Uses of Potassium Perchlorate

Potassium perchlorate is an inorganic salt. It is a strong oxidizer. It reacts very slowly with organic substances. Here, chlorates are colourless, which are found in insect solid crystalline form. It is completely soluble in ether. They are insoluble in alcohol, and they are soluble in water (that is, at normal temperature or 25°C, these perchlorates show solubility of only about 1.5 g in 100 ml of water).

Formula of Potassium Perchlorate 

Structure of Potassium Perchlorate

Uses of Potassium Perchlorate

Potassium perchlorate is a colourless inorganic salt which is in a white crystalline solid (like sand) formation. It is really very useful for us. Uses of potassium perchlorate are as follows:

Potassium Perchlorate as Crystalline Formation

• As explosives

• In flares

• As rocket propellant  

• In photography  

• As medicine  

• As an airbag agent used in vehicle protection  

• Potassium perchlorate also acts as a competitive inhibitor  

• In the treatment of thyroid disease  

• As sealing the gasket of the food container  

• As a disinfectant

Potassium Perchlorate is Used as a Rocket Propellant 

Potassium chlorate is often used as a rocket propellant. Propellant means the fuel used in rockets. This includes a variety of fuels such as paraffin, kerosene, liquid hydrogen, and alcohol. An oxidising agent is needed to propel the propellant. Potassium perchlorate makes a very good and specialised rocket propellant because it burns very rapidly. The amount of residual waste material that remains after burning is also negligible in them. We can say that there is no waste material left after burning in it. It can also increase the efficiency of the engine.  Its calorific value, i.e., the amount of temperature released during burning is high. It also produces a large amount of gases from each gram of fuel after burning.

Potassium Perchlorate as Rocket Propellant

Potassium Perchlorate is Popularly Used as a Disinfectant 

Potassium chlorate is quite popular as a disinfectant. It is an agent that inhibits harmful microorganisms, neutralises their harmful side effects, and is effective in destroying them. Potassium chlorate is used as a pesticide.  It is used during cleaning. It is also used as a cleaning agent or a disinfectant. It contains a very strong smell of chlorine which helps to clean and protect from microorganisms.

Medical Uses of Potassium Perchlorate 

Potassium perchlorate is mainly used medicinally. It is primarily used as a pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of hyperthyroidism. As a result of its use, the disease can be prevented and potassium perchlorate is also called anti-thyroid ageing. Potassium perchlorate competitively inhibits the active iodide transport (iodine transport) mechanism within our body that results from thyroid disease.  Earlier it was also used for the treatment of anaemia disease, but due to more side effects, their use has been banned. Potassium perchlorate is also used in the perchlorate discharge test to check for possible disorders of the thyroid organic iodine. 

Solved Questions

1. What is the chemical formula of potassium perchlorate?

Ans: KClO₄

2. What is Potassium Perchlorate?

Ans: Potassium perchlorate is an inorganic salt that occurs in a colourless and crystalline form.

3. Is potassium perchlorate an acid or a base?

Ans: Potassium perchlorate, KClO₄, is a neutral salt. Neither K⁺ nor ClO₄^- has any tendency to donate or take delivery of a proton in dilute aqueous solutions.

Summary 

Potassium perchlorate is an inorganic salt, which is colourless. It is an extremely strong oxidizer. It is found in solid crystal form but reacts very slowly with organic materials. It is commonly used as fireworks, propellant, insecticide etc. Chlorate is mainly used on quotations as rocket propellant and medicine.