Applications of Potassium Acetate

Prepared by acid-base neutralization reaction between potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate and acetic acid, potassium acetate (KOAc) was white crystalline powder in form. Salty in taste. KOAc is hygroscopic. It is easily soluble in water, ethanol and methanol, but insoluble in ether. The solution of KOAc is alkaline to litmus but not to p-phenolphthalein. In addition, KOAc is Combustible. As result, storage and transportation of KOAc is specific. It should be packed and put lightly to prevent damp and heat. A dry, ventilated and clean storeroom were required. Package for KOAc should be lined with polyethylene plastic bags and overlaid with plastic woven bags.

As a chemical reagent, Potassium Acetate could be used in preparation of anhydrous ethanol and polyurethane, as well as in the production of penicillin potassium salt. Also, Potassium Acetate could be used as insulation materials, auxiliary agent, filling agent, and glass fiber reinforced plastic as industrial catalyst, etc. As catalyst, Potassium Acetate could be added for the reaction of CTBN terminal carboxyl group with epoxy group. Mediated by Potassium Acetate, fluoroplastics can also be treated in the molten state (295℃/30min) to change the surface properties and improve the bonding performance. By the way, KOAc is a component of fire extinguisher.

In food industry, Potassium Acetate can be present as food additives for preservative and acidity control of food. KOAc was used as a buffer, neutralizing agent and so on. Employed as color protectant, KOAc could be developed as animal and plant natural color protectant. 

In medical industry, Potassium Acetate was still indispensable. It can be used as an excipient in medicine. In precipitation of DNA in ethanol, there is a role for Potassium Acetate. In conjunction with formaldehyde, KOAc could be used for preservation and fixation of biological tissue.
In other ways, Potassium Acetate can also be serviceable. It can also be used as an ice-proofing agent to replace chlorides such as calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. In spite of expensive, KOAc is less erosive to soil and less corrosive, especially for deicing airport runways. For this reason, KOAc was used to melt snow, which is good for reducing snow damage.

Reference

[1] Grossman, N.; et al. Mechanistic determinants of the directionality and energetics of active export by a heterodimeric ABC transporter. Nat. Commun., 2014, 5, 5419.
[2] Daum, S.; et al. Insights from reconstitution reactions of COPII vesicle formation using pure components and low mechanical perturbation. Biol. Chem., 2014, 395(7-8), 801-812.
[3] Pettit, M. W.; et al. Construction and physiochemical characterisation of a multi-composite, potential oral vaccine delivery system (VDS). Int. J. Pharm., 2014, 468(1-2), 264-271.