[niertap]

i tried some electrolysis on some know3. not so effective, gave a very large cloud of white smoke(?), same thing when i heated it with a torch. it might of made a little CuNO3, copper electrodes. would adding a little carbon to just leave the potassium through decomposition work, or would a better substance be potassium citrate or acetate to get the metal? potassium chloride is a little hard to do, i have no easy to make an inert atmosphere or stop the K from burning. its a pretty colour though.

[xiankai]

carbon is lower in the reactivity series than potassium, so it cannot displace potassium from its salts. carbon electrodes can be used for the decomposition of potassium salts via electrolysis, though more for inertness and not reactivity. the main point is that you have to supply a huge load of electricity to decompose the potassium salt into potassium and other substances.

as to make an inert atmosphere, i believe that argon is commonly used to fill the airspace around the set-up, in a closed chamber. this is very difficult i agree, are u attempting home chemistry?

oh, and never forget that beautiful lilac colour