Product Overview
Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate (CAS 7791-18-6) is a solid inorganic salt designated USP Grade, supplied in sizes from 2 lbs to 1,769.60 lbs. Industrial and food-processing buyers use this hygroscopic salt where high water solubility and controlled moisture uptake are required — de-icing operations, dust suppression on unpaved roads, firming agents in food production, and electrolyte formulations in battery manufacturing.
Alliance Chemical offers this product across ten pack sizes so buyers can match order quantity to use scale, from bench-level evaluation to bulk production. Every lot ships with full SDS documentation.
Why This Grade
The USP Grade designation tells a procurement team that this material occupies the purity tier typically specified by pharma and food-industry supply chains. If your process documents require a USP-designated raw material, this SKU satisfies that line item. Review the product's Technical Data Sheet to confirm it aligns with your specific application requirements before ordering.
The hexahydrate form (MgCl₂·6H₂O) carries six water molecules per formula unit. That built-in hydration means the solid dissolves readily in water without the sharp exothermic reaction you get from anhydrous magnesium chloride — a practical advantage for operators measuring and dissolving this salt on a production floor. For applications where the extra water of crystallization would dilute your formulation beyond spec, an anhydrous form may be more appropriate.
Chemical Profile
Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate has the molecular formula Cl₂H₁₂MgO₆ and a molecular weight of 203.30 g/mol. It is a solid at ambient conditions. The salt exhibits high water solubility and moderate alcohol solubility, which makes it straightforward to prepare aqueous solutions across a wide concentration range. These solubility characteristics also explain the product's hygroscopic behavior — it readily absorbs moisture from ambient air, a property that is both useful (dust control, de-icing) and a storage consideration.
Industrial Applications
This salt finds use across several distinct industrial sectors. Each application leverages a different physical property of the hexahydrate.
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De-icing and snow management.Magnesium chloride hexahydrate depresses the freezing point of water and continues to work at temperatures where rock salt loses effectiveness. Municipal and facility-maintenance crews spread it on roads, sidewalks, and loading docks to maintain safe surfaces during winter operations.
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Dust control on unpaved surfaces.When applied to gravel roads, construction hauls, or staging yards, the salt's hygroscopic nature pulls moisture from the air and binds fine particles together. The result is a stabilized road surface that generates less airborne dust — a real operational need on active construction sites and rural freight routes.
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Food-processing firming agent.In food production, magnesium chloride hexahydrate functions as a firming agent. Tofu manufacturers, for instance, use it as a coagulant. Buyers in this sector typically specify USP Grade material to meet their internal procurement standards.
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Battery electrolyte formulations.Certain battery chemistries use magnesium chloride as an electrolyte component. The high solubility and ionic conductivity of this salt make it a candidate for aqueous electrolyte systems where magnesium-ion transport is required.
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Pharmaceutical and formulation use.In pharmaceutical formulation contexts, magnesium chloride hexahydrate serves as a hydrating agent or excipient. Formulators working in this space should review the Technical Data Sheet and lot-specific COA to verify the material against their internal specifications.
Handling & Storage
This product is not classified as hazardous under GHS based on available data, and no GHS signal word is assigned (per the product's GHS classification). That said, standard industrial hygiene practices apply when handling any powdered or granular salt.
Wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety goggles to prevent skin and eye contact. In dusty conditions — breaking bags, transferring bulk material — use a dust mask or respirator rated for nuisance dust. Ensure adequate ventilation in enclosed work areas.
Store in a cool, dry location in sealed HDPE or glass containers. The hexahydrate is hygroscopic: it will absorb atmospheric moisture and cake if containers are left open or stored in humid environments. Keep away from strong acids to avoid incompatibility reactions. Rotate stock and reseal containers promptly after each use to preserve the solid's free-flowing character.
Hazmat & Shipping
Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate is not assigned a UN number, hazard class, packing group, or proper shipping name (per 49 CFR 172.101). It is not regulated as a hazardous material for DOT transport purposes. Standard freight and parcel carriers can accept this product without hazmat placarding or DOT-mandated shipping papers.
Orders ship from Alliance Chemical's facility in Taylor, Texas.
Documentation
An SDS ships with every order, available in English, Spanish, French, and Japanese. A lot-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA) is available on request, documenting the actual analytical results for the lot you receive. A Technical Data Sheet (TDS) is also on file and can be provided before purchase so you can verify the product against your process specifications.
Why Buy from Alliance Chemical
This product is available in ten pack sizes — from 2 lbs for bench trials to 1,769.60 lbs (40 bags) for bulk industrial use — with SDS documentation in four languages and a lot-specific COA available for every shipment. Alliance Chemical has served over 55,000 customers since 1998, operating from our warehouse at 204 S Edmond St, Taylor, Texas. Shipping and handling guidance on this page is reviewed by Andre Taki, DOT Hazmat Specialist.
