KCl from lo-salt and KNO3 from KCl and NaNO3?

[Guest Grantys]

Hi,

I want to make some kno3 from nano3 and kcl, but the only source I have of kcl is 'lo-salt'? This is 2/3 kcl and 1/3 nacl: how do I separate the two?

 

Also, can anyone explain the NaNO3 + KCl -> KNO3 + NaCL reaction in detail, and also how to carry it out?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Grant

[budullewraagh]

you'll need a considerable amount of heat. if you blowtorch a mixture of the two, the nitrate may decompose, so be careful

[raivo]

Try to dissolve as much as possible of Lo salt in almost boiling water. Then let it cool. Only KCl will crystllise because solubility of NaCl is almost independent of temperature but not so with KCl. This is classic way to separate these two salts.

[budullewraagh]

oh man! good call!

[r1dermon]

dude...buy it....unless you're looking for the experience of creating it...buying it is a lot more trouble free..besides being entered into a secret service watch list and having your house staked out 3 times a week...its no problem...KNO3 is damn cheap. food grade at skylighter.com is like...4.50 a lb. go to brooks pharmacy, its 2 bucks for 6oz. hella cheap.

[Guest Grantys]

Cheers for the input, ppl!

 

How about the NaNO3 + KCl reaction? Could someone elaborate this? How does putting it in a freezer help, and how come washing it with ice water helps purify it?

 

Thanks!

[budullewraagh]

the reaction is just displacement; the potassium ion is more attracted to the nitrate than the chloride because the nitrate is more negative, and since potassium is more active than sodium, the potassium dictates the change.

[Guest Grantys]

Done it! I managed to get needle-crystals out of the liquid mixture left in the freezer; I assume this is the kno3?

 

One question: Why is it I had to boil off more water and re-freeze to get a 2nd yield? I thought Kno3 was insoluble in cold water period?

 

Also, does rinsing the crystals with ice water re-dissolve some of the kno3 along with the remaining NaCL? How much should I actually use to lose as much salt as poss and as little kno3 as possible?

 

Thanks for all the input ppl!

 

Grant