Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Preperation of potassium floroaluminate

wg48 - 3-5-2016 at 15:20

I need a few grams of potassium floroaluminate to use as an aluminium flux.

Can I make it by dissolving aluminium powder in a solution of potassium bifloride then evaporating the water to produce the dry product.

I hope I can perform the preparation in a stainless steel beaker.

[Edited on 3-5-2016 by wg48]

blogfast25 - 3-5-2016 at 15:35

Ammonium hexafluoroaluminate is prepared by reacting freshly prepared Al(OH)3 with NH4HF2. There's a procedure in Brauer's 'Inorganic preparations' (see SM library).

Not sure about the potassium version.

wg48 - 3-5-2016 at 16:38

Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25  
Ammonium hexafluoroaluminate is prepared by reacting freshly prepared Al(OH)3 with NH4HF2. There's a procedure in Brauer's 'Inorganic preparations' (see SM library).

Not sure about the potassium version.




I expect the potassium salt would behave the same as they are both ionic. I will try it micro scale.


I wanted to use aluminium metal to avoid preparing the hydroxide but that should not be a problem.

Thanks for your reply.

wg48 - 4-5-2016 at 12:58

Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25  
Ammonium hexafluoroaluminate is prepared by reacting freshly prepared Al(OH)3 with NH4HF2. There's a procedure in Brauer's 'Inorganic preparations' (see SM library).

Not sure about the potassium version.


Brauer's book is interesting. I did search the forum but I think that does not include the library. I have scanned the library previously but most of the files I wanted to view come up blank on my mobile. I will have to look again. I tried to load the viewer no success.