Potassium nitrite
General Product Information
| Article | Potassium nitrite |
| Synonyms | Lodic acid, Potassium salt |
| CAS No. | 7758-09-0 |
| EEG No. | – |
| EINECS No. | 231-832-4 |
| IMO | Class 5.1 |
| Tariff Code | 28341000 |
| UN No. | 1488 |
| VLG/ADR | Class 5.1, Packing Group II |
Description
Potassium nitrite is an inorganic potassium salt of nitrous acid. It appears as a yellowish-white to pale pink crystalline powder and is Highly soluble in water. Potassium nitrite is known for its strong oxidizing properties. It is used commercially in various industries as a preservative, chemical reagent and intermediate in the synthesis of organic and inorganic compounds.
Characteristics
- Odor: Odorless.
- Hygroscopic: Yes.
- Color: Light yellow to pink.
- Grade: Technical.
- Solubility: Highly soluble in water.
- Shape: Crystalline powder.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Chemical Structure | KNO2 |
| Molar Weight | 85.1 g/mol |
| Melting Point | Approx. 440 °C (decomposes). |
| Boiling Point | – |
| Density | – |
| Refractive Index | – |
| pH. | Approx. 9 (at 5% solution). |
Applications
Potassium nitrite is applied in various ways, for instance:
1. Chemical Industry
Potassium nitrite is used as an intermediate at the production of dyes, rubber chemicals and other organic compounds.
2. Metal Industry
As a corrosion inhibitor in industrial cooling and lubricating fluids.
3. Laboratories
In analytical chemistry as a reagent for detection of amines and as a redox agent.
Interessing Links
- CAS Common Chemistry – Potassium nitrite
- European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – For chemical information and regulations.
- PubChem – Potassium nitrite – Chemical information by the National Library of Medicine of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NIH-NCBI).
- Wikipedia – Potassium nitrite