Aluminium Chloride

Aluminium Chloride is an inorganic compound of Aluminium and Chlorine. It is white, but samples are often contaminated with iron trichloride, giving it yellow colour. It is also known as aluminium (III) chloride or aluminium trichloride.

Aluminium Chloride is offered in two forms: anhydrous aluminium chloride and hydrated aluminium chloride. This compounds cracks at mild temperature, reversibly changing from polymer to a monomer. This compound changes it state depending upon the temperature i.e. solid, liquid and gas.

Common grade available and application: Aluminium Chloride is the most commonly used Lewis Acid. It finds application in the chemical industry as catalyst in products like detergents and ethylbenzene. It also play role in polymerization and isomerization reactions of hydrocarbons. It is the principal catalyst used in the Friedel-Crafts reaction, both acylations and alkylations. The product also finds application in the manufacture of Ibuprofen and other bulk drugs, ethyl benzene, isopropyl benzene, titanium dioxide, hydrocarbon resins, terpene resins and polybutenes.

Polyaluminium Chloride is one more form of hydrated aluminium chloride, called as aluminium chlorohydrate which appears in both liquid and powder form. This is used in deodorants and antiperspirants, as aflocculant in water purification in drinking/wastewater treatment and paper sizing.