Detailed Product Description:

Methylene chloride (also known as Dichloromethane) is a colorless,

volatile liquid with a moderately sweet aroma.  A colorless, volatile

but nonflammable liquid, soluble in alcohol and ether.  Slightly soluble

in water.  Commonly used as the active ingredient in paint removers.

It is widely used as a solvent, considered to be one of the less harmful

of the chlorocarbons.  It is miscible with most organic solvents.

Grade/Purity:

This is Reagent Grade material with minimum purity of 99.5%.

Background:

Dichloromethane was first prepared in 1840 by the French chemist, Henri

Victor Regnault, who isolated it from a mixture of chloromethane and

chlorine that had been exposed to sunlight.

Its volatility and ability to dissolve a wide range of organic compounds

makes it an ideal solvent for many chemical processes.  It is widely used

as a paint stripper and a degreaser.  It is also used to chemically weld certain

plastics.  Its volatility has led to its use as an aerosol spray propellant and

as a blowing agent for polyurethane foams.  It is also used as a fumigant

pesticide for stored strawberries and grains.  It is also the most common

"active" component in “Drinking Birds.”  Concerns about its health effects

have led to a search for alternatives in many of these applications.

Often sold under the brand name of "EMA Plastic Weld" it is used

extensively in the model-making industry for joining plastic components

together where it is commonly referred to as "Di-clo".

Precautions:

Dichloromethane is the least toxic of the simple chlorohydrocarbons, but

it is not without its health risks as its high volatility makes it an acute

inhalation hazard.  Dichloromethane is also metabolized by the body to

carbon monoxide potentially leading to carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Prolonged skin contact can result in the dichloromethane dissolving some

of the fatty tissues in skin, resulting in skin irritation or chemical burns.

It may be carcinogenic, as it has been linked to cancer of the lungs, liver,

and pancreas in laboratory animals.  

Click here to download MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

Packaging:

Comes packed in 500ml amber glass bottle.  Also available in 250ml size.