- Potassium superoxide
Chembox new
Name = Potassium superoxide
ImageFile = Potassium-superoxide-unit-cell-3D-ionic.png
ImageName = Unit cell of potassium superoxide
IUPACName = Potassium dioxide
OtherNames = Potassium superoxide
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 12030-88-5
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = KO2
MolarMass = 71.10 g/mol
Appearance = yellow solid
Density = 2.14 g/cm3, solid
Solubility = Decomposes
MeltingPt = 425 °C "decomp."
Section3 = Chembox Structure
Coordination =
CrystalStruct =
Section7 = Chembox Hazards
ExternalMSDS =
MainHazards = corrosive, oxidant
RPhrases = 8-14-34
SPhrases = 17-27-36/37/39
Section8 = Chembox Related
OtherAnions =Potassium oxide Potassium peroxide
OtherCations =Sodium superoxide Potassium superoxide is the
chemical compound with the formula KO2. This rare salt of thesuperoxide ion is produced by burning molten potassium in pureoxygen . Potassium superoxide is used as an oxidizing agent in industrial chemistry, as a CO2 scrubber, H2O dehumidifier and O2 generator inrebreather s,spacecraft andspacesuit life support system s.Important reactions::4 KO2 + 2 H2O → 4 KOH + 3 O2:2 KOH + CO2 → K2CO3 + H2O:K2CO3 + CO2 + H2O → 2 KHCO3
The
Russian Space Agency has had success using potassium superoxide inchemical oxygen generator s for its spacesuits andSoyuz spacecraft . KO2 has also been utilized in canisters for rebreathers forfire fighting and mine rescue work, but had limited use in scuba rebreathers because of the dangers of explosive reaction with water. The theoretical capacity of KO2 is the absorption of 0.309 kg CO2 per kg of absorbent while 0.38 kg O2 are generated per kg of absorbent. The human body though will produce more CO2 than oxygen absorbed, thus a device or absorbent specifically for CO2 scrubbing may also be required.tructural trends in dioxygen compounds
The derivatives of dioxygen, O2, have characteristic O-O distances that correlate with the
bond order of the O-O bond.References
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