Incompatible chemicals

Substance

Incompatible with

Acetic acid

Chromium (VI) Oxide, nitric acid, alcohols, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates

Acetylene

Chlorine, bromine, fluorine, copper, silver, mercury

Activated carbon

Calcium hypochlorite, oxidising agents

Alkali metals

Water, carbon tetrachloride and other halogenated alkanes, carbon dioxide, halogens

Aluminium alkyls

Water

Ammonia, laboratory gas

Mercury (e.g. in pressure gauges), chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine, hydrogen fluoride

Ammonium nitrate

Acids, powdered metals, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrates, sulphur, fine particulate organic or combustible materials

Aniline

Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide

Bromine

See chlorine

Chlorates

Ammonium salts, acids, powdered metals, sulphur, fine particulate organic or combustible substances

Chlorine

Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane, hydrogen, petroleum benzine, benzene, powdered metals

Chromium (VI) oxide

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, chromium (VI) oxide, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium peroxide, halogens

Fluorine

Extremely aggressive; store separately

Hydrocarbons (butane, propane, benzene, etc.)

Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromium (VI) oxide, sodium peroxide

Hydrogen fluoride

Ammonia (laboratory gas or solution)

Hydrogen peroxide

Copper, chromium, iron, metals and metal salts, alcohols, acetone, organic substances, aniline, nitromethane, combustible substances (solid or liquid)

Hydrogen sulphide

Fuming nitric acid, oxidising gases

Iodine

Acetylene, ammonia (laboratory gas or solution)

Mercury

Acetylene, ammonia

Nitric acid, conc.

Acetic acid, aniline, chromium (VI) oxide, prussic acid, hydrogen sulphide, flammable liquids and gases

Oxalic acid

Silver, mercury

Perchloric acid

Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys

Phosphorus

Sulphur, compounds containing oxygen, e.g. chlorates

Potassium

See alkali metals

Potassium permanganate

Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulphuric acid

Silver

Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, ammonium compounds

Sodium

See alkali metals

Sodium peroxide

Methanol, ethanol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulphide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfural

Sulphuric acid

Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate