General Description
FERRIC CHLORIDE(7705-08-0) is an orange to brown-black solid. FERRIC CHLORIDE(7705-08-0) is slightly soluble in water. FERRIC CHLORIDE(7705-08-0) is noncombustible. When wet FERRIC CHLORIDE(7705-08-0) is corrosive to aluminum and most metals. Pick up and remove spilled solid before adding water. FERRIC CHLORIDE(7705-08-0) is used to treat sewage, industrial waste, to purify water, as an etching agent for engraving circuit boards, and in the manufacture of other chemicals.
Reactivity Profile
Alkali metal hydroxides, acids, anhydrous chlorides of iron, tin, and aluminum, pure oxides of iron and aluminum, and metallic potassium are some of the catalysts that may cause ethylene oxide to rearrange and polymerize, liberating heat, [J. Soc. Chem. Ind. 68:179(1949)]. Explosions occur , although infrequently, from the combination of ethylene oxide and alcohols or mercaptans, [Chem. Eng. News 20:1318(1942)]. Allyl chloride may polymerize violently under conditions involving an acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid, ferric chloride, aluminum chloride, Lewis acids, and Ziegler type catalysts (initiators), [Ventrone (1971)].
Air & Water Reactions
Very hygroscopic. Slightly water soluble, where a 0.1M solution has a pH of 2.0.
Hazard
Toxic by ingestion, strong irritant to skin
and tissue.
Health Hazard
Inhalation of dust may irritate nose and throat. Ingestion causes irritation of mouth and stomach. Dust irritates eyes. Prolonged contact with skin causes irritation and burns.
Potential Exposure
Iron chloride is used to treat sewage
and industrial waste. It is also used as an etchant for photo engraving and rotogravure; in textiles; photography; as a
disinfectant; as a feed additive.
Fire Hazard
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Irritating hydrogen chloride fumes may form in fire.
First aid
Move victim to fresh air. Call 911 or emergency
medical service. Give artificial respiration if victim is not
breathing. Do not use mouth-to-mouth method if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; give artificial respira tion with the aid of a pocket mask equipped with a one-way
valve or other proper respiratory medical device.
Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. Remove and
isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. In case of contact
with substance, immediately flush skin or eyes with run ning water for at least 20 minutes. For minor skin contact,
avoid spreading material on unaffected skin. Keep victim
warm and quiet. Effects of exposure (inhalation, ingestion
or skin contact) to substance may be delayed. Ensure that
medical personnel are aware of the material(s) involved
and take precautions to protect themselves.
Shipping
UN1773 Ferric chloride, anhydrous, Hazard
class: 8; Labels: 8-Corrosive material. UN2582 Ferric chlo ride, solution, Hazard class: 8; Labels: 8-Corrosive
material
Incompatibilities
Aqueous solutions are a strong acid.
Violent reaction with bases, allyl chloride; sulfuric acid;
water. Shock- and friction-sensitive explosive material
forms with potassium, sodium and other active metals.
Attacks metals when wet.
Description
Ferric chloride (iron(IH)chloride, FeCl3, CAS No. 7705-08-0) may be prepared from iron and chlorine or from ferric oxide and hydrogen chloride. The pure material occurs as hydroscopic, hexagonal, dark crystals. Ferric chloride hexahydrate (iron(III)chloride hexahydrate, FeCl3*6H2O, CAS No. 10025-77-1) is readily formed when ferric chloride is exposed to moisture.
Chemical Properties
Ferric Chloride is a black-brown, dark-green,
or black crystalline solid.
Chemical Properties
Ferric chloride,FeCl3, is a brown crystalline solid and is soluble in water,alcohol,and glycerol. It is also known as anhydrous ferric chloride,ferric trichloride, Flores martis,and iron chloride. Ferric chloride is used as a coagulant for sewage and industrial wastes, as an oxidizing and chlorinating agent,as a disinfectant, in copper etching, and as amordant. In addition, this compound is employed in the ferric chloride test,which is used to assess the relative corrosion resistance of stainless and nickel-base alloys. The ferric chloride test has been shown to be an appropriate measure of the suitability of such alloys for service in paper mill bleach plants and seawater.
Waste Disposal
Neutralize with lime or soda
ash and bury in an approved landfill.
Definition
ChEBI: Iron trichloride is an iron coordination entity. It has a role as a Lewis acid and an astringent.
Flammability and Explosibility
Nonflammable
Industrial uses
Ferric chloride (FeCl3) is obtained by an iron chlorination method at a temperature of
600–700 °C. Very limited data are available on the use of ferric chloride in the mineral
processing industry. Ferric chloride has a depressing effect on barite and can be used
in barite–celestite separation. It was also evaluated as a depressant during niobium–
zirconium separation. In general, ferric and ferrous compounds are not selective
depressants and in many cases are detrimental for flotation of oxidic and industrial
minerals as in the case of anionic flotation, fatty acid, iron complexes or oleate iron
complexes.
storage
(1) Color Code—White: Corrosive or ContactHazard; Store separately in a corrosion-resistant location.(2) Color Code—Blue: Health Hazard/Poison: Store in asecure poison location. Prior to working with this chemicalyou should be trained on its proper handling and storage.Iron chloride must be stored in tightly closed containers toavoid contact with sulfuric acid, sodium, potassium, allylchloride, and water, since violent reactions occur and toxicvapors may be produced.
Purification Methods
Sublime it at 200o in an atmosphere of chlorine. It is an “iron-black” coloured powder with green irridescence. Store it in a weighing bottle inside a desiccator as it absorbs moisture from air to form the yellow hexahydrate (see next entry). [Tarr Inorg Synth III 191 1950, Pray Inorg Synth V 153 1957, Epperson Inorg Synth VII 163 1963.]
Structure and conformation
The crystalline solid has a semicovalent layer structure with hexagonal packing of
chloride ions, each iron atom being surrounded octahedrally by six chlorines in a BiI3 type
structure. The dimers in the vapour phase have a structure similar to that of Al2Cl6
with the iron atoms surrounded by chlorines in a roughly tetrahedral fashion. The
magnetic properties of iron(III) chloride in its different environments have been investigated
extensively. The magnetic moment at 290°K is 5-73 B.M. and is independent of the
field strength. In aqueous hydrochloric acid the room temperature moment is 5-94 B.M.
and the hexahydrate has a similar moment (5-95 B.M.).
