Potassium sulfate
General
Systematic name	Potassium sulfate
Other names	Potassium sulphate
Molecular formula	K2SO4
Molar mass	174.27 g/mol (anhydrous)
Appearance	White crystalline solid
CAS number	[7778-80-5]
Properties
Density	2.66 g/cm3, anhydrous
Solubility in water	11.1 g/100 ml (20 °C)
In ethanol	insoluble
Melting point	1069°C (1342 K)
Boiling point	1689°C (1962 K)
Structure
Coordination geometry	?
Crystal structure	orthorhombic
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
Main hazards	Irritant
R/S statement	None
RTECS number
NFPA 704
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Related compounds
Other anions	Potassium hydrogen sulfate Potassium sulfite Potassium bisulfite Potassium persulfate
Other cations	Lithium sulfate Sodium sulfate Magnesium sulfate
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25°C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Potassium sulfate (K₂SO₄) (also known as potash of sulfur) is a non-flammable white crystalline salt which is soluble in water. The chemical is commonly used in fertilizers, providing both potassium and sulfur. Image File history File links Potassium-sulfate-chemical. ... IUPAC nomenclature is a systematic way of naming organic chemical compounds. ... A chemical formula (also called molecular formula) is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ... Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a chemical element or chemical compound. ... As a general term, a substance is said to be anhydrous if it contains no water. ... CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for chemical compounds, polymers, biological sequences and alloys. ... Density (symbol: ρ - Greek: rho) is a measure of mass per volume. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Solution. ... This article describes water from a scientific and technical perspective. ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, mildly toxic chemical compound with a distinctive perfume-like odor, and is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ... The melting point of a crystalline solid is the temperature at which it changes state from solid to liquid. ... The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which it can change its state from a liquid to a gas throughout the bulk of the liquid at a given pressure. ... The coordination geometry of an atom is the geometrical pattern formed by its neighbors in a molecule or a crystal. ... Enargite crystals In mineralogy and crystallography, a crystal structure is a unique arrangement of atoms in a crystal. ... In crystallography, the orthorhombic crystal system is one of the 7 lattice point groups. ... A material safety data sheet or MSDS is a form containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Risk and Safety Statements, also known as R/S statements, R/S numbers, R/S phrases, and R/S sentences, is a system of hazard codes and phrases for labeling dangerous chemicals and compounds. ... RTECS, also known as Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances, is a database of toxicity information compiled from the open scientific literature that is available for charge. ... NFPA 704 is a standard maintained by the U.S. National Fire Protection Association. ... The refractive index (or index of refraction) of a material is the factor by which the phase velocity of electromagnetic radiation is slowed in that material, relative to its velocity in a vacuum. ... The dielectric constant εr (represented as or K in some cases) is defined as the ratio: where εs is the static permittivity of the material in question, and ε0 is the vacuum permittivity. ... Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy or Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometry (UV/ VIS) involves the spectroscopy of photons (spectrophotometry). ... IR spectrum of a thin film of liquid ethanol. ... Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy most commonly known as NMR Spectroscopy is the name given to the technique which exploits the magnetic properties of nuclei. ... Basic schematic of a mass spectrometer Mass spectrometry (also known as mass spectroscopy (deprecated)[1] or in common speech mass-spec) is an analytical technique used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. ... An ion is an atom or group of atoms that normally are electrically neutral and achieve their status as an ion by loss or addition of one or more electrons. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... Potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) is a chemical compound. ... An ion is an atom or group of atoms that normally are electrically neutral and achieve their status as an ion by loss or addition of one or more electrons. ... Lithium sulfate is a white inorganic salt that is used in the treatment of manic depressive disorders. ... Sodium sulfate is an important compound of sodium. ... Magnesium sulfate or Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate or Epsom salt is a chemical compound containing magnesium, with the formula MgSO4·7H2O. Magnesium sulfate without water of crystalization MgSO4 is available as a far less common chemical and drying agent, but typically magnesium sulfate refers to the hydrate, and Epsom salt always... In chemistry, the standard state of a material is its state at 1 bar (100 kilopascals) and 25 degrees Celsius (298. ... A magnified crystal of a salt (halite/sodium chloride) A salt, in chemistry, is any ionic compound composed of cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negative ions) so that the product is neutral (without a net charge). ... It has been suggested that Solid solubility be merged into this article or section. ... Water is an odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is known as the universal solvent. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (British English, also fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ... General Name, Symbol, Number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 39. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ...

History

Potassium sulfate (K₂SO₄) has been known since early in the 14th century, and it was studied by Glauber, Boyle and Tachenius. In the 17th century it was named arcanuni or sal duplicatum, as it was a combination of an acid salt with an alkaline salt. Johann Rudolf Glauber (1604 - March 10, 1670), a German-Dutch alchemist and chemist. ... Robert Boyle Robert Boyle (January 25, 1627 – December 30, 1691) was an Irish natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, inventor and early gentleman scientist, noted for his work in physics and chemistry. ... Acid salt is a chemical compound, formed when a dibasic or tribasic acid was neutralized to some degree. ...

Natural resources

Natural resources of potassium sulfate are minerals abundant in the Stassfurt salt. These are cocrystalisations of potassium sulfate and sulfates of magnesium calcium and sodium. The minerals are Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ... General Name, Symbol, Number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 24. ... General Name, Symbol, Number calcium, Ca, 20 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 40. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sodium, Na, 11 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 22. ...

• Kainite MgSO₄• KCl• H₂0
• Schönite K₂SO₄ • MgSO₄ • 6 H₂0
• Leonite K₂SO₄ • MgSO₄ • 4 H₂0
• Langbeinite K₂SO₄ • 2 MgSO₄ •
• Glaserite K₃Na(SO₄) ₂
• Polyhalite K₂SO₄ • MgSO₄ • 2 CaSO₄ • 2 H₂0

From some of the minerals like kainite, the potassium sulfate can be separated, because the corresponding salt is less soluble in water. Kainite (MgSO4·KCl·3H2O) is a mineral salt that consists of potassium chloride and magnesium sulfate and is used as a fertilizer. ... Potassium sulfate (K2SO4) (also known as potash of sulfur) is a white crystalline salt soluble in water. ... Polyhalite is a mineral, a hydrated sulphate of potassium, Calcium and Magnesium, formula (K.Ca)2. ... Minerals are natural compounds formed through geological processes. ... Kainite (MgSO4·KCl·3H2O) is a mineral salt that consists of potassium chloride and magnesium sulfate and is used as a fertilizer. ...

With potassium chloride kieserit MgSO₄ • 2 H₂0 can be transformed and then the potassium sulfate can be dissolved in water. The chemical compound potassium chloride (KCl) is a metal halide composed of potassium and chlorine. ...

Manufacture

• Corresponding to the first synthesis form Johann Glauber potassium sulfate can be synthesised by the decomposition of potassium chloride with sulfuric acid, hydrogen chloride evaporates and can be used to produce hydrochloric acid.

• The Hargreaves method is basically the same process with different starting materials. Sulfur dioxide, oxygen and water (the starting materials for sulfuric acid) are reacted with potassium chloride. Hydrochloric acid evaporates off.

• It is obtained as a by-product in many chemical reactions including the production of nitric acid.

To purify the crude product, it can be dissolved in hot water and then filtered and cooled, causing the bulk of the dissolved salt to crystallize with characteristic promptitude. Johann Rudolf Glauber (1604 - March 10, 1670), a German-Dutch alchemist and chemist. ... Sulfuric acid (British English: sulphuric acid), H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ... R-phrases , S-phrases , , , , Flash point non-flammable Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... The chemical compound hydrochloric acid is the aqueous (water-based) solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl). ... Sulfur dioxide (or Sulphur dioxide) has the chemical formula SO2. ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series Nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) very pale blue (liquid) Atomic mass 15. ... Water is an odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is known as the universal solvent. ... Sulfuric acid (British English: sulphuric acid), H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ... The chemical compound nitric acid (HNO3), otherwise known as aqua fortis or spirit of nitre, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen nitrate (anhydrous nitric acid). ...

Properties

The very beautiful (anhydrous) crystals form a double six-sided pyramid, but are in fact classified as rhombic. They are transparent, very hard and absolutely resistant to corrosion and have a bitter, salty taste. The salt is soluble in water, but insoluble in solutions of potassium hydroxide (sp. gr. 1.35), or in absolute ethanol. It melts at 1078 °C. As a general term, a substance is said to be anhydrous if it contains no water. ... The chemical compound potassium hydroxide, (KOH) sometimes known as caustic potash, potassa, potash lye, and potassium hydrate, is a metallic base. ... Relative density (also known as specific gravity) is a measure of the density of a material. ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, mildly toxic chemical compound with a distinctive perfume-like odor, and is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ...

Uses

The principal use of potassium sulfate is as a fertilizer. The crude salt is also used occasionally in the manufacture of glass. spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (British English, also fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ...

Potassium hydrogen sulfate

Potassium hydrogen sulfate or bisulfate, KHSO₄, is readily produced by mixing K₂SO₄ with an equivalent no. of moles of sulfuric acid. It forms rhombic pyramids, which melt at 197 °C. It dissolves in three parts of water of 0°C. The solution behaves much as if its two congeners, K₂SO₄ and H₂SO₄, were present side by side of each other uncombined; an excess of ethanol the precipitates normal sulfate (with little bisulfate) with excess acid remaining. This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... The mole (symbol: mol) is the SI base unit that measures an amount of substance. ... Sulfuric acid (British English: sulphuric acid), H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ... A congener (from Latin roots meaning born together or within the same race or kind) has several different meanings depending on the field in which it is used. ...

Similar is the behavior of the fused dry salt when heated to several hundred degrees; it acts on silicates, titanates, etc., the same way as sulfuric acid that is heated beyond its natural boiling point does. Hence it is frequently used in analytical chemistry as a disintegrating agent. For information about other salts that contain sulfate, see sulfate. In chemistry, a silicate is a compound containing an anion in which one or more central silicon atoms are surrounded by electronegative ligands. ... The chemical compound Titanic acid, Ti(OH)4, is a white weak acid that is a hydrated form of titanium dioxide. ... Sulfuric acid (British English: sulphuric acid), H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ... In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate (IUPAC-recommended spelling; also sulphate in British English) is a salt of sulfuric acid. ...

See also

• arcanum duplicatum, the term for this substance in alchemy

Arcanum duplicatum (potassium sulfate), also known as panacea duplicata, in pre-modern medicine, is a preparation of the caput mortuum, or the remaining residue from distillation or sublimation, of aqua sortis, by dissolving it in hot water, filtering, and evaporating it to a cuticle. ...

External links

• Links to external chemical sources.