistry, a sulphate is a compound that contains sulfur and a group of oxygen atoms. The most common examples of sulphates are inorganic compounds like sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which is used as an acid to remove iron from steel. Sulfuric acid can be produced by reacting sulfur with hydrogen gas, but it's also possible to produce it directly from sulfuric acid and oxygen. The reaction involves the use of a catalyst, such as potassium permanganate