raistlin - 6-7-2002 at 09:19
Greatings again. Does anyone have any tips or recipies for nitration of potassium?
Raistlin
madscientist - 7-7-2002 at 10:15
Well, add potassium metal to 100% white nitric acid...
Rhadon - 7-7-2002 at 16:51
...and scrape the potassium nitrate off of the ceiling 
vulture - 8-7-2002 at 11:31
Well, you could also try the nucleophilic attack of an NO3 - ion which is radicalised by a solution of highly concentrated nitrogendioxide monohydrate
and sulfurtrioxide monohydrate.
Because the potassium metal has a relatively high reduction potential against oxidizing negatively charged nucleophilic attack radicals the reaction
will have a highly negative enthalpy.
Polverone - 8-7-2002 at 11:46
You are just being cruel. Raistlin, "nitration" is a term generally used in organic chemistry. If you want potassium nitrate the easiest way to get it
is to buy it (see other threads).
There are a few other possibilities, though. Bacteria fix nitrogen from the air and were the (indirect) source of pretty much all nitrates until
synthetic processes for nitrogen fixation were developed in the early 20th century.
In old processes, manure and urine were mixed with soil and left for some time for bacteria to work. This mixture was combined with wood ashes (a
mixture of potassium and sodium carbonate), the whole mess thoroughly mixed, and water added. The liquid that drained out was purified by repeated
evaporation/crystalization and dissolution, eventually yielding fairly pure KNO3 (good enough for gunpowder in any case).
If you can get potassium hydroxide or carbonate and ammonium nitrate, you can make potassium nitrate from them in solution. KOH + NH4NO3 = KNO3 + NH3
+ H2O. Potassium carbonate will exchange with ammonium nitrate to form potassium nitrate and ammonium carbonate; the ammonium carbonate will break
down into gases and escape if the solution is boiled. Combine a stoichiometric amount of the 2 reagents and go for it. If "stoichiometric" is a
confusing term I suggest you consult some chemistry references (as I mentioned in another thread).
raistlin - 9-7-2002 at 10:15
I understand what stoichiometric is... However, can you recomend any good dictionaries or encyclopedias on chemistry?
Raistlin
PHILOU Zrealone - 10-4-2003 at 13:56
K2SO3 + HNO3 --> KNO3 + SO2(g) + H2O
KOH + HNO3 --> KNO3 + H2O
K2O + 2HNO3 --> 2KNO3 + H2O
K2O + N2O5 --> 2 KNO3
2KOH + N2O5 --> 2KNO3 + H2O
KOH + NH4NO3 --> KNO3 + NH3(g) +H2O
K2O + 2NH4NO3 --> 2KNO3 + 2 NH3(g) + H2O
2KNO2 + 2HNO3 --> 2KNO3 + NO + NO2 + H2O
K + HNO3 --> KNO3 + 1/2 H2(g)
K-NH2 + HNO3 --> KNO3 + NH3(g)
K + NH4NO3 --> KNO3 + NH3(g) + 1/2 H2(g)
KHCO3 + HNO3 --> KNO3 + H2O + CO2(g)
K2CO3 + 2HNO3 --> 2KNO3 + H2O + CO2(g)
...
almost limitless possible ways!
PHILOU Zrealone - 10-4-2003 at 14:00
One of the worst would be
KNO2 + NH4NO3 --> KNO3 + NH4NO2 --> KNO3 + N2(g) + 2H2O
NH4NO2 dry is explosive and unstable!
KNO2 + NH2-CO-NH2.HNO3 --> KNO3 + NH3(g) + CO2 + N2(g) + H2O
...
Really endless ways!