Potassium hydroxide, scales
General Product Information
| Article. | Potassium hydroxide, scales |
| Synonyms | Caustic potash, Potash lye, Potassia, Potassium hydrate |
| CAS No. | 1310-58-3 |
| EEG No. | 019-002-00-8 |
| EINECS No. | 215-181-3 |
| IMO | Class 8 (C). |
| Tariff Code | 281520 |
| UN No. | 1813 |
| VLG/ADR | Class 8, Packing Group II |
Description
Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound. It is a strongly basic compound, often in the form of grains or a solution, that is widely used in industrial, chemical and pharmaceutical processes. Potassium hydroxide has a wide range of Applications, from manufacturing soaps and detergents to neutralizing acids and producing potassium compounds in the Chemical Industry.
Characteristics
- Grade: Technical.
- High purity: Meets pharmaceutical requirements for use in medicinal applications.
- Strongly basic
- Corrosive: Potassium hydroxide is corrosive and can cause severe chemical burns at contact with skin or eyes. It should be handled only with appropriate safety precautions, such as wearing protective gloves, eye protection and appropriate clothing.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Chemical Structure | KOH |
| Molar Weight | 56.11 g/mol |
| Melting Point | 360 °C |
| Boiling Point | – |
| Solubility | Highly soluble in water; the solution is highly exothermic (produces a lot of heat). |
| Density | 2.12 g/cm³ (at 20 °C) |
| pH | Solutions of potassium hydroxide in water are strongly basic with a pH typically between 12 and 14. |
| Color | White (in granular form) |
| Shape | Scales, flakes |
Applications
Potassium hydroxide is applied in various ways, for instance:
1. Cleaning & Detergents
Potassium hydroxide BP is used at the production of soap and other cleaning agents because of its ability to saponify fats.
2. Chemical Industry
Potassium hydroxide is widely used in the Chemical Industry for the production of potassium soaps, in the mineral oil industry for deacidifying oil and at the production of potassium carbonates and other potassium compounds.
Interessing Links
- CAS Common Chemistry – Potassium hydroxide
- European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – For chemical information and regulations.
- PubChem – Potassium Hydroxide of the National Library of Medicine by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
- Wikipedia – Potassium hydroxide