General
|
|
|---|---|
| Name | Potassium hydroxide |
| Chemical formula | KOH |
| Appearance | White solid |
Physical
|
|
| Formula weight | 56.1 amu |
| Melting point | 679 K (406 °C) |
| Boiling point | 1593 K (1320 °C) |
| Density | 2.0 ×103 kg/m3 |
| Crystal structure | ? |
| Solubility | 119 g in 100g water |
Thermochemistry
|
|
| ΔfH0gas | -232 kJ/mol |
| ΔfH0liquid | -415.6 kJ/mol |
| ΔfH0solid | -425 kJ/mol |
| S0solid | 79 J/mol·K |
Safety
| |
| Ingestion | Very dangerous, may cause permanent GI damage, even death. |
| Inhalation | Very dangerous, high doses may cause serious injury. Long-term hazards also known. |
| Skin | Causes burns, ranging from a rash up to deep ulcers. |
| Eyes | As for skin, may cause irreversible damage. |
| More info | Hazardous Chemical Database |
| SI units were used where possible. Unless otherwise stated, standard conditions were used. | |
It is a major industrial chemical used as a base in a wide variety of chemical processes.
It is used as a catalyst in reactions like the production of biodiesel, because it dissolves in methanol much more easily
than NaOH, and it doesn't "clump".
Some uses of KOH include acrylate ester copolymer coating, defoaming agents used in the manufacture of paper, formulation aid for food, pH control agent, polyethylene resins, textile processing.
Food uses include washing or chemical peeling of fruits and vegetables, chocolate and cocoa processing, caramel color production, poultry scalding, and forming a skin on pretzels before baking, olive ageing, soft drink processing, ice cream thickener.
Other uses include in veterinary medicine in disbudding calves horns and to dissolve scales and hair; manufacture of cleansers; in wart removal and as a cuticle solvent. This type of compound is also used in washing powders, some denture cleaners, non-phosphate detergents, and drain or pipe cleaners.Uses
