Properties of Potash Alum
Some of the important properties of potash alum are listed below:
Potash Alum Properties |
|
---|---|
Appearance |
Colorless, crystalline solid |
Taste |
Sour taste |
Nature |
Acidic |
Structure |
Octahedral |
IUPAC Name |
Aluminum Potassium Sulfate Dodecahydrate |
Density |
1.757 g/mL at 25 °C (77 °F) |
Melting point |
92 to 95 °C (198 to 203 °F) |
Boiling point |
200 °C (392 °F) |
Formula of Potash Alum
The chemical formula of potash alum is K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O
Molecular Weight of Potash Alum
The molecular weight of potash alum or potassium aluminum sulfate is 948 grams per mole.
Equivalent Weight of Potash Alum
The equivalent weight of potash alum is 118.59 grams.
Potash Alum in Water
Potash Alum is highly soluble in water and forms an octahedral structure. In water treatment, potash alum is used as a coagulant to precipitate contaminants and impurities.
Potash Alum Dissociation
When potash alum is dissolved in water, it undergoes a process called dissociation, where it breaks down into its simplest ions. In the case of potash alum, the dissociation process can be represented as follows:
K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O → 2K+ + 2SO42- + 2Al3+ + 3SO42- + 24H2O
In this dissociated state, potash alum has the following ions:
- Potassium ions (K+ ): Carry a positive charge and are attracted to negatively charged particles.
- Sulfate ions (SO42-): Carry a negative charge and are attracted towards positively charged particles.
- Aluminum ions (Al3+): Carry a positive charge and are attracted towards negatively charged particles.
These ions move around in the water solution and interact with other ions and molecules, depending on the conditions and the presence of other solutes.
Potash Alum Reaction
The chemical reaction for the formation of potash alum (potassium aluminum sulfate dodecahydrate) is as follows:
K2SO4(aq) + Al2(SO4)3(aq) + 24H2O → K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O(s)
This reaction occurs when a concentrated solution containing equimolar amounts of potassium sulfate and aluminum sulfate is allowed to crystallize. The resulting potash alum is a colorless, crystalline solid with a sour taste and an octahedral crystal structure.
Potash Alum
Potash Alum also known as Potassium Aluminum Sulfate is a chemical compound commonly used as potassium sulfate dodecahydrate. It has an octahedral structure in a neutral solution and changes into a cubic structure in an alkali solution. This compound is a double salt and is frequently utilized in medicine and water treatment procedures. It is often termed as ‘fitkari‘.
In this article, we will have a detailed description of the Potash Alum, properties of potash alum, uses of the potash alum, and how the potash alum is prepared.
- 258.192 g/mol (anhydrous)
- 474.37 g/mol (dodecahydrate)
IUPAC Name |
Aluminum Potassium Sulfate Dodecahydrate |
---|---|
Chemical Formula |
K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O |
Molar Mass |
948 gm/mol |
Density |
1.725 g/cm3 |
Melting Point |
92 to 95 °C (198 to 203 °F; 365 to 368 K) |
Boiling Point |
200 °C (392 °F; 473 K) |
Table of Content
- What is Potash Alum?
- Structure of Potash Alum
- Properties of Potash Alum
- Preparation of Potash Alum
- Uses of Potash Alum
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