making KOH??? i hope this is the right way

[mos68x]

[eco]

[mos68x]

really?? is that so? then why does it say this instead????


Making lye from wood ash
Lye made from wood ash is potassium hydroxide, not sodium hydroxide -- there's 10 times as much potassium as sodium in wood ash.

The process makes lye water. If you boiled off all the water you could use it as the catalyst to make biodiesel, but you'd need more accurate pH measures than those listed below. The usual pH meter or litmus papers would do. See also Natural test papers.

(LOL that was funny ...Eco may have gotten offended tho and we dont want to offend any one so dont take that the wrong way Mr Eco.)

[Bob Boyce]

Actually you are both right. The lye made from wood ash is mostly KOH with a smaller amount of NaOH, but it will work just fine if concentrated enough and filtered well. The type of wood used, and where it was grown, will vary the mix a bit. Interestingly enough, potassium is not required in the soil where the trees are grouwn, because just like the bodies of all animals (including humans), the cell chemistry of trees also uses micro-organisms to aid in the transmutation of raw materials, into elements that are lacking in the environment. Isn't nature wonderful?

Bob

[kevinsatterfield]

Nice find Leon...and i got something that works just great for make'n really white ashes..a project from our host has displayed...its a "cowboy furnace" Its designed to melt metal with propane but i can put put some oak in there and turn on sum air and....walla....instant white ash.....LOL weL aybe not instantly but that sucker will do good for our KOH make'n thang.Who cut down the apple tree?.....LOL

[kevinsatterfield]

[mos68x]

[coffeyw]

Why not just electrolyze potassium chloride to make your KOH?
Works the same as electrolyzing sodium chloride to make NaOH.
Just do the electrolysis outside where the chlorine gas can escape without poisoning anyone.

coffey

[mos68x]

That's exactly why I wouldn't do that, it would just be poisoning the atmosphere. I'm not a big green guy, but I'm not going to purposely do something that I know will harm the environment. If it were changed to another solid that I could safely dispose of then I wouldn't be concerned with it.

[coffeyw]

[mos68x]