P_VinnyandTheChig
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Potassium isolation from K2SO4?
Hello, I was wondering if anyone has done this and if so, what method they used. If mixed with a salt solution such as Na2CO3 I assume a double
replacement reaction would take place? But then I have soluble salts in a solution that I don't know how to isolate... Any help or advice is
appreciated.
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barley81
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You are trying to isolate metallic potassium from potassium sulfate?
Here's a way... Not the best way though.
Precipitate sulfate ion with the stoichiometric amount of barium hydroxide; filter, heat and dry the resulting KOH in a CO2-free atmosphere. You can
then reduce the KOH in a high-boiling inert solvent using magnesium and a tertiary-alcohol catalyst. This method's thread is a sticky on the forum.
When you mix sodium carbonate and potassium sulfate in water, you cannot separate them. Potassium sulfate is less generally less soluble than sodium
sulfate at low temperatures (wiki), and potassium carbonate is generally more soluble than sodium carbonate.
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P_VinnyandTheChig
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Thank you, I figured that would be the case in with the mixture. I'm a low level chemistry student but would like to try this reaction. So for
clarity, one would use barium hydroxide because it's ion more readily reacts with the sulphate ion because of the charges being the same (or because
of barium's higher energy level?).
Will a vacuum pump create a CO2-free atmosphere?
Then dissolve KOH in either say DMSO or DMF and then add Mg powder and tert-butyl?
I looked through the posts in the sticky at the top but I didn't see it. If you could redirect me I would appreciate it. I assume Na could be isolated
as well using the same procedure starting with NaOH?
Thank you, your reply was spot on
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P_VinnyandTheChig
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Ah! I found it under general chemistry thank you!
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