Types, Properties and Qualitative Identification Methods of Common Potassium Fertilizers

First, there are two major types of potash, one is elemental potash and the other is potassium-containing compound fertilizer.

Common elemental potassium fertilizers include potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, and potassium silicate. Potassium chloride: divided into two parts, red and white; the shape is blocky, powdery and irregular granular; potassium oxide content (K2)

O% said that imports are generally 60%, and domestically produced is 57% or 60%. Potassium sulphate: generally white crystalline granules or powder. Some products are slightly variegated because the impurities are not clean. Domestic potassium sulphate includes Lop Nur or Taiwan, generally containing K2

O is 50% and Germany is 54%. Potassium silicate: dark gray powder, industrial by-product, can only be confirmed by testing, generally K2O is 10% to 14%, alkaline.

The common potassium-containing compound fertilizer, the potassium content of the ternary compound fertilizer can be seen from the package: N-P2O5-K2O. Binary to compound fertilizer - potassium nitrate: white crystalline particles, the market is rare.

Secondly, the distinction between true and false for potassium fertilizer is very complicated, and ultimately depends on laboratory verification. The simple identification method of potassium fertilizer introduced here is only a qualitative identification method, and the potassium content cannot be identified, and the effect is limited.

One is the iron piece burning method: the fertilizer granules (large or small) are slightly burned on the red iron pieces, and those which are not melted, odorless, and heated to produce a jumping phenomenon can be roughly determined as potassium fertilizer. If the iron piece is tilted so that the fat particles are directly burned by the high temperature, a colored flame will appear, the golden shiny flame is sodium, and the light yellow entrained lavender flame is potassium. There is also a kind of powder in the potash, the color can be brick red, light red or white, the identification method is also burning on the iron sheet, the potassium fertilizer is not melted, no smell; and the phosphate fertilizer is light gray, although also It doesn't melt, but it smells. Supplementary note: If the fertiliser on the iron sheet is melted after high temperature and there is thick smoke, any ammonium nitrogen fertilizer with ammonia smell will be nitrate, and only the ammonia-free flavor may be nitrate; if the fertilizer particles on the iron sheet do not melt, it will not beat. And those who have a smell of acid or bone odor may be phosphate.

The second is to saturate the saturated potassium fertilizer solution on the wire ring and burn it on a high temperature flame to observe the color of the flame. It is only difficult to grasp the color distinction between potassium and sodium. However, if the market encounters inferior potash, such as small chunks or powders of unrefined potassium feldspar, only the amount of soluble potassium can be determined by laboratory means. Only the combustion method can only be qualitative, not quantitative, that is to say, it can only distinguish between true and false, and cannot be inferior. Therefore, when farmers choose to purchase chemical fertilizers, they must go to regular sales outlets to avoid being deceived.
Author: China Agricultural University, Professor Cao Yiping
【Comment】 【Print this article】 【Close this page】 【Large, medium and small】

Razor Wire

Razor Wire,Flat Wrap Razor Wire,Flat Razor Wire,Stainless Steel Razor Wire

ANPING HONGYU WIREMESH CO.,LTD , https://www.hongyu-wiremesh.com