DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, BANGALORE

NORTH
CHEMISTRY
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
(2022-2023)

TOPIC:
To prepare potash alum from potassium
sulfate and aluminum sulfate through
crystallization.
 INDEX
S. No content
1 Certificate
2 Acknowledgement
3 Aim
4 Theory
5 Diagram
6 Apparatus
7 Procedure
8 Observations
9 Calculation
10 Conclusion
11 Precautions
12 Bibliography
 CERTIFICATE
this is to certify that the chemistry project “To prepare
potash alum from potassium sulfate and aluminum
sulfate through crystallization.” submitted by candidate
S JAYADHITYAA of class 12 C appearing for
chemistry practical of the central board of secondary
education 2022-2023.

Signature:

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL

EXAMINER

PRINCIPAL TEACHER
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am thankful for the help and co-operation of the
school authorities, my chemistry teacher Mrs. Geetu
ma’am and the lab assistant Mr. Sommana Sir for
the successful completion of the investigatory
project,” To prepare potash alum from potassium
sulfate and aluminum sulfate through
crystallization. “
I am also thankful to the school for letting me use
their resources to complete my project.
I would also like to express my gratitude to my
parents and friends for their well-meant support
and giving helping hand whenever required.

NAME OF THE CANDIDATE: S. JAYADHITYAA

 AIM

To prepare potash alum

from potassium sulfate and

aluminum sulfate through

crystallization.

THEORY
The formula for potash alum is K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O. It is
prepared by crystallizing the alum from a concentrated
solution containing equimolar amounts of potassium
sulphate and aluminium sulphate. It is a colourless,
crystalline solid with a sour taste. The crystal of potash alum
is octahedral. It is commonly known as ‘fitkari’.
The chemical reaction is given below:
K2SO4(aq) + Al2(SO4)3(aq) → K2SO4. Al2(SO4)3.24H2O(s)
(Potash Alum)
While dissolving aluminium sulphate in warm water a little
amount of dilute sulphuric acid is added in order to prevent
the hydrolysis of this salt.
When a solution containing two inorganic salts in a definite
proportion is allowed to crystallize a double slat is said to
have separated.
The name alum is given to the special series of double salts.
Aluminium is the most abundant metal and the recycling of
aluminium products by melting and recasting into other
metal products is used in the production of various
aluminium compounds. In that one of the most useful
compounds is potash
uses of potash alum:

Used in the dyeing industry in the production of mordants

and pigments.

Used in medicine as a styptic and astringent.

It is used to apply on cuts to stop bleeding.

For leather tanning, potassium alum is used to extract

moisture from the hide and avoid rotting. Alum is not
covered and can be washed out, as compared to tannic acid.

APPARATUS

Potassium sulphate
Aluminium sulphate

Dil. sulfuric acid

Distilled water

Beaker

Conical flask

Tripod stand

Funnel

Burner

China dish

Wire gauze

LITMUS PAPER

PROCEDURE
Weigh 5g of potassium sulphate.
Dissolve it in a 40 ml of distilled water in a beaker.
Stir to dissolve the crystals.
If the solution does not become clear, it can be slightly
warmed.
Set aside the solution.

Take a conical flask.

In that dissolve 20g of aluminium sulphate in warm water

and add 3ml of dilute sulphuric acid.
To make a clear solution, continuously stir the solution with a
glass rod.
Filter the solutions if it is not clear.

Mix the two clear solutions in a China dish.

Place the China dish on a wire gauze over a burner.
Stir the solution and concentrate the solution till the
crystallization point is reached.

Take the stirring rod out of the China dish and blow some air
on it to check for the crystallisation point.
The formation of a crystalline crust on the glass rod after
blowing air indicates that the crystallisation point has been
reached.
Place the solution over a beaker containing cold water for a
few hours.
Crystals of potash alum will get separated, filter them from
the mother liquor and wash them with a small quantity of
cold water.
Dry the crystals by pressing gently between the folds of the
filter paper.
Then our potash alum is prepared.

OBSERVATIONS

Colour of the crystal - Colourless

Shape of the crystal - Octahedral

Solubility in water - Soluble

Action of blue litmus paper - Blue litmus turns red

CALCULATION

experimental yield is the weight of the finished product

at the end of the procedure.
To calculate theoretical yield, we must first determine
how many moles of potash alum were prepared during
the experiment.
Because potassium sulphate and aluminium sulphate
combine in an equimolar ratio, moles of potash alum
are equal to moles of reactants.
We now know that the number of moles is equal to the
ratio of actual grams to the compound's gram
molecular weight.

Number of moles of aluminium sulphate = 20/666.42

Number of moles of potassium sulphate = 5/174.25

We started with slightly more aluminium sulphate.

But because potassium sulphate will be the limiting
reagent, we should get 0.029 moles of alum from this
experiment.
We can convert the number of moles into grams using
the formula below.

Potash alum weight = number of moles x gram

molecular weight = 0.029 x 948.76 = 27.51 grams
percentage yield of potash alum 19.6/27*100 ==72.6%

PRECAUTIONS

To prevent hydrolysis of aluminium sulphate, dilute

sulphuric acid should be added while preparing the

saturated solution.
During crystallization do not disturb the solution.

For dissolving salts always use warm water.

The concentrated solution should be cooled slowly

BIBILIOGRAPHY

https://www.aakash.ac.in/important-concepts/

chemistry/preparation-of-potash-alum
https://byjus.com/chemistry/preparation-of-potash-

alum/#:~:text=Theory%3A,potassium%20sulfate

%20and%20aluminium%20sulfate.

https://www.learncbse.in/prepare-pure-sample-

potash-alum/