Very often this substance is called Bertoletsalt, named after a chemist from France - Berthollet, who discovered potassium chlorate, the formula of which is written as KClO3. Bertolle in his experiments received the substance by exposure to chlorine on an alkaline solution at a high temperature of the reaction flow. As a result of this reaction, potassium chloride, potassium chlorate and three water molecules were obtained. If you analyze the formula of the substance, you should pay attention to the fact that the Berthollet salt is very rich in oxygen.
Externally, the bertholets salt is acolorless crystals, which have a density of 2.32 grams per centimeter cubic, begin to melt at a temperature of 356 ° C, and decompose at 400 ° C. The solubility is 3.25 grams of substance per hundred grams of the aqueous solution at a temperature of 0 ° C. With increasing temperature, the solubility of the bertholet salt also increases.
With a sufficient heating temperature, it is very easy to "break up" with the oxygen atoms, which can be represented by the following equation: 2KClO3 = 2KCl + 3O2.
Как правило, для получения бертолетовой соли a reaction is carried out in which the chlorine gas is passed under forced air pressure through high-temperature solutions of potassium hydroxide or carbonate.
During the reaction with hydroxides, the chlorine streamdirect through a 30% solution of caustic potassium, and when used as a carbonate filter, this is a concentrated solution of potash to a level of 45%.
It is important that, in such an operation, the crystals of the material formed do not clog the gas vents, therefore, use should be made of the alonge during the reaction.
Then, potassium chlorate, obtained ascrystals, should be filtered through glass wool and well dried. It is necessary to avoid in this technology the use of filters from paper materials, because the bertolet salt can react with the fiber contained in the paper and cause an explosion.
There are a lot of ways with which you can get Berlotov's salt. We describe some of them.
Пометите в колбу Вюрца 5-10 граммов перманганата, then using a funnel, which must first be inserted into the solution flask, add about 30-70 millimeters of concentrated hydrochloric acid. It is generally better to do this drip, because in this way the rate of chlorine formation during the reaction is more effectively regulated.
You can get potassium chlorate and electrolyticway. To do this, a concentrated solution of common salt must be decomposed by the action of an electric current. Such a reaction is carried out as follows. Take some of the salt, best of all non-iodized and coarse-grained. As the equipment, two graphite electrodes, a glass, electric wires, a beaker, a bottomless Wurz flask are used. The wires are connected to the step-down transformer through a rectifier that converts the alternating current into a constant one. Electrolysis is carried out at a solution temperature of 70-80 degrees.
В результате реакции образуется хлорид калия, which is much more soluble in water than Berthollet's salt. Therefore, after the end of the reaction, potassium chlorate settles on the walls of the vessel, and potassium chloride remains dissolved in water.
When performing various experiments andreactions with the substance, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that its mixtures, especially with organic substances - are extremely explosive, and also "sensitive" react to all kinds of impacts, high temperatures. Among the most active substances that react with berthollet salt are sulfur, antimony, ordinary soot, red phosphorus, starch and even sugar.
Perchlorate is a particular hazardpotassium is potassium chlorate. This compound has a very strong explosive, so it is used as a "working substance" in combat grenades, shells and mines. For long periods of storage, this connection may self-ignite.
