KNO3 for NH4NO3 (or NaNO3) and K2SO4 ?

[Horrigan]

Hi :)
I was wondering about something, i have both NaNO3 and NH4NO3, and i can buy K2SO4. My question is: would K2SO4 react with NaNO3 or NH4NO3 to make KNO3 ?

2 NaNO3 + K2SO4 ---> Na2SO4 + 2 KNO3
or
2 NH4NO3 + K2SO4 ---> (NH4)2SO4 + 2 KNO3

I can't find any information about that on google...
or, is there an available potassium compound that could react with NH4NO3 or NaNO3 to make KNO3 ? (i can't get KCl nor KOH nor K2CO3)

Thanks :)

[nbk2000]

You need to use calcium nitrate. The others would work, but how to seperate them when they're all in solution?

[Horrigan]

So, those reactions are right ?
For the separation, i was thinking on using solubilities

[nbk2000]

If you use calcium nitrate, the resulting calcium sulphate precipitates out to form a sludge at the bottom from which you can simply pour the potassium nitrate solution off from.

[tmp]

Find another compound. The least soluble compound precipitates 1st.
Sulphates of potassium and sodium are less soluble than any of the nitrates
involved. Are you sure you can't find KCl in the form of salt substitute or
ice melter ? I've used that with NaNO3 in the past but I have to be honest.
It's a pain in the ass getting your KNO3 that way.

[c.Tech]

2 NaNO3 + K2SO4 ---> Na2SO4 + 2 KNO3


I'm quite sure this ones right, not completely sure but you could do a test by working out the solubilities of all 4 at a specific temp. then add enough water for one of the possibilities to dissolve (ie. 2NaNO3 and K2SO4 or Na2SO4 and 2KNO3) By working out if all the chemicals dissolved you can tell if the reaction occurred.

It's best to purify your chemicals before doing this test, use accurate scales and a thermometer to get the right results.

[Horrigan]

Well, i live in France, no KCl for remplacement of NaCl here, no KNO3 in gardenstores, sometimes NH4NO3 or NaNO3, but I was lucky !
I heard cigarette ashes were pretty pure K2CO3, I'll try this one.

In fact, i could get KCl by stealing it in a farmer store, not far from here, where all fertilizers are stored outside... i know they have KCl (don't ask me how) but i don't really like this idea...

I'd love to get K2CO3, because with NH4NO3 it makes ammonia and KNO3, ammonia is very easy to remove !

Thanks c.Tech, i think i'll try 2 NaNO3 + K2SO4 ---> Na2SO4 + 2 KNO3 and the other one too (because NH4NO3 is really easier to get and cheaper !)
If it works and i find a way to separate KNO3 I will tell here how to do.

Thanks to all :)

[c.Tech]

I heard cigarette ashes were pretty pure K2CO3, I'll try this one.
Charcoal left over from a fire is better, cigarette ashes would be loaded with heaps of other chemicals and how much cigs would you need to smoke to get 1g of K2CO3?

Thanks c.Tech,
No problem, you can do us a favour now and fix up your grammar by capitalising your letter 'i'. ;)

[Horrigan]

Well, that's right :( but wood ashes contains at most 10% K2CO3 I think...

Sorry for my "i" and thanks again :p

[Cindor]

You can filtrate the K2CO3 from the rest of the ashes...

[c.Tech]

I heard the yield of K2CO3 was low, even if it's not too bad instead of wasting your wood and contributing to the greenhouse effect just buy it from a chem supplier, its not a suspicious chemical.

[Horrigan]

Ok thanks, I'll try to get K2CO3 from a chemical supplier, but the nearest chemical supplier is 20miles from here :-/ I'll try fist K2SO4.

Yesterday, I went to a gardenshop and found a fertilizer named "organic potash" (in french,"potasse organique"), no NPK was given, but the composition was 38% K2O (38% K)
Here are the commons chemical compounds often called potash and % K:
38,6 % KNO3
56,5 % K2CO3
69,6 % KOH
52,34 % KCl
44,8 % K2SO4

Does that means that "Organic Potash" is KNO3 ? I just ask if someone knows, because I would'nt like to spend 8$ for shit ^^

Thanks :)

[rayman]

Google is your friend

[Horrigan]

I know, if I ask it, it's because I did no find anything on google :(