Substance profile
Potassium Chlorate
Potassium Chlorate is colorless, lustrous crystals or white granules or powder.
01 · Identification
What Potassium Chlorate is
Potassium Chlorate is colorless, lustrous crystals or white granules or powder. It boils at 400 °C, melts at 368 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as reactive agents - 1st degree.
02 · GHS classification
Hazards and label elements
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
03 · Physical and chemical properties
Potassium Chlorate properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 400 °C (752 °F) | decomposes, decomposes | HSDB |
| Melting point | 368 °C (694.4 °F) | HSDB | |
| 360 °C (680 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| Density | 2.32 g/cm³ | HSDB | |
| 2.3 g/cm³ | ICSC | ||
| 2.34 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | CAMEO | |
| Solubility | 1 g dissolves slowly in 16.5 ml water, 1.8 ml boiling water, about 50 ml glycerol; almost insol in alcohol | HSDB | |
| SLIGHTLY SOL IN LIQUID AMMONIA; INSOL IN ACETONE; SOL IN ALKALIES | HSDB | ||
| 8.61 g/100 g water at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
04 · Fire and explosion
Fire and explosion behaviour of Potassium Chlorate
These are descriptions rather than measured values, so they are kept out of the table above and quoted here with the source that reported them.
Fire and explosion
EXPLODES WITH SULFURIC ACID; INFLAMES WITH EXPLOSION IF TRITURATED WITH ANY ORG SUBSTANCES, SULFUR, PHOSPHORUS, SULFITE, HYPOPHOSPHITE, & OTHER OXIDIZABLE SUBSTANCES.
Source: HSDB
Contact with oxidizable substances may cause extremely violent combustion. Explodes with sulfuric acid. Inflames with explosion if triturated with any organic substances, sulfur, phosphorus, sulfite, hypophosphite and other oxidizable substances. Sealed containers may rupture when heated. Sensitive to mechanical impact.
Source: HSDB
Forms sensitive explosive mixtures with agricultural materials, ... aluminum + antimony trisulfide powders, arsenic trisulfide, carbon, charcoal + potassium nitrate + sulfur, charcoal + sulfur, cyanides, cyanoguanidine, hydrocarbons, manganese dioxide + traces of organic matter, manganese dioxide + potassium hydroxide, metal + wood, metal phosphides, ... metal phosphinates, ... finely divided metals, ... metal phosphides, ... metal thiocyanates, ... nitric acid + organic materials, powdered nonmetals, ... reducing agents, ... sugars, ... sulfur, sulfur + metal derivatives, ... sulfuric acid, sodium amide, tannic acid.
Source: HSDB
05 · Handling and storage
Storing and handling Potassium Chlorate
Storage conditions
... Containers of potassium chlorate should be protected from physical damage and sudden shocks.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Incompatible materials
Violent reaction or ignition with ... ammonium salts, ammonium sulfate, Sb2S3, arsenic, barium hypophosphite, BaS, calcium hypophosphite, CaS, charcoal, Cu3P2, fabrices, ... lactose, (Mg + CuSO4 (anhydrous) + NH4NO3 + water), MnO2, dinickel trioxide, dibasic organic acids, organic matter, NaNH2, sugar + sulfuric acid, sucrose, SO2, sulfuric acid, thiocyanates, thorium dicarbide, sodium amide, KOH, metal hypophosphites.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Potassium Chlorate in the storage compatibility matrix →