From: Sandy King (sanking@CLEMSON.EDU)
Date: 04/23/02-09:28:09 AM Z
Another thought. Potassium carbonate is known to absorb water readily
from the atmosphere so that if you store it in a damp environment it
absorbs a lot of water and becomes much heavier for a given volume. I
wonder if the opposite might not happen in your environment? That is,
in the desert with low humidity perhaps the chemical will lose water
to the atmosphere, making it weigh less per volume. I don't know if
this is possible but if it is there might be an explanation as to why
you are unable to make the 100% solution. Maybe someone who knows
more about chemistry could comment on your problem.
Sandy
>Joe,
>
>Potassium carbonate is soluble in water up to about 125-135%, which
>means that you should be able to dissolve at least as much as 125g
>in 100ml of water. I have been working with this formula for about
>three years and have never had any problem in mixing the 100%
>solution. I add the potassium carbonate slowly to the water because
>there is quite a lot of heat produced from the mixture. It should
>dissolve completely in 30 minutes or less.
>
>Sandy
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>Okay folks, I give, how do you keep 100 grams of the carbonate dissolved in
>>100 mls of water? It has been three days and the best that can be said is
>>the "B" is a slurry. For the record, the chemicals are analytical grade and
>>the water is distilled. I have been using the 10% solution B and watching
>>the threads on this subject decided to try the 100% solution.
>>
>>How about this as an alternative, since the formula is calling for 1:1:100
>>(or 2:2:100 depending what one is doing), and the 100% shows B actually
>>being 1 gram of pot carbonate per 100 mls of water, why not add the
>>appropriate amount of dry carbonate to the working solution. If my logic
>>works out right, that would be 10 grams per 1000 mls of working solution.
>>Just mix the appropriate amount of carbonate to the water then add the A.
>>OTOH, why not mix up a big batch of 1% carbonate and add the part A as
>>needed? Does the carbonate keep? in solution? Does this sound feasible?
>
>
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