Table of Incompatible Chemicals
The following substances may react violently with one another and must be kept apart.
| Chemical | Is Incompatible with |
|---|---|
| Acetic acid | Chromic acid, nitric acid alcohols, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates |
| Acetone | Concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid mixtures |
| Acetylene | Chlorine, bromine, fluorine, copper, silver, mercury |
| Acids | Bases |
| Activated Carbon |
Calcium hypochlorite, oxidizing agents |
| Alkali Metals | Water, carbon tetrachloride and other halogenated alkanes, carbon dioxide, halogens |
| Aluminum Alkyls |
Water |
| Ammonia, | Mercury (e.g., in pressure gauges), laboratory gas chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrogen fluoride |
| Ammonium | Acids, powered metals, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrates, sulfur, fine-particulate organic Nitrate or combustible materials. |
| Aniline | Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide |
| Azides | Acids |
| Bases | Acids |
| Bromine | See chlorine |
| Carbon Tetrachloride |
Sodium |
| Chlorates | Ammonium salts, acids, powered metals, sulfur, fine-particulate organic or combustible substances |
| Chlorine | Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane, hydrogen, petroleum benzine, benzene, powered metals |
| Chromic Acid | Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerol, petroleum benzine, alcohols, flammable liquids |
| Copper | Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide |
| Cumene Hydroperoxide |
Acids, both organic and inorganic |
| Cyanides | Acids |
| Flammable Liquids | Ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide, halogens |
| Fluorine | Store separately |
| Hydrocarbons (butane, propane, benzene, etc.) |
Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, sodium peroxide |
| Hydrogen Fluoride | Ammonia, laboratory gas or solution |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | Copper, Chromium, iron, metals and metals salts, alcohols, acetone, organic substances, aniline, nitromethane, combustibles (solid or liquid) |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | Fuming nitric acid, oxidizing gases |
| Iodine | Acetylene, ammonia (laboratory gas or solution) |
| Mercury | Acetylene, ammonia |
| Nitric Acid, Conc. | Acetic acid, aniline, chromic acid, prussic acid, hydrogen sulfide, flammable liquids and gases |
| Oxalic Acid | Silver, mercury |
| Perchloric Acid | Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohols, paper, wood |
| Phosphorus | Sulfur, oxygen-containing compounds with such as chlorates |
| Potassium | See alkali metals |
| Potassium Chlorate | See chlorates |
| Potassium Perchlorate | See chlorates |
| Potassium Permanganate |
Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulfuric acid |
| Silver | Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, ammonium compounds. |
| Sodium | See alkali metals |
| Sodium Peroxide | Methanol, ethanol, glacial acetic acid, anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfurol |
| Sulfides | Acids |
| Sulfuric Acid | Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate |
Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of incompatible chemicals. See the specific lab standard operating procedures or your Lab Supervisor/Principal Investigator to determine additional material incompatibilities of which to be aware.