KHCO3
Potassium bicarbonate · Potassium hydrogen carbonate, Bicarbonate of potash
Potassium bicarbonate is a stable, insulating inorganic salt frequently used as a leavening agent, fire suppressant, and acidity regulator.

About Potassium bicarbonate
Potassium bicarbonate is a thermodynamically stable inorganic compound that functions as a wide-gap insulator. Its robust structural integrity is evidenced by its presence on the convex hull, making it a reliable material for various industrial and chemical applications.
Because of its chemical properties, this compound is widely utilized in sectors requiring pH regulation and fire extinguishing capabilities. Its stability ensures it remains a consistent reagent in laboratory settings and food processing environments.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Potassium bicarbonate, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Applications
Where Potassium bicarbonate is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Potassium bicarbonate, answered from cross-validated data.
What is KHCO3?
Potassium bicarbonate is a stable, insulating inorganic salt frequently used as a leavening agent, fire suppressant, and acidity regulator.
What is KHCO3 used for?
What is the band gap of KHCO3?
Is KHCO3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is KHCO3 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of KHCO3 are known?
What elements does KHCO3 contain?
Where does the data for KHCO3 come from?
How It Compares
As a standalone compound in its class, potassium bicarbonate serves as a fundamental example of stable, insulating bicarbonate salts. Its reliable thermodynamic profile allows it to function effectively in diverse roles ranging from agricultural soil treatment to pharmaceutical buffering, setting a standard for performance in its chemical family.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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