Armand Products Company

X. Technical Data
PROPERTIES OF POTASSIUM CARBONATE

Boiling Point of K2CO3 Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Figure 16

Chemical & Physical Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 1

Dissociation Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 2

Electrical Conductivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 6

Equivalent Conductance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 6

Freezing Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 5, Graph 4

Heat Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 7

Hydrogen Ion Concentration (pH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 8

Index of Refraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 9

Solubility in Water Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graph 4

Solubility in Organic Solvents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 3

Specific Gravity as Function of Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 5, Graph 5

at 60F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 4

Surface Tension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 10

Vapor Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 12

Viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table 11

Handbook K2CO3 33
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
TABLE 1:
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF POTASSIUM CARBONATE

Chemical Name: Potassium Carbonate

Chemical Formula: K2CO3
Molecular Weight: 138.20
Acid Equivalent: 1 lb. K2CO3 = 0.528 lb. HCI
Alkali Equivalent: 100% K2CO3 = 68.16% K2O
Electrical Conductivityof Molten K2CO3
1.95 ohm1 cm1 at 1652F (900C)
2.12 ohm1 cm1 at 1742F (950C)
2.26 ohm1 cm1 at 1832F (1000C)

Dielectric Constant: 4.96 at 18 and 166.6 Kcs/sec.

Heat of Fusion: 56.4 cal./g. or 101.5 BTU/lb.
Heat of Formation: K2CO3 1982 cal./g. at 25C
3568 BTU/lb. at 77F
K2CO3 0.5 H2O
1429 cal./g. at 25C
2572 BTU/lb. at 77C
K2CO3 1.5 H2O
1715 cal./g. at 25C
3087 BTU/lb. at 77F
Heat of Solution: K2CO3 47.6 cal./g. (Evolved)
85.7 BTU/lb. (Evolved)
K2CO3 0.5 H2O
28.9 cal./g. (Evolved)
52.0 BTU/lb. (Evolved)
K2CO3 1.5 H2O
2.6 cal./g. (Absorbed)
4.7 BTU/lb. (Absorbed)
Infrared Absorption Band: 6.9 and 11.4
Melting Point: 1636F (891C)
pH of 47% K2CO3: 12.63
Specific Gravity: 2.428 at 66F (19C)
Specific Heat: 0.216 BTU/lb.-F over range 73-210F
0.216 cal./g.-C over range 2-99C
Solubility in Water:
at 68F 112 grams per 100 grams
at 212F 156 grams per 100 grams
Transitions: Second order at 410C and 465C

34 K2CO3 Handbook
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
TABLE 2:
DISSOCIATION PRESSURE OF
POTASSIUM CARBONATE IN
MILLIMETERS MERCURY

Reaction: K2CO3 K2O + CO2

Temperature (C) D.P. (mm Hg)

900 . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 0
950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2
970 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.68
1000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1
1100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.4
1200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.3
1300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.1
1400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.6

TABLE 3:
SOLUBILITY OF POTASSIUM CARBONATE
IN SELECTED ORGANIC SOLVENTS

Solvent Category Solubility (ppm)

Anhydrous Solution**
K2CO3

Kerosene Hydrocarbons ND* ND*

Carbon Tetrachloride Chlorinated Hydrocarbons ND* ND*
O-Dichlorobenzene Chlorinated Hydrocarbons 0.2 0.2
Trichloroethylene Chlorinated Hydrocarbons 0.1 < 0.1
Perchloroethylene Chlorinated Hydrocarbons ND* < 0.1
Acetone Ketones 1.3 17
Methyl Ethyl Ketone Ketones 3.7 7.2
Ethyl Acetate Esters 1.2 0.6
Butyl Acetate Esters 25 5.4
Methyl Cellosolve Acetate Esters 45 6.7
Diethanolamine Amine 29 27
Methanol Alcohols 16,500 16,440
Ethanol Alcohols 904 234
Isopropanol Alcohols 4.0 21
Ethylene Glycol Glycols 15,300 46,100

* ND = None Detected ** Solution: 25% H2O + 75% K2CO2 Dry Basis

Handbook K2CO3 35
 Armand Products Company

TABLE 4:
DENSITY OF POTASSIUM CARBONATE SOLUTIONS AT 60F (15.6C)

K2CO2 K2CO2 Total Weight K2CO2 Total Weight

Specific Degrees Grams Pounds of Solution Pounds of Solution
% % Gravity Baume Degrees per per in Pounds per in Pounds
K2CO3 K2O 60/60F Am. Std. Twaddell Liter Gallon per Gallon Cu. Ft. per Cu. Ft.
0 0.0 0.999 0.0 0.0 8.328 0.0 62.30
1 0.68 1.001 0.15 0.2 10.0 0.084 8.353 0.62 62.49
2 1.36 1.011 1.58 2.2 20.6 0.167 8.437 1.26 63.12
3 2.04 1.021 2.99 4.2 30.6 0.256 8.520 1.91 63.74
4 2.73 1.031 4.36 6.2 41.2 0.344 8.604 2.57 64.37
5 3.41 1.041 5.72 8.2 52.0 0.434 8.687 3.25 64.99
6 4.09 1.051 7.04 10.2 63.0 0.526 8.771 3.94 65.61
7 4.77 1.060 8.21 12.0 74.2 0.619 8.846 4.63 66.18
8 5.45 1.070 9.49 14.0 85.6 0.714 8.929 5.34 66.80
9 6.13 1.080 10.74 16.0 97.2 0.811 9.013 6.07 67.42
10 6.82 1.090 11.97 18.0 109.0 0.910 9.096 6.81 68.05
11 7.50 1.100 13.18 20.0 121.0 1.010 9.180 7.55 68.67
12 8.18 1.110 14.37 22.0 133.5 1.112 9.263 8.32 69.30
13 8.86 1.120 15.54 24.0 145.6 1.215 9.346 9.09 69.62
14 9.54 1.129 16.57 25.8 158.1 1.319 9.422 9.87 70.48
15 10.22 1.138 17.59 27.8 170.8 1.425 9.497 10.66 71.05
16 10.91 1.148 18.70 29.6 183.7 1.533 9.580 11.47 71.67
17 11.59 1.158 19.79 31.6 196.9 1.643 9.664 12.29 72.29
18 12.27 1.168 20.86 33.6 210.2 1.754 9.747 13.13 72.92
19 12.95 1.178 21.92 35.6 223.8 1.868 9.830 13.97 73.54
20 13.63 1.188 22.95 37.6 237.6 1.983 9.914 14.83 74.17
21 14.31 1.199 24.07 39.8 251.8 2.101 10.006 15.72 74.85
22 15.00 1.209 25.07 41.8 266.0 2.220 10.089 16.61 75.48
23 15.68 1.219 26.06 43.8 280.4 2.340 10.173 17.50 76.10
24 16.36 1.230 27.11 46.0 295.1 2.463 10.264 18.43 76.79
25 17.04 1.240 28.06 48.0 310.0 2.587 10.348 19.35 77.41
26 17.72 1.251 29.10 50.2 325.2 2.714 10.440 20.31 78.10
27 18.40 1.262 30.11 52.4 340.7 2.843 10.531 21.27 78.79
28 19.08 1.273 31.10 54.6 356.4 2.974 10.623 22.25 79.47
29 19.77 1.284 32.08 56.8 372.3 3.107 10.715 23.25 80.16
30 20.45 1.295 33.04 59.0 388.5 3.242 10.807 24.26 80.85
31 21.13 1.306 33.98 61.2 404.9 3.379 10.899 25.27 81.53
32 21.81 1.317 34.91 63.4 421.4 3.517 10.990 26.31 82.22
33 22.49 1.328 35.82 65.6 438.2 3.657 11.082 27.36 82.91
34 23.17 1.340 36.79 68.0 455.6 3.802 11.182 28.44 83.66
35 23.86 1.351 37.68 70.2 472.8 3.946 11.274 29.52 84.34
36 24.54 1.362 38.54 72.4 490.3 4.092 11.366 30.61 85.03
37 25.22 1.374 39.47 74.8 508.3 4.242 11.466 31.74 85.78
38 25.90 1.386 40.39 77.2 526.6 4.395 11.566 32.88 86.53
39 26.58 1.398 41.29 79.6 545.2 4.550 11.666 34.04 87.28
40 27.26 1.410 42.16 82.0 563.9 4.706 11.766 35.21 88.03
41 27.95 1.422 43.04 84.4 583.0 4.865 11.867 36.40 88.78
42 28.63 1.434 43.89 86.8 602.2 5.026 11.967 37.60 89.52
43 29.31 1.446 44.73 89.2 621.8 5.189 12.067 38.82 90.27
44 29.99 1.459 45.62 91.8 641.9 5.357 12.175 40.08 91.09
45 30.67 1.471 46.43 94.2 661.9 5.524 12.275 41.32 91.83
46 31.35 1.483 47.23 96.6 682.2 5.693 12.376 42.59 92.58
47 32.04 1.496 48.08 99.2 703.0 5.867 12.484 43.90 93.40
48 32.72 1.509 48.91 101.8 724.3 6.045 12.593 45.22 94.21
49 33.40 1.522 49.74 104.4 745.7 6.223 12.701 46.56 95.02
50 34.08 1.535 50.54 107.0 767.5 6.405 12.810 47.92 95.83
51 34.76 1.549 51.40 109.8 790.0 6.592 12.926 49.32 96.70
52 35.44 1.562 52.18 112.4 812.2 6.778 13.035 50.71 97.52

36 K2CO3 Handbook
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA TABLE 5:

SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF POTASSIUM CARBONATE
SOLUTIONS AS A FUNCTION OF TEMPERATURE

TEMPERATURE (F)
Conc.* F.P.** 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

0 32 0.9999 0.9997 0.9990 0.9980 0.9966 0.9950 0.9931

5 29 1.057 1.046 1.044 1.042 1.040 1.038 1.035 1.033
10 25 1.096 1.094 1.092 1.090 1.088 1.086 1.083 1.081
15 21 1.146 1.145 1.143 1.141 1.139 1.137 1.135 1.132 1.130
20 12 1.199 1.197 1.194 1.192 1.190 1.188 1.185 1.182 1.179
25 3 1.252 1.251 1.248 1.245 1.244 1.242 1.240 1.237 1.234 1.231

30 -3 1.308 1.306 1.303 1.301 1.298 1.296 1.293 1.290 1.287 1.284
35 -16 1.366 1.363 1.360 1.358 1.355 1.352 1.350 1.347 1.344 1.341
40 -34.6 1.423 1.422 1.419 1.416 1.414 1.411 1.408 1.405 1.402 1.399
45 -1 1.486 1.484 1.481 1.479 1.476 1.473 1.470 1.467 1.463 1.460
47 8 1.511 1.509 1.506 1.503 1.500 1.498 1.495 1.492 1.489 1.486
50 18 1.547 1.545 1.542 1.540 1.537 1.534 1.531 1.528 1.525

Conc.* 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210

0 0.9910 0.9986 0.9860 0.9832 0.9803 0.9771 0.9739 0.9704 0.9669 0.9631 0.9591
5 1.031 1.028 1.025 1.022 1.019 1.016 1.013 1.010 1.006 1.002 0.998
10 1.079 1.076 1.073 1.070 1.067 1.064 1.061 1.058 1.054 1.050 1.046
15 1.127 1.124 1.121 1.118 1.115 1.112 1.109 1.105 1.101 1.097 1.093
20 1.176 1.173 1.170 1.167 1.163 1.160 1.157 1.153 1.149 1.145 1.143
25 1.228 1.225 1.222 1.219 1.215 1.212 1.209 1.205 1.201 1.197 1.195

30 1.281 1.278 1.276 1.273 1.270 1.267 1.264 1.260 1.256 1.252 1.248
35 1.338 1.335 1.332 1.329 1.325 1.322 1.319 1.316 1.312 1.308 1.304
40 1.396 1.393 1.390 1.387 1.384 1.381 1.378 1.375 1.371 1.367 1.363
45 1.457 1.454 1.451 1.448 1.445 1.442 1.439 1.435 1.431 1.427 1.423
47 1.482 1.478 1.476 1.473 1.470 1.467 1.464 1.460 1.456 1.452 1.448
50 1.522 1.518 1.515 1.511 1.507 1.504 1.501 1.497 1.493 1.487 1.483
55 1.583 1.580 1.577 1.573 1.570 1.567 1.563 1.559 1.555 1.550

* Conc. = Concentration (% K2CO3) ** F.P. = Freezing point (F)

TABLE 6:
ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF AQUEOUS K2CO3 SOLUTIONS AT 15C

K2CO3 (wt. %) Conductance Equivalent

(mho/cm x 104) Conductance

5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74.2
10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65.7
20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1806 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.4
30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2222 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39.4
40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2168 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26.5
50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1469 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.2

Handbook K2CO3 37
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
TABLE 7: TABLE 9:
HEAT CAPACITY OF POTASSIUM REFRACTIVE INDEX AND MOLAR
CARBONATE SOLUTIONS REFRACTION OF POTASSIUM
CARBONATE SOLUTIONS

K2CO3 (wt. %) Cp* K2CO3 ND25 RD*

(cal./g.-C) (wt. %)
5 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.94
10 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.89 0 . . . . . . . 1.3325 . . . . . . . . 8.349
15 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.84 5 . . . . . . . 1.3415 . . . . . . . . 8.357
20 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.80 10 . . . . . . . 1.3514 . . . . . . . . 8.362
25 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.75 15 . . . . . . . 1.3624 . . . . . . . . 8.370
30 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.72 20 . . . . . . . 1.3751 . . . . . . . . 8.381
35 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.68
40 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.66 * Measured at Sodium D Wavelength
45 . . . . . . . . . . . 0.63 (5893A)

* Good over range from 21-52C

TABLE 8: TABLE 10:

pH OF DILUTE POTASSIUM SURFACE TENSION OF POTASSIUM
CARBONATE SOLUTIONS CARBONATE SOLUTIONS AT 20C

Commercial pH at 22C K2CO3 (wt. %) Dynes/cm

K2CO3 (wt. %)
0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.0
0.01 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.48 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75.1
0.05 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.91 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78.6
0.10 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.08 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83.8
0.25 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.25 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87.3
0.50 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.37 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91.4
0.75 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.43 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96.6
1.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.49 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103.8
2.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.58
3.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.63
5.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.68
10.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.75

38 K2CO3 Handbook
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TECHNICAL DATA
TABLE 11:
VISCOSITY OF POTASSIUM
CARBONATE SOLUTIONS AT 20C

K2CO3 (wt. %) Viscosity

(centipoise)*

5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.0
10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.3
15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.7
20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3
25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.9
30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.6
35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3
40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.5
45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.6
47 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.4
50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.5

* Viscosities determined by
Brookfield Method.

TABLE 12:
VAPOR PRESSURE, WATER AT 20.5C

K2CO3 (wt. %) Water Vapor

Pressure*

0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.1
19.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.8
46.2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.8
54.7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.6

* Pressure measured in millimeters

of mercury, water at 20.5C.

Handbook K2CO3 39
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
Graph 1. Dilution of 47% Aqueous PotCarb at 60F

Example: To make 1 gallon of solution containing 2.0

lbs. of K2CO3 per gallon, add 0.34 gallon of
47% solution to 0.68 gallon of water

1.2 1.2

1.0 1.0
Gallons of water added
per gallon of final solution

Volume of 47% K2CO3 (gal. at 60 F)

0.8 0.8
Volume of Water (gal. at 60 F)

0.34
0.68

0.6 0.6

0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2
Gallons of 47% Potassium
Carbonate per gallon of
final solution

0 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

DILUTE SOLUTION (lb./gal. K2CO3)

40 K2CO3 Handbook
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
Graph 2. Detemining Dilution Volumes

VOLUME OF STRONG LIQUOR USED (gal.)

0 20 40 60 80 100
7.0 7.0

B
6.0 6.0

5.0 5.0

STR ONG LIQUOR (lb. K 2CO3 per gal.)

WEAK LIQUOR (lb. K2CO3 per gal.)

4.0 4.0

3.0 3.0

2.0 2.0

1.0 1.0

0 0
100 80 60 40 20 0

VOLUME (gal.) OF WATER OR WEAK LIQUOR ADDED TO

MAKE 100 GALLONS OF DILUTED SOLUTION

Handbook K2CO3 41
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
Graph 3. Gross Weight of Aqueous Solutions at 60F

1.60 55
120

1.55 110
50
1.50 100

1.45 90 45

1.40 80
40
1.35 70

35
1.30 60
DEGREES TWADDELL
SPECIFIC GRAVITY

DEGREES BAUME

30
1.25 50

25
1.20 40

20
1.15 30

15
1.10 20

10

1.05 10
5

1.00 0 0
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

GROSS WEIGHT (lb/gal. at 60F)

42 K2CO3 Handbook
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
Graph 4. Solubility and Temperature Correlations

160

140

120

100 K2CO3 1.5H 20

UNSATURATED +
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
80
TEMPERATURE (F)

60

40

20

0
K2CO3 5H 20
ICE + SOLUTION +
SOLUTION
-20
ICE + K2CO3 5H 20

-40
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

%K2CO3 (Aqueous Solution)

Handbook K2CO3 43
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
Graph 5. Solution Density at Various Temperatures

140 1.70

55
120 1.60 55%

50 50%
100 1.50
47%

45%
45

1.40 40%
80
DEGREES TWADDELL

SPECIFIC GRAVITY
DEGREES BAUME

40

35%
35
60 1.30
30%
30
25%
25 40 1.20
20%
20
15%
15
20 1.10
10%
10

5 5%

0 0 1.00 0%

-20 0.90
10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150 170 190 210

TEMPERATURE, F

44 K2CO3 Handbook
 Armand Products Company

TECHNICAL DATA
Graph 6. Boiling Points at 760 mm Hg

280

270

260

250
TEMPERA TURE (F)

240

230

220

210

200
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

%K2CO3 (Aqueous Solution)

Handbook K2CO3 45
 Armand Products Company

References
1. A comprehensive Treatise on
Inorganic and Theoretical
Chemistry, Mellor, J.W., Vol. II
(New Impression 1961), John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York,
NY.

2. Mellors Comprehensive Treatise

on Inorganic and Theoretical
Chemistry, Briscoe, H.V.A.,
Eldridge, A.A., Dyson, G.M. and
Welsh, H.J.E., Vol. II,
Supplement III, 1963, John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York,
NY.

3. International Critical Tables,

West C.J. - National Research
Council (1933), McGraw-Hill
Book Company, Inc., New York,
NY.

4. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of
Chemical Technology, Mark,
H.F., McKetta, J.J. Jr., and
Othmer, D.F., Vol. 16, 1968 -
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New
York, NY.

5. Contribution to the Study of

Binary and Ternary Systems,
Carbonnel, L.; Scientifiques,
Algiers Universite. Seriebolger
Science Physiques, Vol. 7 (1-2) -
pps. 20-35 (1961).

6. Heats of Fusion of Inorganic

Compounds, Kelly, K.K., U.S.
Bur. Mines Bulletin 393 (1936).

7. Solubilities of Inorganic and

Metal Organic Compounds,
Seidell, A., 4th Ed., (1965) -
American Chemical Society,
Washington, D.C.

8. Technical Project Reports,

Technical Service, Diamond
Shamrock Chemicals Company,
Painesville, OH.
46 K2CO3 Handbook