Characteristic

Potassium dichromate, K₂Cr₂O₇, is a common inorganic chemical reagent, most commonly used as an oxidizing agent in various laboratory and industrial applications. As with all hexavalent chromium compounds, it is acutely and chronically harmful to health. It is a crystalline ionic solid with a very bright, red-orange color. The salt is popular in the laboratory because it is not deliquescent, in contrast to the more industrially relevant salt sodium dichromate.

Chemical formula:K₂Cr₂O₇

Molar mass:294.185 g/mol

Appearance:red-orange crystalline solid

Odor:odorless

Density:2.676 g/cm³, solid

Melting point:398 °C (748 °F; 671 K)

Boiling point:500 °C (932 °F; 773 K) decomposes

Solubility in water:4.9 g/100 mL (0 °C);13 g/100 mL (20 °C);102 g/100 mL (100 °C)

Solubility:insoluble in alcohol, acetone.

Refractive index (nD):1.738

Application

As an oxidizing agent, in dyeing, painting, decorating porcelain, lithography, in electric batteries, electroplating Potassium dichromate is most often used as an oxidizing agent in laboratories and industries. It is used as a precursor to prepare potassium chrome alum which finds application in leather finishing and tanning. It is utilized in the preparation of chromic acid for cleaning glassware and etching materials It is an active ingredient in cement and is used for retards setting and improves its density and texture. Furthermore, it is used in photography and in photographic screen printing. It is also used in wet test analysis as an analytical lab reagent and in ethanol determination.