Potassium chloride
| Names | |
|---|---|
Other names
| |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
|
| ChEBI | |
| ChEMBL | |
| ChemSpider | |
| DrugBank | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.028.374 |
| E number | E508 (acidity regulators, ...) |
| KEGG | |
PubChem CID |
|
| RTECS number |
|
| UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|
| |
| |
| Properties | |
| KCl | |
| Molar mass | 74.555 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | white crystalline solid |
| Odor | odorless |
| Density | 1.984 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 770 °C (1,420 °F; 1,040 K) |
| Boiling point | 1,420 °C (2,590 °F; 1,690 K) |
| 27.77 g/100mL (0 °C) 33.97 g/100mL (20 °C) 54.02 g/100mL (100 °C) | |
| Solubility | Soluble in glycerol, alkalies Slightly soluble in alcohol Insoluble in ether |
| Solubility in ethanol | 0.288 g/L (25 °C) |
| Acidity (pKa) | ~7 |
| −39.0·10−6 cm3/mol | |
Refractive index (nD) |
1.4902 (589 nm) |
| Structure | |
| face centered cubic | |
| Fm3m, No. 225 | |
a = 629.2 pm | |
| Octahedral (K+) Octahedral (Cl−) | |
| Thermochemistry | |
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) |
83 J·mol−1·K−1 |
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
−436 kJ·mol−1 |
| Pharmacology | |
| A12BA01 (WHO) B05XA01 (WHO) | |
| Oral, IV, IM | |
| Pharmacokinetics: | |
| Kidney: 90%; Fecal: 10% | |
| Hazards | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Flash point | Non-flammable |
| Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose) |
2600 mg/kg (oral, rat) |
| Safety data sheet (SDS) | ICSC 1450 |
| Related compounds | |
Other anions |
Potassium fluoride Potassium bromide Potassium iodide |
Other cations |
Lithium chloride Sodium chloride Rubidium chloride Caesium chloride Ammonium chloride |
Related compounds |
Potassium hypochlorite Potassium chlorite Potassium chlorate Potassium perchlorate |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references | |
Potassium chloride (KCl, or potassium salt) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water, and its solutions have a salt-like taste. Potassium chloride can be obtained from ancient dried lake deposits. KCl is used as a salt substitute for table salt (NaCl), a fertilizer, as a medication, in scientific applications, in domestic water softeners (as a substitute for sodium chloride salt), as a feedstock, and in food processing, where it may be known as E number additive E508.
It occurs naturally as the mineral sylvite, which is named after salt's historical designations sal degistivum Sylvii and sal febrifugum Sylvii, and in combination with sodium chloride as sylvinite.