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Aaron_3437
22-Nov-2004, 07:36
Hello,

I have a bottle of Potassium Bromide that has harden to a crust. Is it usable if I could break it down to its powdery form again? What is the shelf life of this chemical?

Is it a good idea to include a little packet of silica gel into bottles of dry chemical?

Thanks!

Gem Singer
22-Nov-2004, 08:23
Hi Aaron,

Anhydrous potassium bromide (dry white powder) is the usual form of the chemical. It is hydroscopic and takes up moisture at a very rapid rate. Just exposing it to air for a few seconds will cause it to begin to crust. However, it has an indefinite shelf life. Merely grind it back to powder in a mortar and pestal (or whatever you have handy), and it's still O.K. to use. A Silica gel packet in a sealed container will help to keep it dry, but it won't entirely solve the problem. The last batch of KBr that I bought from Artcraft Chemicals came in the form of "nuggets". I think Mike gave up on the idea of keeping it in the anhydrous state.

Aaron_3437
22-Nov-2004, 08:59
Thanks Eugene for the information. Glad I could still use it. Appreciate your time.