1kg Potassium Hydroxide – KoH – Caustic Potash
Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula KOH.
Along with sodium hydroxide,
this colourless solid is a prototypical "strong base". It has many
industrial and niche applications. Most applications exploit its reactivity
toward acids and its corrosive nature. In 2005, an estimated 700,000 to 800,000
tons were produced. Approximately 100 times more NaOH than KOH is produced
annually. KOH is noteworthy as the precursor to most soft and liquid soaps as
well as numerous potassium-containing chemicals.
Uses
KOH and NaOH can be
used interchangeably for a number of applications, although in industry, NaOH
is preferred because of its lower cost.
Precursor to other
potassium compounds
Many potassium salts
are prepared by neutralization reactions involving KOH. The potassium salts of carbonate, cyanide,
permanganate, phosphate,
and various silicates are prepared by treating either the oxides or the acids
with KOH. The high solubility of potassium phosphate is
desirable in fertilizers.
Manufacture of
biodiesel
Although more expensive
than using sodium hydroxide, KOH works well in the manufacture of biodiesel by saponification of the fats in vegetable oil. Glycerin from potassium
hydroxide-processed biodiesel is useful as an inexpensive food supplement for
livestock, once the toxic methanol is removed.
Manufacture of soft
soaps
The saponification of fats
with KOH is used to prepare the corresponding "potassium soaps," which are softer than the more common
sodium hydroxide-derived soaps. Because of
their softness and greater solubility, potassium soaps require less water to
liquefy, and can thus contain more cleaning agent than liquefied sodium soaps.
As an electrolyte
Aqueous potassium
hydroxide is employed as the electrolyte in alkaline batteries based on nickel-cadmium and
manganese dioxide-zinc. Potassium hydroxide is preferred over sodium hydroxide
because its solutions are more conductive.
Niche applications
KOH attracts numerous
specialized applications, which virtually all rely on its basic or degradative
properties. KOH is widely used in the laboratory for the same purposes.
In chemical synthesis,
the selection of KOH vs. NaOH is guided by the solubility for the resulting
salt. Its corrosive properties make it useful as an ingredient in cleaning and disinfection of resistant
surfaces and materials.
It is often the main
active ingredient in chemical "cuticle removers."
KOH is also widely used
as a way to remove hair from animal hides, leaving the hides in a solution of
KOH and water for a few hours. It is used in resomation to dissolve
human remains.
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