Potassium industrial application

The alkali metals form a homogeneous group of extremely reactive elements which illustrate well the similarities and trends to be expected from the periodic classification, as discussed in Chapter 2. Their physical and chemical properties are readily interpreted in terms of their simple electronic configuration, ns, and for this reason they have been extensively studied by the full range of experimental and theoretical techniques. Compounds of sodium and potassium have been known from ancient times and both elements are essential for animal life. They are also major items of trade, commerce and chemical industry. Lithium was first recognized as a separate element at the beginning of the nineteenth eentury but did not assume major industrial importance until about 40 y ago. Rubidium and caesium are of considerable academic interest but so far have few industrial applications. Francium, the elusive element 87, has only fleeting existence in nature due to its very short radioactive half-life, and this delayed its discovery until 1939. 

A similar electrolyte, containing potassium heptafluoroniobate, K2NbF7, can be used for the electrolytic reduction of niobium [37, 542 - 544]. No industrial application, however, was found for the electrolysis of niobium in fluoride-chloride melts. 

Subcategory A encompasses the manufacture of all batteries in which cadmium is the reactive anode material. Cadmium anode batteries currently manufactured are based on nickel-cadmium, silver-cadmium, and mercury-cadmium couples (Table 32.1). The manufacture of cadmium anode batteries uses various raw materials, which comprises cadmium or cadmium salts (mainly nitrates and oxides) to produce cell cathodes nickel powder and either nickel or nickel-plated steel screen to make the electrode support structures nylon and polypropylene, for use in manufacturing the cell separators and either sodium or potassium hydroxide, for use as process chemicals and as the cell electrolyte. Cobalt salts may be added to some electrodes. Batteries of this subcategory are predominantly rechargeable and find application in calculators, cell phones, laptops, and other portable electronic devices, in addition to a variety of industrial applications.1-4 A typical example is the nickel-cadmium battery described below. 

In industry, chemical reduction is preferred over electrolytic processes for potassium production. Application of the Down s electrolytic sodium process to produce potassium has not been successful. Potassium—sodium alloy is easily prepared by the reaction of sodium with molten KC1, KOH, or solid KjCC powder (see Sodiumand SODIUMALLOYS). 

The catalyzed complete combustion of individual hydrocarbons has been investigated by Todes in an attempt to establish the combustion characteristics of these hydrocarbons (220), while other workers have attempted to improve the techniques of catalyzed combustion (457). At the Power Institute Ravich has been working on the development of catalysts promoting complete combustion of gaseous and solid fuels with the aid of naturally occurring and synthetic minerals containing oxides of iron, chromium, nickel, potassium, aluminum, and manganese (317,-318,319). Industrial application of this process has been mentioned. 

Chromium is an uncommon metal, but several of its compounds, especially potassium chromate, potassium dichromate, and chrome alum, are familiar, and have numerous industrial applications. 

The worldwide production capacity for potassium nitrate in 1996 was ca. 1.3- 10 t, of which 75% was for fertilizers and 25% for industrial applications. Table 2.2-10 gives the potassium nitrate consumption by region for 1997. 

A similar but less energetic reaction produced by sulfides35 or thiocyanates36 has found industrial application. In one method, 100 parts of char are mixed with 15 parts of potassium sulfide and 30 parts of caustic potash in a slurry which is dried and ignited at 900° C with the exclusion of air7 In another process./sawdust. 

Because of their metallic properties and low mass, Be and Mg are used to form lightweight alloys for structural purposes. Ca sees less industrial use, although the phosphate is sometimes utifized in fertilizers. Sr and Ba have no significant industrial applications. Both Be and Ra are used in various devices, the former because it is quite transparent to x-rays and the latter because it is a ready source of both a- and y-radiation. Mg and Ca are essential to all living systems for many reasons the other alkali earths have no known biological roles, see also Beryllium Cesium Curie, Marie Sklodowska Davy, Humphry Francium Magnesium Potassium Rubidium Wohler, Friedrich. 

Common ions can be determined at ppb levels, e.g. fluoride, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, sodium, ammonium, and potassium. This is especially important in environmental and industrial applications. Anion and cation analysis can be performed in many types of samples, e.g. groundwater samples, power plant waters, coastal and sea water samples, on air filters, solid waste samples, blood and food and digested rock samples. 

Two such industrial applications, developed and implemented in Israel, are (1) potassium nitrate (and hydrochloric acid) production from potassium chloride and nitric acid and (2) phosphoric acid (and calcium chloride) production from phosphate rock and hydrochloric acid. 

As described above, the polyacrylamide gel method is advantageous for Immobilization of microbial cells and for industrial application. However, there are some limitations in this method. That is, some enzymes are inactivated during Immobilization procedure by the action of acrylamide monomer, 8-dimethylamino-propionitril, potassium persulfate or heat of the polymerization reaction. Therefore, this method has limitation in application for immobilization of enzymes and microbial cells. Thus, to find out more general Immobilization technique and to Improve the productivities of Immobilized microbial cell systems we studied new immobilization techniques. As the results, we have found out K-carrageenan is very useful for Immobilization of cells [8]. <-Carrageenan, which is composed of unit structure of B-D-galactose... 

The simplest reaction ofTOFA is the formation of soaps upon treatment with bases. Tall oil fatty acid soaps, such as ammonium tallate, potassium taUate, and sodium tallate are water soluble. The low proportion of saturated fatty acids allows them to be used in numerous cosmetic and personal care applications, functioning as an emulsifier or surfactant. The same applies for many industrial applications such as bitumen emulsions commonly used in roadway construction and maintenance. Asphalt emulsions are classified based on their ionic charge anionic, cationic, and nonionic. Anionic emulsions... 

The alkali metals are represented by the six chemical elements of group 1A(1) of Mendeleev s periodic chart. These six elements are, in order of increasing atomic number, lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). The name alkali metals comes from the fact that they form strong alkaline hydroxides (i.e., MOH, with M = Li, Na, K, etc.) when they combine with water (i.e., strong bases capable of neutralizing acids). The only members of the alkali metal family that are relatively abundant in the Earth s crust are sodium and potassium. Among the alkali metals only lithium, sodium, and, to a lesser extent, potassium are widely used in industrial applications. Hence, only these three metals will be reviewed in detail in this chapter. Nevertheless, a short description of the main properties and industrial uses of the last three alkali metals (i.e., Rb, Cs, and Fr) will be presented at the end of the section. Some physical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and optical properties of the five chief alkali metals (except francium, which is radioactive with a short half-life) are listed in Table 4.1. 

TaUe 4.17. Industrial applications and uses of potassium metal Application Description... 

It is therefore recommended to add sodium nitrite solution before using acid for destruction of unwanted LA (or also sodium azide) residues in the laboratory or even in industrial applications [3, 5, 21]. Urbahski recommends the use of 8 % solution of sodium nitrite and 15 % nitric acid for LA [30], whereas 92 % sulfuric acid is recommended for sodium azide [5]. Many other reactions have been proposed for the decomposition of LA, including reaction with sodium polysulfide [21] or dissolving LA in ammonium acetate and adding sodium or potassium bichromate until no more lead chromate precipitates [5],... 

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