Physicochemical properties and compositions of K
xH
3-xPW
12O
40 salts, where 2
x ![](/images/entities/le.gif)
3, have been investigated.It has been found that freshly prepared K
2HPW
12O
40 salt (drying at 313 K) contains particles of heteropolyacid andparticles of the neutral potassium salt, the sample being in 78.6% amorphous. On aging at room temperature, theheteropolyacid spreads to form a surface layer covering the neutral potassium salt particles K
3PW
12O
40. Heattreatment of K
xH
3-xPW
12O
40 salts, where 2
x < 3, from 313 K to higher temperatures induces the transformationof the heteropolyacid-covering K
3 core into a well-dispersed, amorphous surface layer. On further heating of theacidic potassium salts, the surface layer decomposes between 855 and 915 K with the formation of a PW
8O
26-typebronze as a new phase, the K
3PW
12O
40 salt remaining unchanged. The latter starts to decompose at 1093 K, andin the case of all samples, the process is completed at about 1183 K. Rietveld
structure refinement, XPS, and
31PNMR measurements of acidic potassium salts indicate that the core of these salts is always formed by the K
3PW
12O
40salt, which is covered by a heteropolyacid. Comparison of lattice parameters of the K
3 salt and HPW leads to theconclusion that the layer is composed of partially or completely dehydrated heteropolyacid molecules. The coverageof the core by HPW in the K
2 sample was estimated to be equal to one monolayer.