TheNextTesla Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Does anyone know of any conventional methods of reducing potassium hydroxide to form Potassium metal as an end result? I've just started making a batch of potassium hydroxide, and I was thinking of fun things to do with it. Thanks! Any help is appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sensei Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 (edited) You could try KOH+HCl->KCl + H2O then evaporate H2O to get KCl. KCl heated to high enough temperature will undergo decomposition 2 KCl -> 2K + Cl2 (g) Edited December 11, 2016 by Sensei 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNextTesla Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 Thanks Sensei! This looks like a way easier method of acquiring sodium metal than electrolysis xD! Your help is much appreciated The only problem is getting it to 2600 degrees F... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sensei Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 (edited) Thanks Sensei! This looks like a way easier method of acquiring sodium metal than electrolysis xD! Your help is much appreciated The only problem is getting it to 2600 degrees F... IMHO electrolysis is much easier way. You have to heat KCl to melt it. Then apply high enough voltage... With pretty large current (MIG/MAG/TIG welding equipment?).. And remove produced Chlorine gas... That's probably hundred dollars, or thousands dollars, investment. Edited December 12, 2016 by Sensei Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNextTesla Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 (edited) IMHO electrolysis is much easier way. You have to heat KCl to melt it. Then apply high enough voltage... With pretty large current (MIG/MAG/TIG welding equipment?).. And remove produced Chlorine gas... That's probably hundred dollars, or thousands dollars, investment. I think I'll try that. I have welding equipment already. Plus, the decomposition temperature of KCl is higher than the boiling point of potassium so that would be kind of difficult Edited December 12, 2016 by TheNextTesla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypervalent_iodine Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Since no one has really mentioned this, I would encourage you not to attempt this unless you have appropriate safety controls in place. Chlorine gas is no joke, and potassium metal is highly pyrophoric. You are setting yourself up for an especially deadly accident if you aren't taking the correct measures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNextTesla Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 Since no one has really mentioned this, I would encourage you not to attempt this unless you have appropriate safety controls in place. Chlorine gas is no joke, and potassium metal is highly pyrophoric. You are setting yourself up for an especially deadly accident if you aren't taking the correct measures. Thanks for the concern. I understand the safety issues with this, and I've been doing a lot of research on the matter. The area where ill be working is heavily ventilated and I'll be wearing a respirator. I will also be wearing appropriate clothes in case of a fire, and I will be prepared for any Potassium fires. It's good to see that you're warning people of the dangers that their experiments impose. Also, it seems as though I have to be extra prepared for safety issues because I'm only 15, and it seems that there's kind of a taboo for teenagers to be doing experiments like this xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypervalent_iodine Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 May I ask how you have prepared for potassium fires? If you are doing this in atmosphere, there is practically a 100% chance of you having one. That is assuming your electrolysis is successful, which is dubious. It won't work if there is water present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNextTesla Posted December 16, 2016 Author Share Posted December 16, 2016 May I ask how you have prepared for potassium fires? If you are doing this in atmosphere, there is practically a 100% chance of you having one. That is assuming your electrolysis is successful, which is dubious. It won't work if there is water present. I think I'm going to try and flood the area with argon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypervalent_iodine Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 I thought your area was heavily ventilated? What sort of vessel are you using? How are you going to dry the KOH or KCl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Rick_ Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 I think I'll try that. I have welding equipment already. Plus, the decomposition temperature of KCl is higher than the boiling point of potassium so that would be kind of difficult If its just the fact that its a gas and not the ridiculous 2.6k degrees you could hook it up to a metal tube and use it as a condenser. Probably your best bet for managing to do anything is by reacting sodium or lithium with it at a more reasonable temperature. Cody's lab did a pretty good video on this synthesis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNextTesla Posted December 16, 2016 Author Share Posted December 16, 2016 (edited) If its just the fact that its a gas and not the ridiculous 2.6k degrees you could hook it up to a metal tube and use it as a condenser. Probably your best bet for managing to do anything is by reacting sodium or lithium with it at a more reasonable temperature. Cody's lab did a pretty good video on this synthesis. I love Cody's Lab! Thanks, I didn't know he had this video I thought your area was heavily ventilated? What sort of vessel are you using? How are you going to dry the KOH or KCl? Dry it as in removing the solvent? Edited December 16, 2016 by TheNextTesla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypervalent_iodine Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 Well yeah, given that your solvent is probably water. And both those compounds are highly hygroscopic, so they will get wet super quickly. Certainly enough to ruin your electrolysis. If you don't know this already, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNextTesla Posted December 17, 2016 Author Share Posted December 17, 2016 (edited) Well yeah, given that your solvent is probably water. And both those compounds are highly hygroscopic, so they will get wet super quickly. Certainly enough to ruin your electrolysis. If you don't know this already, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Removing water from the crystals won't be hard.. Once I dry them it would take a decent amount of time for them to get wet enough to ruin the electrolysis. Also, if i choose to go about this and melt the crystals, water won't be present after I melt the crystals. Edited December 17, 2016 by TheNextTesla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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