Potassium formate

Description

Potassium formate (HCOOK) is a white, hygroscopic, readily biodegradable, and environmentally safe salt. When compared with traditional fluoride, chloride, bromide, sulfate and nitrate salts, HCOOK offers high solubility (3.3g/mL water), high density, alkaline pH (7.0-8.5 @ 25°C, 1 M in H2O), lower crystallization temperature, viscosity lower than LiBr, low latent heat of absorption, less corrosive than chloride-based salts, and negligible vapor pressure. Because of such versatile properties, HCOOK is useful as a · trimerization catalyst used for isocyanurate (polyurethane) production · regenerant for cation exchange water softeners · eco-friendly and cost-effective electrolyte (wide potential window of -2.5 to 1.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl) · deicing agent (lowers the freezing point of water to -51°C at a concentration of 50% brine which achieves an ice melting speed of about 30-50 sec vs. 3-10 min for rock salt). Potassium formate is also useful in molten state because of its relatively low melting point of 333°F (168°C) and excellent thermal stability around the melting point. In heat transfer or storage applications, HCOOK is less corrosive to the metals and materials used in heat transfer- and heat-storage equipment.