Oxalic Acid, Dihydrate - Ethanedioic Acid

Product Overview

Oxalic acid, dihydrate (C₂H₂O₄·2H₂O) is a colorless, crystalline organic compound that serves as a powerful reducing agent and is commonly used in various industrial applications. The dihydrate form offers notable water solubility and the ability to form metal complexes, enabling precise analytical procedures and metal treatment processes. Our product meets ACS Reagent Grade and USP-NF Monograph standards, ensuring consistent quality and traceability for laboratory and manufacturing environments. Typical assay ranges from 99.0% to 100.5% by titration with standardized NaOH using phenolphthalein endpoint, providing reliable performance in acid-base titrations and reductive applications. The material is supplied as white crystalline solid with a density around 1.65 g/mL and a melting point of 189-192°C, supporting stable handling under controlled conditions.

In practical terms, oxalic acid dihydrate serves as an effective reducing agent, complexing agent for metal ions, and reagent in analytical chemistry. Its stable dihydrate form minimizes dust generation and facilitates accurate dosing in solution preparation. The product’s controlled impurity profile, including low heavy metal content and strict chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and arsenic limits, supports compliance with stringent industry standards and regulatory requirements in chemical manufacturing, electroplating, and environmental laboratories.

Key Properties

• Property Name: Assay (Wt %) – 99.0 to 100.5
• Chemical Formula: C₂H₂O₄·2H₂O
• Molecular Weight: 126.07 g/mol
• Boiling Point: N/A
• Specific Gravity (20°C): 1.64–1.70 (typical 1.67)
• Residue After Ignition: ≤ 0.1% (typical 0.05%)
• Chloride (Cl): ≤ 10 ppm (typical 5 ppm)
• Nitrate (NO₃⁻): ≤ 5 ppm (typical 2 ppm)
• Arsenic (As): ≤ 0.5 ppm (typical 0.1 ppm)
• Heavy Metals (as Pb): ≤ 0.5 ppm (typical 0.1 ppm)
• Iron (Fe): ≤ 0.5 ppm (typical 0.1 ppm)
• Water Content: ≤ 0.5% (typical 0.1%)
• Acidity (Meq): ≤ 0.5 (typical 0.1)

Common Applications

• Application Category: Metal Cleaning Agent – Used for cleaning and removing rust and scale from metal surfaces, enhancing subsequent coating or treatment steps.
• Application Category: Analytical Reagent – Serves as a reagent in titrations and other analytical procedures requiring reductive chemistry or complex formation with metal ions.
• Application Category: Oxidizing Agent – Employed in specific chemical reactions as a reductant/oxidant system in controlled processes.
• Application Category: pH Adjuster – Used in water treatment and process streams to adjust acidity, leveraging its strong acidic properties.
• Application Category: Bleaching Agent – Applied in textile processing for controlled bleaching and dyeing workflows where reducing conditions are required.

Safety Precautions

Handling and storage should follow standard laboratory and industrial hygiene practices. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, in tightly closed containers to prevent moisture absorption. Use appropriate PPE, including chemical-resistant gloves, splash-resistant goggles, and suitable protective clothing. Incompatible with strong bases and strong oxidizing agents; ensure proper segregation from oxidizers and bases to minimize hazardous interactions. Maintain adequate ventilation during handling to avoid inhalation of any dust, and keep containers sealed when not in use.

Further safety considerations include adherence to exposure limits and emergency procedures outlined in the SDS. In the event of skin or eye contact, rinse thoroughly with water for several minutes and seek medical attention for persistent irritation. For inhalation exposure, move to fresh air and seek medical care if symptoms persist. If ingested, do not induce vomiting; rinse mouth and seek medical attention immediately. Transport and labeling should follow UN 3261 guidelines for corrosive solids, class 8, packing group III.

Benefits

✔ High Purity and Consistent Quality – ACS/USP-compliant oxalic acid dihydrate with tight impurity controls and robust lot-to-lot consistency for reliable process performance.
✔ Accurate Analytical Performance – Precise assay and low trace metal content support accurate titrations and metal speciation studies.
✔ Versatile Reagent – Suitable for metal cleaning, analytical applications, pH adjustment, and textile bleaching processes with predictable behavior in solution.