The key difference between potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate is that potassium chlorate is highly reactive compared to potassium perchlorate.
Potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate are ionic compounds we can describe as inorganic salt compounds. These compounds consist of potassium ions, chloride atoms, and oxygen atoms.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Potassium Chlorate
3. What is Potassium Perchlorate
4. Potassium Chlorate vs Potassium Perchlorate in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Potassium Chlorate vs Potassium Perchlorate
What is Potassium Chlorate?
Potassium chlorate is an ionic compound having the chemical formula KClO3. This compound appears as a white crystalline substance when it is in pure form. In industrial applications, this is the second most common chlorate compound, according to its importance, after sodium chlorate. Potassium chlorate is well-known as a strong oxidizing agent. The most common application is the manufacture of safety matches. However, this compound has been replaced by other alternative compounds in many other applications because it is mostly obsolete.
Figure 01: Potassium Chlorate
The common applications of potassium chlorate include the production of fireworks, propellants, explosives, preparing oxygen for laboratory uses, and chemical oxygen generators. It is also used as a disinfectant for mouthwashes and as a herbicide in agriculture.
The industrial-scale production of potassium chlorate involves the salt metathesis reaction, which includes sodium chlorate and potassium chloride. The low solubility of potassium chlorate in water helps in this reaction. Sometimes, the direct electrolysis of KCl is also used for this production.
Typically, potassium chlorate is a hazardous compound that we need to handle with care. It tends to react vigorously and sometimes even spontaneously to ignite or explode upon mixing with some combustible materials.
What is Potassium Perchlorate?
Potassium perchlorate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula KClO4. It is an inorganic salt. Similar to other perchlorates, potassium perchlorate is also a strong oxidizer. But it tends to react very slowly with organic substances. This compound appears as a colorless, crystalline solid substance.
Figure 02: Potassium Perchlorate Crystal
We can produce potassium perchlorate industrially by treating an aqueous solution of sodium perchlorate with potassium chloride. It is a single step precipitation reaction. It exploits the low solubility of this compound – that is, a very low solubility compared to sodium perchlorate. Moreover, we can produce this compound alternatively by bubbling chlorine gas through a solution of potassium chlorate and potassium hydroxide.
The applications of potassium perchlorate include use in fireworks, ammunition percussion caps, explosive primers, and various propellants, flash compositions, stars, and sparklers. Also, it was used as a solid rocket propellant in the past. But this application was replaced by ammonium perchlorate.
What is the Difference Between Potassium Chlorate and Potassium Perchlorate?
Potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate are ionic, inorganic compounds. The chemical formula of potassium chlorate is KClO3 while the chemical formula of potassium perchlorate is KClO4. The key difference between potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate is that potassium chlorate is highly reactive compared to potassium perchlorate. Moreover, industrial scale production of potassium chlorate involves the salt metathesis reaction, which include sodium chlorate and potassium chloride, while industrial production of potassium perchlorate involves treating an aqueous solution of sodium perchlorate with potassium chloride.
The below infographic lists the differences between potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Potassium Chlorate vs Potassium Perchlorate
Potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate are ionic, inorganic compounds. The key difference between potassium chlorate and potassium perchlorate is that potassium chlorate is highly reactive compared to potassium perchlorate.