Potassium bromide or Hydrobromic acid potassium salt or Potassium salt of hydrobromic acid

Product Overview & Quality

Product Name: Potassium bromide 99.5% or Potassium monobromide or Hydrobromic acid potassium salt
Brand: QReC (Product Code: QR-P5038-1-0500)
Grade: Analytical Reagent and Infrared Spectroscopy Grade (AR Grade / Spectroscopy Grade) featuring an exceptional certified chemical assay of not less than 99.5 percent in a 500 g laboratory package. Manufactured, multi-crystallized, and purified under strict QReC global laboratory specifications without anti-caking conditioning additives. Moisture content and loss on drying are tightly restricted below 0.5 percent. Strictly analyzed to enforce minimal water-insoluble matter (below 0.005 percent), alongside ultra-low ppm limits of chloride, iodide, sulfate, bromate, total nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Trace heavy metals (such as iron, lead, copper, zinc, arsenic, and barium) are strictly maintained at minimal parts-per-million thresholds. Dry, uniform cubic crystals dissolve cleanly in water to yield crystal-clear, neutral solutions free of particulate matter, ideally suited for producing optical pellets with high spectral transmission. Packaged in a heavy-duty, moisture-barrier polymer container equipped with an airtight double hermetic seal.
Physical Properties: Colorless transparent cubic crystals or fine white crystalline powder. Odorless with a pungent, bitter-saline taste. Highly stable under ambient atmospheric conditions; hygroscopic in humid air, susceptible to caking upon prolonged moisture exposure. Non-combustible inorganic solid. Aqueous solutions are practically neutral (pH approximately 5.5 to 8.5 for a 5 percent aqueous solution at room temperature). Notably transparent to infrared radiation across the mid-infrared spectral region (wavenumbers 4,000 to 400 cm-1).
Solubility: Readily and highly soluble in water (approximately 65 grams per 100 milliliters at 20 degrees Celsius, increasing to over 100 grams per 100 milliliters in boiling water; dissolution is slightly endothermic); soluble in glycerol; slightly soluble in ethanol; practically insoluble in diethyl ether and acetone.
Key Use: Universally utilized as the quintessential infrared-transparent matrix and optical window material for preparing pressed disks (the classic KBr pellet technique) in Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to analyze and identify functional groups of solid organic molecules and polymers without background spectral interference. Extensively applied as a primary bromide ion source in argentometric and potentiometric titrations, elemental halometry, and bromatometric oxidation assays. Heavily employed in photochemistry and traditional photographic emulsions for formulating photosensitive silver bromide crystal lattices in specialty imaging research. Serves as an ionic strength buffer and background electrolyte in electrochemical testing and biochemical research. Widely used as a calibration standard and optical window material in optical physics.

Safety & Hazards (Serious Eye Irritation & Chronic Bromism Risk)

Classification: Causes serious eye irritation (Eye Irritation Category 2). May cause mild mechanical skin and respiratory tract irritation.
Health Risks: Direct ocular contact triggers acute chemical stinging, conjunctival injection, corneal irritation, and tearing. Prolonged dermal contact can cause localized dryness, erythema, or superficial contact irritation. Inhalation of particulate dust irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, inducing coughing, sneezing, and throat discomfort. Critical Chronic Toxicological Risk: Chronic excessive ingestion or systemic accumulation of bromide ions induces bromism (chronic bromide intoxication), characterized by central nervous system depression, lethargy, confusion, memory impairment, emotional instability, ataxia, dysarthria, and acneiform pustular skin eruptions (bromoderma). Acute ingestion of large quantities provokes gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
First Aid Measures: Immediately flush affected eyes with an abundant stream of clean flowing water for at least 15 minutes while stripping contaminated clothing; remove contact lenses promptly and seek medical attention if irritation persists. Wash exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water. In case of dust inhalation, relocate the individual to fresh air. If accidentally swallowed in substantial amounts, rinse mouth thoroughly, administer water in moderate amounts, and seek prompt medical evaluation.

Handling & Storage

Storage: Hygroscopic Analytical and Spectroscopic Salt. Exposure to ambient humidity induces moisture adsorption, which introduces unwanted background hydroxyl (OH) absorption bands during infrared analysis. Must be preserved in its original, tightly closed QReC container. Store in a clean, strictly dry, cool, and well-ventilated dedicated chemical store at controlled temperatures (below 25 to 30 degrees Celsius), sheltered from atmospheric humidity and direct sunlight. Keep strictly segregated from strong oxidizing agents (such as permanganates, chromates, and hydrogen peroxide), concentrated mineral acids (such as sulfuric acid, which liberates toxic bromine and sulfur dioxide gases), silver salts, and active halogens (such as elemental chlorine).
Precautions: Standard laboratory PPE is mandatory, including protective nitrile gloves, splash-proof safety goggles, and a protective lab coat. “Technical Spectroscopy Recommendation: For FTIR pellet compounding, pre-dry potassium bromide powder in a drying oven at 105 to 120 degrees Celsius and store in a desiccator prior to die pressing to eliminate ambient water absorption bands at 3,400 and 1,640 cm-1.” Re-seal container cap tightly immediately after sampling. Minimize dust generation during weighing and dispensing.