boiling, burning oil and rapidly oxidizeing lithium not fun good thing i have a class *D* fire extinguisher i think i may go witht the disolveing the lithium in ammonia but i am open to any suggestions on how to make potassium in a home lab

Hey, do not over-burn potassium nitrate

It explodes at 1000degreeF

welderman, that didn't work.

 

the ammonia wont work unless it's anhydrous and you REALLY don't want to get anhydrous ammonia for multiple reasons. first, Li and anhydrous NH3 are used in birch reduction reactions. if discovered, people will think you're making meth.

 

also, ammonia is bloody awful at 30%. chokes you, kills you, tears through your lungs. imagine that at 100% fuming away like none other. it kills you man.

 

if you want K, get the hydroxide, put a blowtorch to it until it melts and hook a car battery up to the liquid. little balls of molten flaming K will come out. chances are, they will explode. i suggest you do this under a nitrogen or better yet, an argon atmosphere, with room for the O2 and H2 to escape. beware, molten K is not pleasant.

ill try the dry box i have access toa class IV vacum cabinet ill try that thankyou for the help i welcome any other ideas because my dad will kill me if i screw up the cabinet at his work

Bud, wouldn`t using Ammonia create an Amine with the potassium though?

like Sodamine with sodium.