Potassium Hydroxide Flakes 99+%
Caustic potash - high grade
| Code | Pack Size | Price (Inc. VAT + Postage) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39X | 50g | £3.99 | Out of stock |
| 39Z | 100g | £4.99 | Add to Cart |
| 39T | 250g | £9.15 | Add to Cart |
| 39U | 500g | £9.85 | Add to Cart |
| 39B | 1Kg | £13.23 | Add to Cart |
| 39L | 5Kg | £26.59 | Add to Cart |
| 39E | 25kg | £67.99 | Add to Cart |
( PLEASE NOTE: ALL PRICES INCLUDE DELIVERY AND VAT )
Appearance: white solid flake
KOH: 90% minimum
KOH·H2O: 99% minimum
K2CO3: 0.5% max
KCl: 0.015% max
Fe: 3 ppm max
NaOH: 1% max
Ni: 5 ppm max
USES OF POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE
Potassium hydroxide to make other potassium compounds
Many potassium salts are prepared by neutralization reactions involving KOH. The potassium salts of carbonate, cyanide, permanganate, phosphate, chloride and various silicates are prepared by treating either the oxides or the acids with KOH.
Potassium hydroxide used in the 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. Glycerine from potassium hydroxide-processed biodiesel is useful as an inexpensive food supplement for livestock, once the toxic methanol is removed.
Potassium hydroxide used in the 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.
Potassium hydroxide 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.
Other 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. The high alkalinity enables cleaners and degreasers to dissolve oils and greases by saponifying them. Likewise it is commonly used in commercial oven cleaners where the dissolving of carbon and baked on grease, sugar etc is required.
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.
Aggressive bases will damage the cuticle of the hair shaft, and thus is useful for weakening the hair in preparation for shaving. Pre-shave products and shave creams such as Proraso contain Potassium Hydroxide in order to force the cuticle open and act as a hygroscopic agent to attract and force water into the shaft, causing further damage to the hair. In this state, the hair is more easily cut by razor blade.
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