Potassium oxide ( K O) is an ionic

compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struc ...

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosphe ...

and

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as wel ...

. It is a base. This pale yellow solid is the simplest oxide of potassium. It is a highly reactive compound that is rarely encountered. Some industrial materials, such as fertilizers and cements, are assayed assuming the percent composition that would be equivalent to K₂O.

Production

Potassium oxide is produced from the reaction of oxygen and potassium; this reaction affords

potassium peroxide Potassium peroxide is an inorganic compound with the molecular formula K2O2. It is formed as potassium reacts with oxygen in the air, along with potassium oxide (K2O) and potassium superoxide (KO2). Potassium peroxide reacts with water to form ...

, K₂O₂. Treatment of the peroxide with potassium produces the oxide: : K2O2 + 2 K -> 2 K2O Alternatively and more conveniently, K₂O is synthesized by heating

potassium nitrate Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrat ...

with metallic potassium: :2KNO3 + 10K -> 6K2O + N2 (^) Other possibility is to heat potassium peroxide at 500 °C which decomposes at that temperature giving pure potassium oxide and oxygen. :2K2O2 -> 2K2O + O2 (^)

Potassium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula K OH, and is commonly called caustic potash. Along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), KOH is a prototypical strong base. It has many industrial and niche applications, most of which exp ...

cannot be further dehydrated to the oxide but it can react with molten potassium to produce it, releasing

hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...

as a byproduct. :2KOH + 2K <=> 2K2O + H2 (^)

Properties and reactions

K₂O crystallises in the antifluorite structure. In this motif the positions of the

anion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

s and

cation An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

s are reversed relative to their positions in CaF₂, with potassium ions coordinated to 4 oxide ions and oxide ions coordinated to 8 potassium.Wells, A.F. (1984) Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford: Clarendon Press. . K₂O is a basic oxide and reacts with water violently to produce the caustic

potassium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula K OH, and is commonly called caustic potash. Along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), KOH is a prototypical strong base. It has many industrial and niche applications, most of which exp ...

. It is

deliquescent Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules via either absorption or adsorption from the surrounding environment, which is usually at normal or room temperature. If water molecules become suspended among the substance' ...

and will absorb water from the atmosphere, initiating this vigorous reaction.

Term use in industry

The chemical formula K₂O (or simply 'K') is used in several industrial contexts: the N-P-K numbers for

fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...

s, in cement formulas, and in glassmaking formulas. Potassium oxide is often not used directly in these products, but the amount of potassium is reported in terms of the K₂O equivalent for whatever type of

potash Potash () includes various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form.

was used, such as

potassium carbonate Potassium carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula K2 CO3. It is a white salt, which is soluble in water. It is deliquescent, often appearing as a damp or wet solid. Potassium carbonate is mainly used in the production of soap and gl ...

. For example, potassium oxide is about 83%

by weight, while

potassium chloride Potassium chloride (KCl, or potassium salt) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water, and its solutions have a salt ...

is only 52%.

Potassium chloride Potassium chloride (KCl, or potassium salt) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water, and its solutions have a salt ...

provides less

than an equal amount of potassium oxide. Thus, if a fertilizer is 30%

by weight, its standard

rating, based on potassium oxide, would be only 18.8%.

References

External links

{{Oxides Oxides Potassium compounds Deliquescent substances Fluorite crystal structure