How is Alum used in modern-day manufacturing?

Question

The Webster definition of Alum is any of a group of double salts of aluminum, etc., used especially in manufacturing and in medicine.

What is meant by a double salt?

How is alum used in modern-day manufacturing?

Answer 1

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Early uses in industry
Alum was imported into England mainly from the Middle East, and, from the late 15th Century onwards, the Papal States for hundreds of years. Its use there was as a dye-fixer (mordant) for wool (which was one of England's primary industries), the value of which increased significantly if dyed. These sources were unreliable, however, and there was a push to develop a source in England. With state financing, attempts were made throughout the 16th Century, but without success until early on in the 17th Century. An industry was founded in Yorkshire to process the shale which contained the key ingredient, aluminium sulfate, and made an important contribution to the Industrial Revolution.



Shaving alum is a powdered form of alum used as an astringent to prevent bleeding from small shaving cuts. The styptic pencils sold for this purpose contain aluminium sulfate or potassium aluminium sulfate. Similar products are also used on animals to prevent bleeding after nail-clipping.

Crystal deodorant: Alum was used in the past as a natural underarm deodorant in Mexico, Thailand, and the Far East and in the Philippines where it is called Tawas. It is now commercially sold for this purpose in many countries, often in a plastic case that protects the crystal and makes it resemble other non-liquid deodorants.

Alum powder, found amongst spices at most grocery stores, is used in pickling recipes as a preservative, to maintain crispness, and as an ingredient in some play dough recipes. It is also commonly cited as a home remedy or pain relief for canker sores. Alum powder was made famous by Looney Tunes cartoons; it was sometimes poured into the mouth of the cartoon characters, causing them to pucker their lips uncontrollably.

Water treatment: Alum (aluminium sulfate) is used in water treatment. The addition of alum to raw water causes small particles and colloids to stick together form heavier particles (floc) which will settle in water. This process is called coagulation or flocculation.

Fire retardant: By soaking and then drying cloth and paper materials they can be made fireproof.

Wax: Alum is used in the Middle East as a component in wax, compounded with other ingredients to create a hair-removal substance.

Foamite: Alum is used to make foamite which is used in many fire extinguishers for chemical and oil fires.

This is a good start I hope