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HCl

Hydrogen Chloride

Colorless, toxic, nonflammable, acidic, liquefied gas with a pungent odor. Shipped as a liquid under its own vapor pressure.
Shipping Information
D.O.T. Proper Shipping Name:
Hydrogen Chloride, Anhydrous
I.D. Number:
UN1050
Hazard Class:
2.3 (8)
Shipping Labels:
Toxic Inhalation Hazard, Corrosive
Technical Information
Molecular weight:
36.461
Specific volume:
10.6ft3/lb
CAS registry:
7647-01-0
SDS ref:
Hydrogen Chloride
About

Hydrogen chloride (HCl) is a highly reactive diatomic gas composed of a hydrogen atom bonded to a chlorine atom, creating a molecule that exemplifies the power of polar covalent bonding. At room temperature, it exists as a colorless gas that produces dramatic white fumes when exposed to moist air – these fumes are actually tiny droplets of hydrochloric acid forming as the gas eagerly dissolves in water vapor, a process driven by its strong polarity. This remarkable affinity for water means one volume of water can absorb about 450 volumes of HCl gas at room temperature, producing hydrochloric acid – a powerful acid found in laboratories worldwide and in our own stomachs as part of the digestive process.

The gas itself has a sharp, pungent odor and is intensely irritating to mucous membranes, making proper handling crucial as exposure can cause severe respiratory damage.

Despite these hazardous properties, hydrogen chloride serves as a fundamental building block in chemical manufacturing, playing vital roles in processes ranging from semiconductor fabrication to pharmaceutical production, and it’s also used to clean (pickle) metal surfaces in the steel industry.

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