Potassium compounds are quite common and are extremely useful for a variety of purposes. Potash and other potassium compounds have been used for centuries in the manufacture of glass products. Today 95% of the potassium compounds gathered in the world are used in the manufacture of fertilizers.

Potassium dichromate is an inorganic chemical compound that possesses immense industrial and laboratory importance. It is an orange crystalline solid with the chemical formula K2Cr2O7. It is a strong oxidizing agent and is soluble in water. It is used in the volumetric estimation of ferrous salts, iodides and sulphides for the preparation of chrome alum, chrome yellow and chrome red.

Properties of Potassium dichromate – K2Cr2O7

Chemical Formula : K2Cr2O7

Molecular Weight/ Molar Mass : 294.185 g/mol

Density : 2.68 g/cm³

Boiling Point : 500 °C

Melting Point : 398 °C

Uses of Potassium Dichromate 

Used in cement to retard the setting of the mixture and to improve its density along with the texture.

It is used in photographic screen printing.

It is a common reagent used in analytical chemistry for classical “wet tests”.

It is used to stain certain type of woods to produce deep, rich browns.

It is used to clean glassware and as an etching material.

Used in pyrotechnic displays along with iron and tungsten.

Medically it can be used externally as an antiseptic, caustic, and astringent.