25 Potassium Uses: Facts You Should Know!

Potassium is represented by symbol K and having atomic number 19. It is s block, period 4 element electronic configuration as [Ar]4s1. Let us study different uses of potassium (K).

  • Potassium is the first metal isolated by electrolysis
  • Potassium is the 17th most abundant element in earth by weight and 20th most abundant element in the entire solar system.
  • Potassium ions are important for the functioning of all living cells
  • Potassium have a variety of applications in the field of fertilizers, food additives and industrial.

The stable compounds of potassium: potassium sorbate, potassium hydroxide, potassium nitrate and potassium permanganate have a wide variety of applications. This articles reviews uses of these different forms of potassium.

Potassium sorbate uses

Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, having chemical formula C6H7KO2. It is wide applications which include food, personal care products etc. Few of the uses are discussed below:

  • C6H7KO2 is used to prevent the growth of yeasts and molds in many food items such as cheese, baked good, yogurt, wine, apple cider etc.
  • C6H7KO2 is found in ingredients list of different dried fruit products.
  • C6H7KO2 helps to prevent microbes, molds and increase shelf life of herbal dietary supplementary products.
  • Many industries use this preservative as a replacement of parabens.

Potassium hydroxide uses

Potassium hydroxide commonly referred as caustic potash is an inorganic compound with chemical formula KOH. It has numerous industrial and specialised uses, the majority of which make use of its caustic properties and acid reactivity. The application of KOH are discussed below.

  • Many potassium salts are made using KOH via neutralisation reactions.
  • The acids or oxides reacts with KOH to form potassium salts of cyanide, carbonate, phosphate etc.
  • Potassium salts are prepared by the saponification of fats with KOH.
  • In food industry, KOH acts as pH control agent, food thickener and food stabilizer.
  • KOH is used in semiconductor chip fabrication.
  • Aqueous KOH is used as electrolyte in alkaline batteries based on nickel-hydrogen, nickel –cadmium, and manganese dioxide zinc.
  • The corrosive properties of KOH is useful catalyst in preparations and agents that clean and disinfect materials and surfaces.

Potassium nitrate uses

Potassium nitrate commonly referred as Indian saltpetre is an alkali metal nitrate salt with chemical formula KNO3. The applications of KNO3 are discussed on detail.

  • KNO3 is used in the production of nitric acid by reacting it with sulphuric acid.
  • KNO3 is often used as oxidizer in blackpowder.
  • It is a common ingredient of salted meat.
  • KNO3 is used in fertilizers as a source of potassium and nitrogen.
  • It is used as an electrolyte in salt bridge.
  • It works as an aluminium cleaner.  

Potassium permanganate uses

Potassium permanganate is purplish black inorganic salt with chemical formula KMnO4. It is widely used in laboratories and chemical industry. The oxidising characteristics of potassium permanganate are used in almost all applications. The applications are explored in detail.

  • KMnO4 is employed as a chemical regeneration reactant to get rid of iron and hydrogen sulphide from well water.
  • KMnO4 is majorly used as a reagent in the synthesis of organic compounds.
  • It is used in testing presence of unsaturation in qualitative organic analysis.
  • The standardized aqueous solution of KMnO4 is used as an oxidizing titrant for redox titrations.
  • It is one of the important chemical used in televisions and film industries to set dressings and age props.
  • The aqueous solution of KMnO4 is used in collecting gaseous mercury from flue gas.
  • It is used to determine the total oxidizable organic material in aqueous sample, referred as permanganate value.

Conclusion

Potassium is the second lightest metal, more than 25 isotopes have been identified till date. Potassium element is an important component of plant nutrition and found in many soil types. The different forms of potassium are mainly used in the field of agriculture, fertilizers, food etc.

Read more about following:

Samarium Properties
Thallium Uses
Silver Uses
Aluminium Oxide Uses
Methanol Uses
Hydrogen Sulfide Uses
Chlorine Monofluoride Use
Bismuth Uses
Krypton Uses
Acetone Uses
Thulium Uses
Diazomethane Uses
Aluminum Fluoride Uses
Sulphuric acid Uses
Glycerol Uses
Iodic Acid Uses
Germanium Tetrachloride Uses
Potassium Perchlorate Uses
Tantalum Uses
Hydrazine Uses
Sodium Sulfate Uses
Sodium Sulfide Uses
Mercury Bromide Uses
Chloramine Uses
Chlorine monoxide Uses
Calcium Iodide
Niobium Uses
Phosphorous Tribromide Uses
Heptane Uses
Terbium Uses
Tellurium Uses
Benzoic Acid Uses
Phosphorus Uses 
Sulphuric Acid Uses
Tin Uses
Magnesium Uses
Titanium Uses
Manganese Uses
Hydrogen Chloride Uses
Fluorine Uses
Hexane Uses
Diiodomethane Uses
Gallium Hydride Uses
Trichlorofluoromethane Uses
Calcium Bromide Uses
Calcium Sulfide Uses
Methane Uses
Holmium Uses
Samarium Uses
Iodine Uses
Barium Sulfide Uses
Promethium Uses
Sodium Hypochlorite Uses
Barium Oxide
Tungsten Uses
Hexanoic Acid Uses
Hydroxylamine Uses
Indium Uses
Helium Uses
Carbon Tetra bromide Uses
Barium Carbonate Uses
Borane Uses
Crotonaldehyde Uses
Americium Uses
Praseodymium Uses
Neodymium Uses
Platinum Uses
Sodium Carbonate Uses
Curium Uses
Calcium Fluoride Uses
Technetium Uses
Barium Chloride Uses
Iron Sulfide Uses
Einsteinium Uses
Zirconium Uses
Polonium Uses
Thorium Uses
Chlorine dioxide Uses
Sodium Sulfite Uses
Radium Uses
Iodine Monochloride
Iron Oxide
Aluminium Hydride Uses
Water Uses
Nitryl Chloride Uses
Iron Uses
Hafnium Uses
Xenon Uses
Silicon Uses
Methylamine Uses
Chromium Oxide Uses
Carbon Tetrafluoride Uses
Ruthenium Uses
Acetone Uses
Cyanogen Chloride Uses
Hypochlorous Acid Uses
Copper Uses
Boron Nitride Uses
Dichlorodifluoromethane Uses
Carboxylic Acid Uses
Uranium Uses
Dysprosium Uses
Lithium Fluoride Uses
Plutonium Uses
Magnesium Iodide Uses
Magnesium Bromide Uses
Zinc Uses
Hydrazoic Acid Uses
Propionic Acid Uses
Sulfur Dibromide
Sulphur Bromide Uses
Formic Acid Uses
Boron Trifluoride Uses
Nickel Uses
Potassium Uses
Scandium Uses
Acetic Acid Uses
Rhenium Uses
Magnesium Hydride Uses
Argon Uses
Cadmium Uses
Hydrogen Chloride Uses
Europium Uses
Potassium sulfide Uses
Aluminum Sulfide Uses
Carbonyl Sulfide Uses
Vanadium Uses
Mercuric Chloride Uses
Barium Nitride Uses
Sodium Oxide Uses
Magnesium Fluoride Uses
Yttrium Uses
Krypton Difluoride Uses
Gallium Uses
Chlorine Trifluoride Uses
Gasoline Uses
Osmium Uses
Calcium Sulfate
Phosphine Uses
Germanium Uses
Chlorine Fluoride Uses