Wikipedia:WikiProject Chemicals/Chembox validation/VerifiedDataSandbox and Potassium sulfate: Difference between pages

{{Distinguish|potassium sulfide}}

| Watchedfields = changed

| verifiedrevid = 462235653

|Section1={{Chembox Identifiers

| KEGG_Ref = {{keggcite|correct|kegg}}

| ChEMBL_Ref = {{ebicite|correct|EBI}}

| ChEMBL = 2021424

| EC_number = 231-915-5

| ChEBI_Ref = {{ebicite|correct|EBI}}

|Section2={{Chembox Properties

| Appearance = White solid

| Odor = odorless

| Density = 2.66 g/cm³<ref>{{cite book |first=Pradyot |last=Patnaik |title=Handbook of Inorganic Chemicals |publisher=McGraw-Hill |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-07-049439-8 }}</ref>

| SolubilityProduct = 1.32 (120 g/L)

| SolubleOther = slightly soluble in [[glycerol]] <br /> insoluble in [[acetone]], [[ethanol|alcohol]], [[carbon disulfide|CS₂]]

| MeltingPtC = 1069<ref>{{cite book |editor-last1=Windholtz |editor-first1=M |editor-last2=Budavari |editor-first2=S |date=1983 |title=The Merck Index |title-link=The Merck Index |location=Rahway, New Jersey |publisher=Merck & Co.}}</ref>

| RefractIndex = 1.495

| MagSus = &minus;67.0·10⁻⁶ cm³/mol

|Section3={{Chembox Structure

|Section7={{Chembox Hazards

| ExternalSDS = [http://hazard.com/msds/mf/baker/baker/files/p6137.htm External MSDS]

| GHSPictograms = {{GHS07}}

| GHSSignalWord = Warning

| HPhrases = {{H-phrases|318}}

| PPhrases = {{P-phrases|280|305+351+338|310}}

| LD50 = 6600 mg/kg (oral, rat)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/rn/7778-80-5 |website=ChemIDplus |title=Potassium sulfate RN: 7778-80-5 |first=Michael|last=Chambers|publisher=United States National Library of Medicine}}</ref>

|Section8={{Chembox Related

| OtherCompounds = [[Potassium hydrogen sulfate]]<br />[[Potassium sulfite]]<br />[[Potassium bisulfite]]<br />[[Potassium persulfate]]

'''Potassium sulfate''' (US) or '''potassium sulphate''' (UK), also called '''sulphate of potash''' (SOP), '''arcanite''', or archaically '''potash of sulfur''', is the [[inorganic compound]] with formula K₂SO₄, a white water-[[Solubility|soluble]] solid. It is commonly used in [[fertilizer]]s, providing both [[potassium]] and [[sulfur]].

==History==

Potassium sulfate (K₂SO₄) has been known since early in the 14th century. It was studied by [[Johann Rudolf Glauber|Glauber]], [[Robert Boyle|Boyle]], and [[Otto Tachenius|Tachenius]]. In the 17th century, it was named ''arcanuni'' or ''sal duplicatum'', as it was a combination of an [[acid salt]] with an [[alkali]]ne salt. It was also known as ''vitriolic tartar'' and ''Glaser's salt'' or ''sal polychrestum Glaseri'' after the pharmaceutical chemist [[Christopher Glaser]] who prepared it and used medicinally.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=De Milt|first1=Clara|title=Christopher Glaser|journal=Journal of Chemical Education|volume=19|pages=53|year=1942|doi=10.1021/ed019p53|issue=2|bibcode=1942JChEd..19...53D}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=van Klooster |first1=H. S. |title=Three centuries of Rochelle salt|journal=Journal of Chemical Education|volume=36|pages=314|year=1959|doi=10.1021/ed036p314|issue=7|bibcode=1959JChEd..36..314K }}</ref>

Known as ''arcanum duplicatum'' ("double secret") or ''panacea duplicata'' in pre-modern [[medicine]], it was prepared from the residue (''[[caput mortuum]]'') left over from the production of [[aqua fortis]] (nitric acid, HNO₃) from [[nitre]] (potassium nitrate, KNO₃) and [[oil of vitriol]] (sulphuric acid, H₂SO₄) via [[Johann Rudolf Glauber|Glauber's]] process:

:{{chem2 | 2 KNO3 + H2SO4 -> 2 HNO3 + K2SO4 }}

The residue was dissolved in hot water, filtered, and evaporated to a cuticle. It was then left to crystallise. It was used as a [[diuretic]] and [[sudorific]].<ref name="cyclopedia">{{Cite Cyclopaedia 1728|title=Arcanum duplicatum|volume=1|page=*125|url=http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/HistSciTech/HistSciTech-idx?type=turn&id=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01&entity=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01.p0170}}</ref>

According to Chambers's ''[[Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences|Cyclopedia]]'', the recipe was purchased for five hundred [[thaler]]s by [[Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp]]. Schroder, the duke's physician, wrote wonders of its great uses in [[hypochondriac]]al cases, continued and intermitting [[fever]]s, stone, [[scurvy]], and more.<ref name="cyclopedia"/>

==Natural resources==

The mineral form of potassium sulfate, [[arcanite]], is relatively rare. Natural resources of potassium sulfate are [[minerals]] abundant in the [[Stassfurt salt]]. These are cocrystallizations of potassium sulfate and sulfates of [[magnesium]], [[calcium]], and [[sodium]].

Relevant minerals are:

*[[Kainite]], KMg(SO₄)·Cl·3H₂O

*[[Schönite]] (now known as picromerite), K₂SO₄·MgSO₄·6H₂O

*[[Leonite]], K₂SO₄·MgSO₄·4H₂O

*[[Langbeinite]], K₂Mg₂(SO₄)₃

*[[Aphthitalite]] (previously known as glaserite), K₃Na(SO₄)₂

*[[Polyhalite]], K₂SO₄·MgSO₄·2CaSO₄·2H₂O

The potassium sulfate can be separated from some of these minerals, like kainite, because the corresponding salt is less soluble in water.

[[Kieserite]], MgSO₄·H₂O, can be combined with a solution of [[potassium chloride]] to produce potassium sulfate.

==Production==

Approximately 1.5 million tons were produced in 1985, typically by the reaction of [[potassium chloride]] with [[sulfuric acid]], analogous to the [[Mannheim process]] for producing sodium sulfate.<ref name=Ullmann>{{cite encyclopedia|first1=H. |last1=Schultz |first2=G. |last2=Bauer |first3=E. |last3=Schachl |first4=F. |last4=Hagedorn |first5=P. |last5=Schmittinger|chapter=Potassium Compounds|encyclopedia=Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry|year=2005|publisher=Wiley-VCH|location=Weinheim|doi=10.1002/14356007.a22_039|isbn=3527306730 }}</ref> The process involves intermediate formation of [[potassium bisulfate]], an exothermic reaction that occurs at room temperature:

:{{chem2 | KCl + H2SO4 -> HCl + KHSO4 }}

The second step of the process is endothermic, requiring energy input:

:{{chem2 | KCl + KHSO4 -> HCl + K2SO4 }}

==Structure and properties==

Two crystalline forms are known. Orthorhombic β-K₂SO₄ is the common form, but it converts to α-K₂SO₄ above 583&nbsp;°C.<ref name=Ullmann/> These structures are complex, although the sulfate adopts the typical tetrahedral geometry.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gaultier |first1=M. |last2=Pannetier |first2=G. |title=Structure cristalline de la forme 'basse température' du sulfate de potassium K₂SO₄-beta |trans-title=Crystal structure of the "low temperature" β-form of potassium sulfate |journal=[[Bulletin de la Société Chimique de France]] |date=1968 |volume=1 |pages=105–112 |language=fr}}</ref>

<gallery mode=packed>

File:Structure of K2SO4, K2CrO4 and some related compounds.tif|Structure of β-K₂SO₄.

File:TopView10cnK.tif|Coordination sphere of one of two types of K⁺ site.

File:SO4sphere.tif|SO4 environment in β-K₂SO₄.

</gallery>

It does not form a hydrate, unlike [[sodium sulfate]]. The salt crystallizes as double six-sided pyramids, classified as rhombic. They are transparent, very hard and have a bitter, salty taste. The salt is soluble in water, but insoluble in solutions of [[potassium hydroxide]] ([[Specific gravity|sp. gr.]] 1.35), or in absolute [[ethanol]].

==Uses==

The dominant use of potassium sulfate is as a [[fertilizer]]. K₂SO₄ does not contain chloride, which can be harmful to some crops. Potassium sulfate is preferred for these crops, which include tobacco and some fruits and vegetables. Crops that are less sensitive may still require potassium sulfate for optimal growth if the soil accumulates chloride from irrigation water.<ref>{{cite book|title=Fertilizer manual|year=1998|publisher=Kluwer Academic |location=Dordrecht, Netherlands |isbn=978-0-7923-5032-3|edition=3rd |author1=United Nations Industrial Development Organization |author2-link=International Fertilizer Development Center|author2=International Fertilizer Development Center|author1-link=United Nations Industrial Development Organization}}</ref>

The crude salt is also used occasionally in the manufacture of glass. Potassium sulfate is also used as a flash reducer in [[artillery]] [[propellant]] charges. It reduces [[muzzle flash]], flareback and blast overpressure.

It is sometimes used as an alternative blast media similar to [[sodium bicarbonate|soda]] in [[soda blasting]] as it is harder and similarly water-soluble.<ref>{{cite web |title=Super K (Potassium Sulphate) |url=http://americansurfaceprep.com/products/|access-date=7 December 2014 |publisher=American Surface Prep |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209115526/https://www.americansurfaceprep.com/products/ |archive-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>

Potassium sulfate can also be used in [[pyrotechnics]] in combination with [[potassium nitrate]] to generate a [[Colored fire|purple flame]].

A 5% solution of potassium sulfate was used in the beginning of the 20th century as a topical mosquito repellent.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

==Reactions==

===Acidification===

[[Potassium hydrogen sulfate]] (also known as potassium bisulfate), KHSO₄, is readily produced by reacting K₂SO₄ with [[sulfuric acid]]. It forms [[rhombic pyramids]], which melt at {{convert|197|C|F}}. It dissolves in three parts of water at {{convert|0|C|F}}. The solution behaves much as if its two [[Congener (chemistry)|congener]]s, 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.

The behavior of the fused dry salt is similar when heated to several hundred degrees; it acts on [[silicate]]s, [[titanate]]s, 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]].

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.mindat.org/min-314.html mindat.org: Arcanite]

*[http://www.webmineral.com/data/Arcanite.shtml webmineral: Arcanite]

{{Potassium compounds}}

{{Sulfates}}

{{sulfur compounds}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Potassium compounds]]

[[Category:Sulfates]]

[[Category:Inorganic fertilizers]]

[[Category:E-number additives]]