NEWS
Potassium chlorate: the "oxygen factory" of match heads
Release time：
2025-05-16 15:41
Source：
As a key component of match ignition, potassium chlorate (KClO₃) plays an irreplaceable role as an oxidant in the match head. When the match rubs against the phosphorus surface, the friction heat causes the potassium chlorate to decompose rapidly, instantly releasing a large amount of oxygen, providing an oxidizing environment for the full combustion of combustibles such as sulfur and glass powder, so that the match head reaches an ignition point of more than 400°C within 0.1 seconds, bursting into a bright flame.
In the design of safety matches, the stability and activity of potassium chlorate are delicately balanced: it is not easy to decompose at room temperature, avoiding the risk of spontaneous combustion; it quickly releases oxygen when exposed to a specific temperature (>356°C). Its decomposition product, potassium chloride, can also form a molten protective layer, slowing down the burning speed, so that the burning time of a single match is controlled at 8-12 seconds. In the formula of modern matches, the proportion of potassium chlorate is strictly controlled at 30%-35%, forming an "oxidation-reduction-catalysis" synergistic system with antimony trisulfide, manganese dioxide and other ingredients, which not only ensures ignition efficiency, but also reduces the risk of explosion by more than 90%.
Potassium chlorate now supports the global annual production of over 30 billion boxes of civilian fire sources. With its controllable chemical activity, it continues to guard the safety boundaries of human fire-making technology.
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