Incompatible Chemicals
The following is a quick reference of incompatibilities for many chemicals commonly encountered in the laboratory. It is not a comprehensive list of all possible combinations and chemicals. For details on any chemical, check the Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
Chemical | Incompatible With |
---|---|
Acetic Acid | Chromic acid, ethylene glycol, hydroxyl compounds, nitric acid, perchloric acid, permanganates, peroxides |
Acetone | Concentrated sulfuric and nitric acid mixtures, hydrogen peroxide |
Acetylene | Copper (tubing), bromine, chlorine, fluorine, iodine, silver, mercury and their compounds |
Alkali metals (e.g. powdered aluminum or magnesium, calcium, lithium, potassium, sodium) | Carbon dioxide, carbon tetrachloride, chlorinated hydrocarbons, flammable liquids, oxidizers, salt sulfur, water |
Ammonia (anhydrous) | Mercury, halogens, calcium hypochlorite, hydrogen fluoride |
Ammonium Nitrate | Acids, metal powders, flammable fluids, chlorates, nitrates, sulfur, and finely divided organics or combustibles materials |
Aniline | Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, inorganic acids, oxidizers |
Bromine | Ammonia, acetylene, benzene, butadiene, butane, petroleum gases, hydrogen, sodium carbide, turpentine, and finely divided metals |
Chlorates | Ammonium salts, acids, metal powders,sulfur, finely divided organics or combustible materials |
Chromic acid | Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, alcohol, glycerol, turpentine, and other flammable liquids |
Chlorine | Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, benzene, and other petroleum fractions, hydrogen, sodium carbide, turpentine, and finely divided powdered metals |
Cyanides | Acids |
Hydrocarbons | Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, sodium peroxide |
Hydrogen Peroxide | Copper, chromium, iron, most metals or their respective salts, flammable fluids, and other combustible materials, aniline, and nitromethane. |
Hydrogen Sulfide | Nitric acid, oxidizing gases |
Iodine | Acetylene, ammonia (anhydrous or aqueous) |
Mercury | Acetylene, ammonia, fulminic acid, hydrogen |
Nitric Acid | Acetic, chromic, and hydrocyanic acids, aniline, hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids or gases and substances which are readily nitrated |
Oxalic Acid | Silver, mercury and their salts |
Oxygen | Oils, grease, hydrogen, flammable liquids, solids and gases |
Perchloric Acid | Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood and other organic materials |
Phosphorous Pentoxide | Water, alcohols, strong bases |
Potassium Permanganate | Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzadehyde, sulfuric acid |
Sodium Peroxide | Any oxidizable substances (e.g. ethanol, methanol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfural) |
Sulfuric Acid | Chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates, and water |