Potassium Metal from READE

Reade Advanced Materials offers:

Potassium Metal

Designations:

Chemical Name: Potassium

Chemical Formula: K

Description:

Potassium is silvery-white, soft, and light. It is the second lightest known metal (lithium is the first). Never found native, potassium is found in minerals in most soils. It is an essential component for plant growth and in human and animal nutrition. Since it is one of the most electropositive metals, potassium is very reactive. Like other alkali metals, it decomposes and can ignite spontaneously in water.

Chemical Properties Available:

98% to 99.95%

Physical Properties Available:

Small ingots under argon in glass or small blocks

Physical Constants:

Atomic Number	19
Molecular Weight (g/mol.)	39.102
Apparent Density (g/cm³)	.86
Bulk Density (g/cm³)
Specific Heat @25°C (cal/g-°C)	.177
Melting Point (°C)	63.7
Boiling Point (°C)	760
Thermal Conductivity @200°C (cal/s-cm-°C)	.107
Mohs Hardness @20°C	.5
Crystallography	cubic structure, body centered

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Typical Applications:

Potassium forms alloys with many metals, but only the alloy obtained with the sodium has some interest in the technology of nuclear reactors. The more important compounds, from the point of view of applications, are chloride, sulfate, nitrate, carbonate and hydroxide. The salts are used not only as constituents of fertilizers but also for other more specific goals. The sulfate is used as addictive of the gypsum to control its hardening speed and its resistance, the carbonate is used in the production of special glasses and in ceramics, and the potassium nitrate is used in the production of explosives. The potassium chloride, as well as the hydroxide, are the main sources to obtain other salts; the latter one is also used as industrial reagent for producing liquid soaps, as electrolyte in certain batteries and as absorbent of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.

Other less common salts are used in Medicine: the bromide as sedative, the potassium permanganate as bactericide, etc.

Packaging Options:

As required for highly flammable and corrosive chemicals

TSCA (SARA Title III) Status:

Yes. For further information please call the E.P.A. at (800) 535-0202

Hazards Classifications:

Dangerous substance. Highly flammable & corrosive
Courtesy Material Safety Data Sheet Link:

DeGussa Corp.
Chemical Abstract Service Number:

7440-09-7

UN Number:

2257

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