Potassium Hydroxide
Also Known As Caustic Potash, Potassium Hydrate, Lye, And Potash
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Potassium Hydroxide - Bases - Shop Products
About Potassium Hydroxide
Potassium Hydroxide, also known as caustic potash, potassium hydrate, lye, and potash, is an inorganic chemical compound with the chemical formula of KOH. Potassium Hydroxide is a white and deliquescent alkaline base that dissociates completely in water to potassium and hydroxyl ions; it is marketed in several forms, including pellets, flakes, lumps, and powders; depending on the concentration; solutions of KOH are non-irritating, irritating or corrosive.
A traditional naturally occurring source of potassium hydroxide was produced by the leaching of wood ashes; on the other hand, it is obtained commercially from the electrolysis of potassium chloride solution in the presence of a porous diaphragm via mercury, membrane, or diaphragm process. The mercury process is the preferred one for the high-purity product obtained. Generally, KOH is considered a by-product of hydrochloric acid and chlorine manufacturing.
Major uses and applications
KOH has many industrial and domestic uses; more than 95% of the KOH production is for non-dispersive use and is consumed by the industry, mainly by large enterprises. KOH is commercialized as a solid (flakes, beads, granules) or as solutions with varying concentrations.
Its main uses in food processing include use as a direct food additive, formulation aid, pH adjuster, cleaning agent, stabilizer, thickener, and poultry scald agent. It is used in dairy products, baked goods, cocoa, fruits, vegetables, chicken, cocoa, coloring agents, ice cream, and black olives.
Non-food uses include soap manufacture, electroplating, printing inks, and as a mordant for wood. It is also a highly reactive source of potassium in a wide variety of industrial chemical synthesis and chemical analysis; in veterinary medicine acts as a caustic used in disbudding calves� horns, in aqueous solution dissolves scales and hair in skin scrapings, manufacture of cleansers and detergents, in wart removal, cuticle solvent, washing powders, some denture cleaners, paint and varnish removers, degreasing agents, dairy pipeline cleaners, fertilizer, phosphates, agricultural chemical, alkaline batteries, mercerizing cotton, for absorbing carbon dioxide, photo engraving and lithography.
Potassium Hydroxide is an alkaline salt and is reported in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook to function as a pH adjuster in cosmetics, hair straighteners, depilatories, leave-on skin care formulations, callosity softeners, and nail cuticle solvent.
Common Uses and Applications
- Food additive
- Formulation aid
- PH adjuster in cosmetics
- Hair straighteners
- Depilatories
- Leave-on skin care formulations
- Callosity softeners
- Cleaning agent
- Stabilizer
- Thickener and poultry scald agent
- Soap and detergent manufacturing
- Printing inks
- Mordant for wood
- Veterinary uses
- Wart remover
- Cuticle solvent
- Denture cleaner
- Paint and varnish remover
- Electropainting
- Degreasing agent
- Dairy pipeline cleaner
- Fertilizer
- Alkaline batteries
- Mercerizing cotton
- Absorbing carbon dioxide
- Photo engraving
Industries
- Food
- Skincare
- Cosmetics
- Cleaning And Detergent
- Forest And Wood
- Ink And Printing
- Pharmaceutical
- Agricultural
- Battery
- Chemical
- Photography