#potassium

• Alum — A double hydrated sulfate of aluminum and an alkali metal (usually potassium), with the general chemical formula KAl(SO4)2·12H2O, crystallizing in the cubic system; a structural substance with potent astringent, hemostatic, and antiseptic properties, traditionally known as alum. In industry, it is widely used as a mordant in dyeing, a tanning agent in leather processing, a clarifying agent for water purification, and in cosmetics as a natural antiperspirant due to its capacity to contract tissues and inhibit bacterial proliferation.
• Alkali — A generic name given to the hydroxides of alkali metals (such as sodium, potassium) and alkaline earth metals, as well as ammonium hydroxide. In a traditional chemical sense, it refers to any water-soluble base capable of neutralizing acids, turning red litmus paper blue, and forming salts through combination reactions.
• Argol — An archaic technical or unofficial industrial term historically used to denote crude wine tartar, a crystalline crust structurally composed of impure potassium bitartrate that deposits on barrel walls during wine fermentation or long-term storage. In the early chemical industry, argol was collected, refined, and utilized as a vital raw material for manufacturing cream of tartar or as a mordant in textile dyeing.