Making JS with KOH instead of NaOH

Aaron Deacon
2025-03-30
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Hello,

I tried this experiment yesterday with a 1:1 substitute with KOH instead of NaOH for the JS.

It didn't seem to produce nearly as much heat or a chemical reaction right away as with NaOH, so I added 25% more KOH to the mixture.

The temperature rose, and it started melting the sulphur. I finished it with an immersion blender to break up the remaining sulphur while the mixture was still hot as per instructions.

After I let sit to cool, I began pouring into containers but noticed quite a bit of sulphur that was now undissolved on the bottom of the mixing pot.

Just wondering if more KOH would be needed, a larger batch size is

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Aaron Deacon 2025-04-01 00:17:41
Beautiful thank you both. I'm wondering about the size of the batch being a big issue as well + water temp. The first time I did a 60L batch but with NaOH and it produced an intense chemical reaction whereas this time with the small batch, KOH, and cold water, it definitely did not. Will try to replicate the test again on a larger scale with 30C water for sure. Cheers!

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D K 2025-03-31 13:37:04
Hi,

I've made small batches of JS many times and noticed a few things that are not mentioned in the JADAM books.

1. Making a small batch of JS is a bit harder than making 100L of JS.
You have to be precise when measuring out ingredients and should choose a proper kind of scales.

2. Temperature matters.
The book tells you to use different amounts of water depending on if you are making JS in summer or in winter.
Similar adjustment is also needed when you make JS in summer but with cold water.
Or when you make JS indoors in winter but bring ingredients from outdoor storage.
To avoid confusion, for good reproducible results, it is best to ensure that temperature of all ingredients is the same as temperature of the air.

3. You have to choose both the size and shape of the container correctly.
The book says it should be 10% larger than the volume of your batch.
For example, make 18L JS in 20L bucket, or 9L JS in 10L bucket.
But the container should also be tall rather than wide.

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숨결 2025-03-31 08:04:03
You can substitute NaOH (98%) for KOH (90%) in a 1:1 ratio when making the JS. If you use a container that is too large, there will be heat loss and the sulfur will not dissolve well. Once it cools down, the sulfur will no longer dissolve.

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