Chromium(III) Sulfate CAS 10101-53-8

What Chromium(III) Sulfate Is

Chromium(III) sulfate is the plain sulfate salt of trivalent chromium. The anhydrous salt is a reddish violet crystalline solid that barely dissolves in water, while the hydrated grades the market actually trades are green flakes, powder or dark green solution that dissolve readily. Think of it as the starting chromium salt for a whole family of products: tanning liquors, plating baths, mordants and pigments, rather than a single-use specialty chemical.

This Salt vs Basic Chromium Sulfate

The names are easy to mix up. Chromium(III) sulfate on this page (CAS 10101-53-8) is the un-basified raw salt, so it has to be basified step by step in the bath before it will tan. Basic chromium sulfate, or BCS (CAS 39380-78-4), is the same chromium chemistry after controlled factory basification, sold at a set basicity, commonly 33%, and ready to dose straight into the drum. Choose the raw salt for in-house basification or tanning liquor production, and choose BCS when a ready-to-use tanning agent is what the process needs.

Where It Is Used

• Tanning liquors. Starting salt for self-basified chrome tanning liquors and for producing basic chromium sulfate.
• Trivalent chromium plating and passivation. Chromium source in decorative Cr(III) plating baths and conversion coatings on steel, zinc and aluminum.
• Textile mordant. Helps acid dyes bind to wool and nylon for better wash and light fastness.
• Pigments and synthesis. Green color for glass, ceramic glazes, paints and inks; precursor for other chromium(III) chemicals and catalysts.

Industrial Grade Specifications

Packaging, Storage and Ordering

• Keep sealed in a cool, dry, ventilated place. Hydrated grades absorb moisture and cake, and solution grades must not freeze. Store away from strong alkalis.
• The salt and its solutions are acidic and irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves and goggles and follow the SDS. Solution grades ship as corrosive goods with full documents.
• Packaging: 25 kg bags (solid), 200 kg HDPE drums and 1000 kg IBCs (solution). COA, TDS and SDS come with every order, samples are available, and quotes go out within one working day. Related tannery chemicals: Basic Chromium Sulfate CAS 39380-78-4 and Sodium Formate CAS 141-53-7.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference from basic chromium sulfate (BCS)?

A: This is the raw salt you basify yourself; BCS arrives pre-basified and drum-ready.

Q: Can it tan leather directly?

A: Yes, after stepwise basifying in the bath; BCS is the ready-to-dose alternative.

Q: What form is it supplied in?

A: Green flakes or powder are standard; dark green solution can be ordered for liquid lines.