The role of calcium chloride

Calcium chloride is a compound composed of two elements: calcium and chlorine. It is a white crystalline substance that is usually sold in powder and granule form. The role of calcium chloride, whose chemical formula is "CaCl 2", can be produced from limestone or residues from the ammonia-alkali process. It has a salty taste and is therefore a main ingredient in many foods. It can also be found in beverages. However, it should be noted that skin contact with calcium chloride must be avoided as it can cause skin irritation.

①Application of calcium chloride

Calcium chloride is used to prevent food from spoiling, and is often used as a food preservative. It also helps keep food fresh. Pasteurized milk has a lot of calcium removed during processing, and adding a small amount of calcium chloride can help it coagulate. Calcium chloride is also a very important additive to cheese. Calcium chloride solution can be used in refrigerators, where it is an essential coolant.

② Calcium chloride is solid at room temperature and can be dissolved in water and ethanol at lower temperatures. Since it has strong hygroscopic properties, it should always be stored in a tightly sealed container. If the compound is exposed to oxygen, it changes to liquid form. It can be used to dry other organic liquids and is therefore sometimes used as a desiccant.

The compound helps lower the melting point of water, melting ice faster than other chemicals, so it can be used to defrost roads and sidewalks in extremely cold conditions. Calcium chloride is also widely used as an additive in the paper industry and as a dye in the manufacturing industry. In addition, it is often used as a dehydrating agent in the petrochemical industry because of its ability to reduce the water content of compounds.

③Calcium chloride is also used to reduce dust on roads. It can be added to concrete to increase the speed of hardening. Unlike other compounds, it has no specific harmful properties. Calcium chloride is exothermic, so when it is added to a liquid to remove water, it releases a lot of heat and the temperature can rise to 60 degrees Celsius. Due to this property, it is widely used for industrial purposes.

Calcium chloride's properties of absorbing moisture from the air, dissolving rapidly and releasing heat make it a popular industrial chemical.