KNO3 from Sodium Nitrate and KCl

Sodium nitrate is hygroscopic and is not very desirable as a substitute for KNO3 though it can be used.
Sometimes Sodium Nitrate (NaNO3) is available as a fertilizer where KNO3 is not. It can be converted into KNO3 easily enough using KCl.
Potassium Chloride (KCl) is called Muriate of Potash and is a common fertilizer.

See Stefano's page for a discription of how to obtain KNO3 from NaNO3 and how to obtain KNO3 from rotted organic matter. KNO3 from rotten organic matter is a pile of work and not worth the bother unless you want the challange for its own sake. The only person to get decent amounts of KNO3 from rotten organic matter, that I know of, was Napoleon Bonapart.

See also Mike Browns page for a discription of how to get KNO3 from NaNO3.

Table below shows the molar weights of some relevant salts.

Substance KNO3 NaNO3 KCl NaCl

Grams/mole 101.1 85 74.5 58.5

The diagram below shows the solubilitys of the relevent salts when making KNO3 from NaNO3. The NaCl and KNO3 are the stable pair. They are the two most likely salts to come out of solution.

[SOLUBILITYS IN MOLES PER 100 GRAMS WATER]

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