How to make Potassium Iodide

This video shows how to make potassium iodide from elemental iodine and potassium hydroxide. Potassium iodide can be used as a catalyst. One of common use of potassium iodide as catalyst is elephant tooth-paste reaction. Also potassium iodide is very expensive chemical. Making potassium iodide from iodine and potassium hydroxide is very cheap.

Warning !
In this video strong bases were used. Potassium hydroxide is corrosive. Iodine is toxic. Wear proper safety equipment when handling chemicals.

First 6 g of iodine and 2.6 g of potassium hydroxide were measured out. Then potassium hydroxide was dissolved in 40 ml of distilled water and solution was heated. Then 5 g of iodine was added by little amounts. In my case 2.6 g of potassium hydroxide was not enough for the complete reaction. Because of the impurity in potassium hydroxide. Therefore I had to add more potassium hydroxide.

3I2(s) + 6KOH(aq) -----= KIO3(aq) + KI(aq) + 3H2O(l)

After the reaction solution was colorless.(very slightly yellow) Then solution was cooled down to precipitate out potassium iodate was dissolved in the solution. Because potassium iodate solubility in water is very low. By filter the solution we can remove that. Then clear solution is heated and remove all water.

Theoretically result should be 6.5 g but my result was 7 g due to the remaining potassium iodate as impurity. To remove this potassium iodate mixture is needed to heat in a crucible to 550 C - 650 C. Then potassium iodate will decompose to potassium iodide and oxygen gas.

2KIO3(s) ----= 2KI(s) + 3O2(g)

Educational Purposes Only !

Special thanks for supporting this video:
Ayomal Fernando
Yohara Ranasinghe

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