Editing Potassium oxide (section)

==Production==
Potassium oxide is produced from the reaction of oxygen and potassium; this reaction affords [[potassium peroxide]], K<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>.  Treatment of the peroxide with potassium produces the oxide:<ref>Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. "Inorganic Chemistry" Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. {{ISBN|0-12-352651-5}}.</ref>
:{{Chem2 | K2O2 + 2 K -> 2 K2O }}

Alternatively and more conveniently, K<sub>2</sub>O is synthesized by heating [[potassium nitrate]] with metallic potassium:
:{{Chem2 | 2 KNO3 + 10 K -> 6 K2O + N2 ↑}}

Other possibility is to heat potassium peroxide at 500&nbsp;°C which decomposes at that temperature giving pure potassium oxide and oxygen.

:{{Chem2 | 2 K2O2 -> 2 K2O + O2 ↑ }}

[[Potassium hydroxide]] cannot be further dehydrated to the oxide but it can react with molten potassium to produce it, releasing [[hydrogen]] as a byproduct.

:{{Chem2 | 2 KOH + 2 K <-> 2 K2O + H2 ↑ }}