A group of double salts with the formula A2SO4.B2(SO4)3.24H2O, where A is a monovalent metal and B a trivalent metal. The original example contains potassium and aluminium (called potash alum or simply alum); its formula is often written AlK(SO4)2.12H2O (aluminium potassium sulphate-12-water). Ammonium alum is AlNH4(SO4)2.12H2O, chrome alum is KCr(SO4)2.12H2O (see potassium chromium sulphate), etc. The alums are isomorphous and can be made by dissolving equivalent amounts of the two salts in water and recrystallizing. See also aluminium sulphate.