Preparation of Potassium Dichromate
Potassium Dichromate is mainly synthesized in industries, it is made by reacting potassium chloride (KCl) with sodium dichromate (Na2Cr2O7) which is extracted from chrome iron ore. The process of preparation of Potassium Dichromate is described below:
Step 1: Formation of sodium chromate from chrome iron ore
Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and quick lime (CaO) are mixed with the powdered form of chrome iron ore to form sodium chromate. This mixture is then heated inside a reverberatory furnace in the presence of sufficient amount of air. This reaction is represented as:
4FeO.Cr2O3 + 8Na2CO3 + 7O2 → 8Na2CrO4 + 2Fe2O3 + 8CO2
Step 2: Conversion of sodium chromate into sodium dichromate
The sodium chromate solution obtained from step 1 is properly filtered to remove iron oxide and other such impurities. Then this purified form of sodium chromate is reacted with concentrated H2SO4 to obtain sodium dichromate. The reaction involved here is represented as:
2Na2CrO4 + H2SO4 → Na2Cr2O7 + Na2SO4 + H2O
Step 3: Formation of potassium dichromate from sodium dichromate
The sodium dichromate obtained from step 2 is heated and concentrated and then reacted with potassium chloride KCl, to form potassium dichromate. The reaction involved in this final step is represented as :
Na2Cr2O7 + 2KCl → K2Cr2O7 + 2NaCl
The potassium dichromate thus obtained is turned into crystals on cooling.
Potassium Dichromate (K2Cr2O7)
Potassium Dichromate is a chemical compound mainly used as an oxidizing agent. The chemical formula of Potassium Dichromate is represented as K2Cr2O7. It is a hexavalent chromium compound having a bright red-orange color. It serves as an oxidizing agent in various industrial and laboratory applications. It is used to manufacture products such as matches, glass, ceramics, etc.
In this article, we will thoroughly study What is Potassium Dichromate, its structure, its preparation, and its wide range of applications.
Table of Content
- What is Potassium Dichromate?
- Formula of Potassium Dichromate
- Structure of Potassium Dichromate
- Molecular Weight of Potassium Dichromate
- Preparation of Potassium Dichromate
- Properties of Potassium Dichromate