Calcium chloride is a colorless to off-white
crystalline solid which is deliquescent (absorb water).
When heated, crystals lose water @ 100C.
It is used as a food additive, as an electrolyte, it is used as a buffer in pools, an additive in plastics and in fire extinguishers. It is used as a fabric softener, dust control on roads. Calcium chloride is a soluble compound that can serve as a source of calcium ions in a solution. Calcium plays important roles in many biological processes, including signal transduction, muscle contraction, maintenance of cell membranes and cell wall stability.
Calcium chloride is used as road salt
for melting snow, a drying agent in desiccators, for dehydrating organic liquids and gases, in refrigeration brines
and antifreeze, as a dust-proofing agent, food additives,
concrete hardening accelerator, and others. May react with
strong oxidizers.
There are no label or maximum shipping quantity requirements set by DOT.
The solution in water is a weak base.
Reacts with zinc in presence of moisture, forming highlyflammable hydrogen gas. Dissolves violently in water
with generation of much heat. Incompatible with water,
bromine trifluoride; 2-furan, percarboxylic acid. May
attack some building materials and metals in the presence
of moisture.
