Magnesium chloride hexahydrate

Magnesium chloride hexahydrate is a highly water-soluble, hygroscopic magnesium salt supplied commercially as flakes. It attracts moisture and lowers the freezing point of water, supporting dust-control and winter-maintenance uses. It also reacts with suitable magnesium oxide in magnesium oxychloride binder systems, where the dissolved chloride salt participates in setting chemistry.

The six waters of crystallization form a substantial part of the flake mass, giving a commercial magnesium chloride content of roughly half the supplied product. This distinguishes the material from anhydrous magnesium chloride used in dry molten-salt processes. Dissolving the flakes produces an aqueous brine whose concentration governs moisture uptake, freezing behavior and its contribution to binder preparation.

Typical Applications

• Dust suppression on unpaved surfaces: Used to maintain surface moisture on unpaved roads and working areas. Its hygroscopic brine helps bind fine particles into a less dusty surface layer.
• Deicing brines and treatment blends: Used in magnesium-chloride-based winter-maintenance liquids or solid blends. Dissolved salt depresses the freezing point and helps form a liquid phase on icy surfaces.
• Magnesium oxychloride products: Used to prepare the chloride solution for selected magnesia-cement boards, flooring and related binder products. The brine reacts with reactive MgO to form the hardened oxychloride binder structure.

Specifications

Specifications describe the standard grade. Tolerance, test method and documentation package are confirmed per order.