GET TO KNOW “POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE”

Product Introduction:

Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula KOH, commonly referred to as caustic potash, and is typically a strong base with caustic and reactive activity with acids. Melting point 361°C, boiling point 1320°C, density 1.450 g/mL at 20°C, vapor pressure 1 mm Hg (719 °C), refractive index n20/D 1.421, flash point 52 °F. White rhombic crystal, industrial white or pale gray block or rod shaped. Soluble in water, soluble in ethanol, slightly soluble in ether.

Uses: In the pharmaceutical industry, used in the production of potassium borohydrogen, amperolactone, etc. It is used to produce potash fertilizer soap in light industry. In the dye industry, used in the production of reductive dyes, such as reductive blue RSN; In the electrochemical industry, for electroplating, engraving, etc.; In the textile industry, it is used for printing and dyeing, bleaching and mercerizing, and is widely used as the main raw material for manufacturing artificial fiber and polyester fiber. Also used in metallurgical heating agent and leather degreasing and other aspects.

Common process route

By membrane electrolysis, raw material potassium chloride is dissolved into saturated solution in salt tank. When heated to 90℃, potassium carbonate, caustic potash and barium chloride are added respectively to remove impurities such as calcium, magnesium and sulfate. After sedimentation, slagging, hydrochloric acid neutralization and refining, potassium chloride solution containing 280 ~ 315g/L is preheated to 70 ~ 75℃ and electrolyzed to obtain potassium hydroxide, chlorine and hydrogen. The concentration of potassium hydroxide obtained by the diaphragm method is 10% ~ 11%, and the solution containing 45% ~ 50% potassium hydroxide is obtained by evaporation concentration and cooling clarification. Can also continue to concentrate in the boiling pot, through decolorization, to produce solid potassium hydroxide.

Market development trend analysis

According to the In-depth Market Research Report on the Niche Market of potassium hydroxide Industry in 2020 released by Xinsi Industry Research Center, in terms of market supply and demand, China's potassium hydroxide industry has basically maintained a balance between supply and demand in recent years, with few new projects in the industry, low output, and the overall downstream demand tends to be stable and the industry will develop steadily in the future.

Potassium chloride is the main raw material for the production of potassium hydroxide, but the capacity of potassium chloride is limited, and basically depends on the import, and the import agent will increase the production cost, so potassium hydroxide does not have the price advantage. Affected by the epidemic, China's potassium hydroxide industry is relatively depressed. In order to promote the development of the potassium hydroxide industry, the Ministry of Commerce formulated the Qualification Conditions and Application Procedures for Potassium hydroxide Production Enterprises to Apply for the Import of Potassium Chloride Non-State Owned Trade in 2020, stipulating the use of ionic membrane electrolysis process. Enterprises with a single line production capacity of not less than 50,000 tons/potassium hydroxide production capacity can apply for potassium chloride trade.

Industry analysts of Xinsi said that potassium hydroxide has a wide range of applications, but the market size is small. In recent years, the supply and demand of the potassium hydroxide market tend to be stable, and the future industry development opportunities are small. In addition, after the relevant regulations on the import of domestic potassium chloride are issued, large-scale potassium hydroxide production enterprises will benefit more, while small enterprises will face the problem of high cost, do not have the market competitiveness in price, and gradually be eliminated, and the industry pattern gradually tends to oligarchic competition mode.