Industrial grade, food grade 99% Potassium bicarbonate CAS 298-14-6

What is Potassium bicarbonate?

Potassium bicarbonate, or potassium hydrogen carbonate, is an acid carbonate of potassium and carbonic acid. It is an important potassium salt chemical raw material, and is a core component of dry powder fire extinguishing agents. Its chemical formula is usually written as:

KHCO3 (CAS No.: 298-14-6, EINECS No.: 206-059-0, molecular weight approximately 100.12)

It is a colorless or white crystalline powder at room temperature, odorless, with a salty and slightly bitter taste, and a density of approximately 2.17 g/cm³. It is extremely soluble in water (approximately 22.4 g/100 mL at 20℃), and its aqueous solution is weakly alkaline (pH approximately 8.2 for a 0.1 mol/L solution). It is insoluble in ethanol. Potassium bicarbonate begins to decompose when heated to 100-120℃ and completely decomposes into potassium carbonate, carbon dioxide, and water at approximately 292℃.

Potassium bicarbonate is a compound that consists of potassium ions (K+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) held together by ionic bonds. The bicarbonate ion can also function as a base, accepting protons, or as an acid, losing carbon dioxide and protons. The amphoteric buffering capacity of potassium bicarbonate allows it to neutralise acidic substances and decompose on heating to give off carbon dioxide, which is the chemical basis of its use in fire extinguishing, buffering and gas absorption.

Potassium bicarbonate is readily decomposed by heat, evolving carbon dioxide, and it reacts with acids to give off carbon dioxide. Its solution in water is weakly alkaline. It is non corrosive & mild in nature but its dust may cause slight irritation to skin & eyes. It should be stored in a dry, sealed environment, away from moisture, caking and high temperature.

Industrial grade potassium bicarbonate is the product used for industrial purposes like fire fighting, chemical processing, agriculture, animal feed etc. The purity of this grade is generally more than 99%. Industrial-grade products pay more attention to the following indexes than food-grade products:

Content (Main Content)

For industrial grade, the main content is generally greater than 99%, because the content affects the fire extinguishing effect, the reaction yield and the formulation accuracy.

Moisture

Moisture content influences the storage stability, flowability and performance of fire extinguishing agents and should be controlled strictly.

Potassium carbonate content (alkalinity)

Potassium bicarbonate is unstable and breaks down to potassium carbonate. Alkalinity is a key quality indicator, indicating the ratio of effective ingredients in a product.

Chlorides and sulfates

Impurities such as chlorides and sulfates affect product purity and downstream applications, and must be controlled within a certain range.

Iron and heavy metal limits

The product colour is affected by the iron content, safety is ensured by limits on heavy metals and even more rigorous standards are in place when used as an animal feed.

What are the applications of industrial-grade Potassium bicarbonate?

Industrial grade potassium bicarbonate is slightly alkaline and thermally decomposes with the release of carbon dioxide. It is widely used in the fire fighting, chemical, agricultural and animal feed industries.

1. Dry powder fire extinguishing agent (core application)

Potassium bicarbonate is the main component of Class BC dry powder fire extinguishing agents. When heated in a flame, it decomposes to release carbon dioxide and can interrupt the chain reaction of combustion, quickly extinguishing oil, gas and electrical fires. It is a standard fire extinguishing agent raw material for fire-fighting equipment and industrial fire protection systems.

2. Synthesis of potassium salts and fine chemicals

Potassium bicarbonate is an important raw material for production of potassium salts such as potassium carbonate, potassium acetate and potassium arsenite. It is also a basic raw material for the synthesis of various fine chemicals for glass, soap and chemical industries.

3. Potash fertilizer and agriculture (potash source)

Potassium bicarbonate is used as a rumen buffer in the feed of ruminants such as dairy cows and beef cattle. It helps to neutralise the excess acid production in rumen, maintain the acid-base balance, improve the digestive function and milk production performance. It is a common additive to pasture rations.

4. Feed additives (rumen buffers for ruminants)

Potassium bicarbonate is used as a rumen buffer in the feed of ruminants such as dairy cows and beef cattle. It helps to neutralise the excess acid production in rumen, maintain the acid-base balance, improve the digestive function and milk production performance. It is a common additive to pasture rations.

5. Water treatment and industrial products

Potassium bicarbonate in aqueous solution is weakly alkaline and has buffering capacity. It serves as a pH adjuster and buffer in industrial water treatment, cleaning formulations, and chemical reactions, helping with the stabilisation of reaction conditions and process systems.

6. Gas absorption and purification

Potassium bicarbonate is an absorbent for acidic gases such as hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide. It is used in industrial gas purification and exhaust gas treatment to reduce acidic gas emissions.

7. Other Applications

With the development of fire protection, agriculture, and chemical technologies, the application scope of industrial-grade potassium bicarbonate continues to expand, including in analytical chemical reagents and photosensitive material washing and processing.

It should be noted that industrial-grade specifications do not equate to "risk-free": Although potassium bicarbonate is mild and non-corrosive, its dust can cause slight irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Protective equipment should be worn and the operation should be carried out in a well-ventilated area. The product is strictly prohibited from being ingested and must be stored in a dry, sealed container away from high temperatures.

Summarize

Potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3, CAS No. 298-14-6) is a white crystalline powder, highly soluble in water, and its aqueous solution is weakly alkaline. It decomposes upon heating to release carbon dioxide and possesses both mild alkalinity and buffering capacity. In daily life, we indirectly encounter it through dry powder fire extinguishers, fruits and vegetables, livestock farming (including meat, eggs, and dairy), baked goods, water treatment, and testing laboratories. In industry, industrial-grade potassium bicarbonate with a purity of over 99% is widely used in Class BC dry powder fire extinguishers, potassium salt and fine chemical synthesis, potassium fertilizers and agriculture, ruminant feed buffering, industrial buffering and pH adjustment, and gas absorption and purification. It is a crucial potassium salt connecting "potassium chemistry" with "firefighting, chemical industry, agriculture, and feed."