| Potassium Hydroxide, Liquid |
|
Potassium Hydroxide is a strong alkali which is produced as a clear liquid solution. It is sold in either 45% or 50% solution and shipped via barge, tank car (rail) or tank truck. The end uses for potassium hydroxide as a percent of the total domestic potassium hydroxide market by volume are shown in the following table:
| KOH End Uses as % of U.S. KOH Market | |
|
KOH
End Uses
|
%
Total Volume
|
|
Potassium
Carbonate
|
25 |
|
Potassium
Chemicals
|
17 |
|
Fertilizers
|
12 |
|
Liquid
Soaps/Detergents
|
12 |
|
Potassium
Phosphates
|
8 |
|
Dry
KOH
|
4 |
|
Pesticides
|
4 |
|
Rubber
Chemicals
|
3 |
|
Photographic
Products
|
3 |
|
Batteries
|
3 |
|
Other
|
9 |
|
MSDS Material safety data for liquid potassium hydroxide in Adobe .PDF format |
Safety
& Handling Specifications for potassium hydroxide |
Physical
& Chemical Properties of potassium hydroxide |
|
Caustic
Potash, Liquid |
||
|
Parameters
|
Specifications
|
Reference
Methods
|
|
Total
Alkalinity as Weight % KOH
|
45.0
to 46.0
|
ASTM:
E -291.90
|
|
Weight
% K2CO3
|
0.2
Max.
|
AOAC:
920.194
|
|
Weight
% NaOH
|
0.43
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3500-Na:C
|
|
Weight
% Na
|
0.25
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3500-Na:C
|
|
PPM
KCl
|
50
Max.
|
SMEWW:
4500-Cl-:F
|
|
PPM
KClO3
|
10
Max.
|
SMEWW:
4110
|
|
PPM
K2SO4
|
30
Max.
|
SMEWW:
4500-SO42-:B
|
|
PPM
Fe
|
2
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3500-Fe:C
|
|
PPM
Heavy Metals (as Pb)
|
10
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3120
|
|
PPM
Hg
|
0.25
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3500-Hg:B
|
| CAS Registry Number: 1310-58-3 | ||
|
Note:
This product meets the requirements for the following standards: Food
Chemicals Codex, The
National Formulary (The United States Pharmacopoeia), ANSI/NSF 60, Kashruth
endorsed Orthodox Parve Kosher at Ashtabula, Ohio, (meets the requirements
necessary to receive the Kosher certification at other plants) |
||
|
Caustic
Potash, Liquid |
||
|
Parameters
|
Specifications
|
Reference
Methods
|
|
Total
Alkalinity as Weight % KOH
|
50.0
to 51.0
|
ASTM:
E -291.90
|
|
Weight
% K2CO3
|
0.2
Max.
|
AOAC:
920.194
|
|
Weight
% NaOH
|
0.43
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3500-Na:C
|
|
Weight
% Na
|
0.25
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3-Na:C
|
|
PPM
KCl
|
50
Max.
|
SMEWW:
4500-Cl-:F
|
|
PPM
KClO3
|
10
Max.
|
SMEWW:
4110
|
|
PPM
K2SO4
|
30
Max.
|
SMEWW:
4500-SO42-:B
|
|
PPM
Fe
|
2
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3500-Fe:C
|
|
PPM
Heavy Metals (as Pb)
|
10
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3120
|
|
PPM
Hg
|
0.25
Max.
|
SMEWW:
3500-Hg:B
|
| CAS Registry Number: 1310-58-3 | ||
|
Note:
This product meets the requirements for the following standards: Food
Chemicals Codex, The
National Formulary (The United States Pharmacopoeia), ANSI/NSF 60, Kashruth
endorsed Orthodox Parve Kosher at Ashtabula, Ohio, (meets the requirements
necessary to receive the Kosher certification at other plants) |
||
50% Liquid Caustic Soda begins to crystallize at 54oF and becomes umpumpable below 48oF. Often, it is not practical or economically feasible to provide the heating necessary to prevent this product from freezing during storage and handling. For many applications, however, 50% Liquid Caustic Soda is the concentration of choice.
As a solution to the potential freezing problem, blend 45% Liquid Caustic Potash with 50% Liquid Caustic Soda. The following table lists recommended blends with their respective lower temperature points at which they can still be pumped. The table also shows the percent reduction in active alkalinity of the blend that can be expected due to the presence of the 45% Liquid Caustic Potash.
|
RESULTING
BLEND
|
|||
|
45%
Caustic Potash, Wt.%
|
50%
Caustic Soda, Wt.%
|
Pumpable
Temp., oF
|
Reduction
in Active
Alkalinity, % |
|
0
|
100
|
48
|
0
|
|
5
|
95
|
30
|
1.8
|
|
10
|
90
|
15
|
3.6
|
|
20
|
80
|
10
|
7.2
|
|
25
|
75
|
5
|
9.0
|
|
30
|
70
|
-5
|
10.8
|
|
35
|
65
|
-10
|
12.6
|
|
40
|
60
|
-13
|
14.4
|