Detailed Product Description:

A colorless non-flammable liquid with ether-like odor.  Miscible in most

oils, alcohol, and ether.  Non-soluble in water.  Commonly used as a dry

cleaning solvent for clothing or for vapor-degreasing of metal parts and

precision instruments.

Grade/Purity:

This is electronics grade material with minimum purity of 99.5%.

Background:

Tetrachloroethylene, most commonly known as perchloroethylene, perc,

and PCE, is a chlorinated hydrocarbon.  It has a sweet odor detectable

by most people at a concentration of 1 part per million (1 ppm).

Production

Most tetrachloroethylene is produced by high temperature chlorinolysis

of light hydrocarbons.  The method is related to Faraday's discovery since

hexachloroethane is generated and thermally decomposes.  Side products

include carbon tetrachloride, hydrogen chloride, and hexachlorobutadiene.

Applications:

Most tetrachloroethylene is consumed as a solvent used in dry cleaning.  

It is desirable because it dissolves many organic materials, it is volatile,

highly stable, and nonflammable.  Usually as a mixture with other

chlorocarbons, it is used to degrease metal parts in the automotive and

other metalworking industries.  It appears in a few consumer products

including paint strippers and spot removers.  It is also used as a solvent

for proton NMR spectroscopy.

Precautions:

Like many chlorinated hydrocarbons, perc is a central nervous system

depressant, and inhaling its vapors (particularly in closed, poorly-ventilated

areas) can cause dizziness, headache, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, difficulty

in speaking and walking, unconsciousness, and even death.

After repeated or extended skin contact, it may dissolve fats from the skin,

resulting in severe skin irritation in work environments where people have

been exposed to high concentrations.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified perc as a

Group 2A carcinogen, which means that it expected to be carcinogenic to humans.

Irritant to eyes, nose and skin.  TLV = 50ppm

Click here to download copy of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

Packaging:

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