Potassium carbonate (chemical formula: K2CO3) is a colorless crystalline solid, odorless at room temperature and hygroscopic. It has good solubility and dissolves quickly in water, releasing an alkaline solution of potassium hydroxide.

Potassium carbonate has a wide range of applications. First, it is widely used as a chemical raw material in industry for making soap for carding, glass, steelmaking, textiles, leather processing, and battery manufacturing. Secondly, in laboratories, potassium carbonate is commonly used to adjust the acidity or alkalinity of solutions as a common chemical reagent. In addition, potassium carbonate is also used to make fertilizers to provide plants with potassium.

Potassium carbonate (chemical formula: K2CO3, English Potassiumcarbonate), also known as potassium alkali, is colorless crystals or white particles in appearance, easily soluble in water, and its solution is strongly alkaline. Cooling its saturated aqueous solution, a glassy monoclinic hydrate 2K2CO3·3H2O crystallizes out, with a density of 2.043, and loses crystal water at 100°C. Insoluble in ethanol, acetone and ether. Strong hygroscopicity, exposed to the air Chemicalbook can absorb carbon dioxide and moisture, and turn into potassium bicarbonate. It can be obtained by the reaction of potassium hydroxide and carbon dioxide. It can also be obtained by co-heating potassium chloride and magnesium carbonate, water and carbon dioxide under pressure, or impregnating tung seed ash and plant ash. It is mainly used for syngas decarburization, electronic tubes, glass, enamel, printing and dyeing, welding electrodes, film development, inorganic salts and raw materials for kinescope glass bulbs. One of the potash varieties.

Chemical properties

Monoclinic system, white powder or fine granular crystal. Soluble in water, insoluble in ethanol and ether.

Use

1. Potassium carbonate can be used to produce optical glass, which can improve the transparency, strength and refractive index of glass. 2. It is also used in the production of welding rods to prevent arc breaks during welding. 3. Used in the production of vat dyes and the whitening of printing and dyeing and ice dyeing. 4. Used as an adsorbent for removing hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. 5. Potassium carbonate mixed with soda ash can be used as dry powder fire extinguishing agent. 6. It can also be used as an auxiliary raw material in the production of acetone and alcohol and as an anti-aging agent in rubber production. 7. Potassium carbonate aqueous solution can be used for scouring of cotton cloth and degreasing of wool. 8. It is also used in the production of ink, photographic medicine, polyester, medicine, electroplating, tanning, ceramics, building materials, crystal, potassium soap and medicine. 9. Heavy potassium carbonate is mainly used as the raw material of picture tube glass bulb, widely used in glass and special glass raw materials, and used for decarbonization of large chemical fertilizers. 10. It can be used as leavening agent in food. 11. As an alkaline agent and a dough improver, and can inhibit the sourness of noodles, it can be used in noodle-made foods, and it can be used in moderation according to production needs. 12. Used in the processing of exposed photosensitive materials. 13. Fluxes for analytical reagents, reference reagents, molten silicates and insoluble sulfates.