Scandium chloride hexahydrate

Scandium chloride hexahydrate (CAS 20662-14-0), molecular formula ScCl₃·6H₂O, is a water-soluble rare earth chloride salt supplied in high-purity grades.

Where is Scandium chloride hexahydrate used?

• Metallurgy and advanced materials: aqueous-route precursor for electrolytic scandium metal production
• Downstream scandium compounds: starting material for scandium triflate (Sc(OTf)₃) and scandium acetylacetonate (Sc(acac)₃), water-tolerant Lewis acid catalysts in fine-chemical and pharmaceutical synthesis
• Electronics and solar PV: dopant precursor for electro-ceramic formulations, optical fibres and laser crystal growth
• Energy conversion research: sol-gel synthesis of scandia-stabilised zirconia (ScSZ) electrolyte layers for solid oxide fuel cells
• Pharmaceutical and healthcare manufacturers working with scandium-based intermediates or isotope-labelling programmes value its purity and solubility profile.

Good to know: No compendial monograph (USP, Ph. Eur.) currently covers scandium chloride hexahydrate; procurement teams should specify analytical certificates including ICP-MS trace-metal panels. For strictly anhydrous applications, the related anhydrous scandium chloride (CAS 10361-84-9), typically supplied in argon-packed containers, should be considered as an alternative.

Commercial specifications

• Purities from 99.9 % (3N) to 99.999 % (5N)
• Purity expressed on a rare earth oxide basis as Sc₂O₃/TREO ≥ 99.9 %
• TREO content of the hexahydrate salt typically around 45 %
• Bottles from 5 g up to 1 kg; quantities above 1 kg on request-for-quotation basis; high-purity lots in sealed, moisture-resistant containers