60370

Potassium hydroxide

puriss. p.a., ≥86% (T), pellets

• Synonym(s): Caustic potash
• Linear Formula: KOH
• CAS Number: 1310-58-3
• Molecular Weight: 56.11
• EC Number: 215-181-3
• MDL number: MFCD00003553
• UNSPSC Code: 12352106
• eCl@ss: 38100303
• PubChem Substance ID: 329758915
• NACRES: NA.21

Properties

• vapor pressure: 1 mmHg ( 719 °C)
• grade: puriss. p.a.
• assay: ≥86% (T)
• form: pellets
• impurities: ≤0.0005% total nitrogen (N); ≤0.6% potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃)
• pH: ~13.5 (25 °C, 5.6 g/L)
• mp: 361 °C (lit.)
• solubility: alcohol: soluble(lit.); water: soluble(lit.)
• anion traces: chloride (Cl^-): ≤50 mg/kg; phosphate (PO₄^3-): ≤5 mg/kg; silicate (as SiO₂): ≤5 mg/kg; sulfate (SO₄^2-): ≤40 mg/kg
• cation traces: Ag: ≤5 mg/kg; Al: ≤5 mg/kg; Ba: ≤5 mg/kg; Bi: ≤5 mg/kg; Ca: ≤10 mg/kg; Cd: ≤5 mg/kg; Co: ≤5 mg/kg; Cr: ≤5 mg/kg; Cu: ≤5 mg/kg; Fe: ≤5 mg/kg; Hg: ≤0.1 mg/kg; Li: ≤5 mg/kg; Mg: ≤5 mg/kg; Mn: ≤5 mg/kg; Mo: ≤5 mg/kg; Na: ≤5000 mg/kg; Ni: ≤5 mg/kg; Pb: ≤5 mg/kg; Sr: ≤5 mg/kg; Zn: ≤5 mg/kg
• SMILES string: [OH-].[K+]
• InChI: 1S/K.H2O/h;1H2/q+1;/p-1
• InChI key: KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M

Description

General description

Potassium hydroxide (KOH, Caustic potash) is a base. It is a water absorbing, colorless solid having rhombic crystals. It has been synthesized by reacting potassium carbonate with calcium hydroxide. It is widely employed for the manufacture of dyes and pigments. Pulverized KOH may be used for the preparation of chalcones.

Application

Potassium hydroxide (KOH) may be employed for the following studies:

• As an etching agent for the laser modified silica glass. It selectively facilitates etching on exposure to femtosecond laser.
• As a catalyst for the transformation of palm oil along with methanol to methyl esters, via transesterification reaction.
• Preparation of potassium hydroxide catalyst supported on palm shell activated carbon, which is used for the transesterification of palm oil.
• To improve the catalytic efficacy of X, Y and ZSM (Zeolite Socony Mobil)-5 zeolites during the synthesis of methyl methacrylate.

Other Notes

Reagent for the decomposition of silicates by fusion

Safety Information

• pictograms: GHS05,GHS07
• signalword: Danger
• hcodes: H290,H302,H314
• pcodes: P234 - P260 - P280 - P301 + P312 - P303 + P361 + P353 - P305 + P351 + P338
• Hazard Classifications: Acute Tox. 4 Oral - Eye Dam. 1 - Met. Corr. 1 - Skin Corr. 1A
• Storage Class: 8A - Combustible corrosive hazardous materials
• wgk_germany: WGK 1
• flash_point_f: Not applicable
• flash_point_c: Not applicable