Chemical Composition of Ash

I think potassium oxide and silica are the primary parts of it.

You think?

Think again.

Or send a sample to a lab....

Making sure that you ash it at the appropriate temperature.

Most wood ash consists of carbonates of the alkali metals, such as sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate.

Your answer is simply wrong. It makes me wonder why you posted a response when you really don't know the answer.

Wood ash does not contain sodium carbonate to any significant extent. It contains calcium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and combinations of those two, depending on the temperature.

" It makes me wonder why you posted a response when you really don't know the answer."

Responses posted by people when they, "really don't know the answer" are far more common than responses posted by people when they really do know the answer.

People named Guest seem to be very handy at posting pure drivel, both in the form of declarations and interrogatives.

I see you don't hang out here very much.

Dear rf2011, as others here have said ...... temperature is a major determinate. For reference read †U.S.D.A. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI, U.S.A............ http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1993/misra93a.pdf GA to Morrie

Thank for all responses, dear klearzen I had read http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1993/misra93a.pdf

but it didn't have my temprature, 550 deg C. I know ash is mostly carbon and it contains all the elements that would not combust and go up the flue that were in the nuts shells. Is carbon as carbonats in this temp? if no, Is carbon porous? Have ash functional groups? If ash was solvated in water, are there surface charges in pH 5.5-8?

Dear rf2011, As I have no real Laboratory experience, I'm unable to provide good answers for your crucible questions. On the matter of functional grouping in organic chemistry.... pertaining to specific groups of atoms within molecules. I recall reading that combining the names of functional groups with the names of the parent alkanes generates a powerful systematic nomenclature for naming organic compounds. Good luck in your search. Ray