Copper chloride

Endpoint summary

Additional information

The physical and chemical properties are summarised in the following table:

Property	Value	Remarks
Physical state at 20°C and 101.3 kPa	Solid	Form: Crystalline / powder / cubic crystals Colour: White Odour: Odourless
Melting/freezing point	423 °C
Boiling point	1490 °C
Relative density	4.14 g/cm^3
Vapour pressure	Not applicable	Copper chloride is an inorganic salt and as such has negligible volatility at environmentally relevant temperatures.
Surface tension	Not applicable	Surface tension is not applicable to inorganic salts.
Water solubility	47 mg/l (Slightly soluble)	Temperature and pH not reported.
Partition coefficient n-octanol/water (log value)	Not applicable	The octanol:water partition coefficient, Pow, is defined as the ratio of the equilibrium concentrations of a dissolved substance in each of the phases in a two phase system consisting of octanol and water. It is usually expressed on a log scale. It is a key parameter in studies of the environmental fate of organic substances, indicating the potential for bioaccumulation and soil absorption. However, the mechanisms of absorption of Cu^2+into organic matter and living cells are understood to be different from those traditionally attributed to carbon-based substances and the parameter therefore has little relevance to ionic copper. The parameter is therefore not considered to be relevant to copper chloride.
Flash point	Not applicable	The determination of flash point is not required because the active substance is a solid.
Flammability	Not highly flammable	Does not ignite on contact with air. Burning time: 100s
Explosive properties	Not applicable	Copper chloride is a stable inorganic substance. None of these components or grouping are associated with explosive hazards. All are stable groupings in high oxidation states. Copper chloride therefore will not have explosive properties and experience in use over many years confirms this conclusion.
Self-ignition temperature	Not applicable	Copper chloride is an inorganic salt with copper in a high oxidation state. As such this material is not likely to undergo self heating under bulk storage conditions and is unlikely to auto-ignite. Self heating or auto-ignition has not been observed with copper chloride following use for many years.
Oxidising properties	Not applicable	Oxidising compounds are materials that can easily transfer oxygen to other compounds, i.e. they contain weakly bound oxygen, for example NO3and peroxides. Bound oxygen must also become available through a low energy degradation route with a low energy of activation. The oxygen in copper chloride is bound in stable sulphate structural groupings with strong oxygen bonds. The decomposition temperature of copper chloride is also high indicating a high energy of activation. Copper chloride is therefore considered inert under the conditions of oxidation. Experience in using copper chloride over many years also indicates that it is not associated with oxidising hazards.
Granulometry	Fern and Carse (2015): Volume-rated particle size distribution by laser diffraction: D(v,0.1) 61.50 µm; D (v,0.5) 157.67 µm; D(v,0.9) 316.67 µm. Number-rated particle size distribution by laser diffraction: D(n,0.1) 9.45 µm; D (n,0.5) 16.17 µm; D(n,0.9) 56.69 µm. Fern and Carse (2016): Volume-rated particle size distribution by laser diffraction: D(v,0.1) 6.77 µm; D (v,0.5) 35.83 µm; D(v,0.9) 112.67 µm. Number-rated particle size distribution by laser diffraction: D(n,0.1) 1.16 µm; D (n,0.5) 1.83 µm; D(n,0.9) 4.40 µm.	Joint registrants that produce or import copper (I) chloride corresponding to this specification are able to refer to the Lead Registrant's granulometry data for the purpose of REACH registration. The material does not fall under the category of nanomaterial (50% < 0.1 µm based on particle number). The Exposure Scenarios developed under REACH are based on the worst-case assumption that 100% of any material becoming airbourne is respirable.
Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products	Not applicable	As stated in the REACH regulations, the study does not need to be conducted if the substance is inorganic.
Dissociation constant	Not applicable	Dissociation is a reversible equilibrium process where a species exists either in an ionised or an unionised solution state. The dissociation constant (pKa) is effectively the ratio of the associated (unionised) to dissociated (ionised) substance in solution. Copper is a poorly soluble metallic element that can only remain in solution in a totally dissociated ionic state: a non reversible process. Since its solubility is low and it does not exist in solution in an associated state, it does not therefore have a measurable dissociation constant.
Viscosity	Not applicable	The determination of viscosity is not required because the substance is a solid.
Auto flammability	Not applicable	Copper chloride is an inorganic salt with copper in a high oxidation state. As such this material is not likely to undergo self heating under bulk storage conditions and is unlikely to auto-ignite. Self heating or auto-ignition has not been observed with copper chloride following use for many years.