CALCIUM CHLORIDE- ▸ De-icing & dust control: Pavement de-icer and road dust suppressant.
- ▸ Desiccant: Drying and dehydrating agent for gases and organic liquids.
- ▸ Oil & gas: Component of fracturing and drilling fluids.
- ▸ Food additive: Firming agent (food grade).
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →Calcium chloride (CaCl2, CAS 10043-52-4) is a highly soluble, hygroscopic inorganic salt used for road de-icing and anti-icing, dust control on unpaved roads, concrete set acceleration, brine and refrigeration systems, and oilfield drilling and completion fluids. It dissolves readily in water and releases heat as it does so — the dissolution is strongly exothermic, which is why it both melts ice faster than rock salt at low temperatures and warms a brine on mixing. RawSource supplies it in flake, pellet, powder, and liquid forms across these end uses.
Forms and concentrations
Calcium chloride ships in four practical forms, and the right one is set by your handling and the CaCl2 assay you need. Flake is the de-icing and industrial-dissolving workhorse; pellet and prill carry the highest assay and melt ice fastest in the cold; powder feeds dry blends and food-grade lines; liquid skips dissolving for spray and injection. The table below covers the typical concentration ranges and where each form earns its place.
| Form | Typical CaCl2 % | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Flake | 77–80% | Road de-icing, dust control, general industrial dissolving; lowest cost per ton of product |
| Pellet / Prill | 94–97% | Fast, low-temperature ice melt; oilfield brines where a high-assay, fast-dissolving solid is needed |
| Powder | ~94–97% | Dry blends, desiccant packs, food firming agent, controlled-rate dissolving |
| Liquid | 32–38% solution | Anti-icing brine, dust suppression spray, concrete plant dosing; no on-site dissolving |
Assay drives both performance and freight economics. A higher-percentage pellet melts more ice per pound and resists caking better in storage, but it costs more per ton than 77–80% flake. A tanker of liquid means paying to ship water, so liquid wins on labor and dissolving time rather than on freight per pound of active. Match the grade to the job rather than defaulting to the highest assay.
Applications by sector
Road de-icing and anti-icing
Calcium chloride remains effective at lower temperatures than rock salt (sodium chloride), staying active well below the point where straight NaCl stops melting ice. Because dissolution is exothermic, it draws moisture and generates heat to break the bond between ice and pavement. Crews apply it as solid flake or pellet for de-icing after a storm, or as a 32% liquid brine for anti-icing — pre-wetting roads before a storm so ice never bonds. The trade-off: chloride brines are corrosive to steel and reinforcing bar, and agencies weigh that against the lower application rates calcium chloride allows.
Dust control on unpaved roads
On gravel and dirt roads, calcium chloride’s hygroscopic nature is the whole point. It pulls moisture from the air and holds it in the road surface, keeping fines bound and suppressing dust through dry weather. A liquid application at 32–38% is the common delivery method; the treatment is rewetted by ambient humidity rather than needing repeated watering. It performs best in climates with some atmospheric moisture to draw on, and reapplication is typically seasonal.
Concrete set acceleration
Calcium chloride is a long-established accelerating admixture: it speeds cement hydration, shortens set time, and raises early strength, which is valuable in cold-weather pours and fast-turnaround precast. The honest caveat — and it is a hard one — is that chloride ions promote corrosion of embedded steel. Calcium chloride should not be used in reinforced, prestressed, or post-tensioned concrete, or where galvanized or aluminum metal is embedded, because the chloride attacks the rebar over time. Industry codes restrict total chloride content in reinforced concrete for exactly this reason. Use it only in plain, non-reinforced concrete, and specify a non-chloride accelerator where steel is present.
Brine, refrigeration, and heat transfer
Calcium chloride brine is a classic secondary refrigerant. A concentrated solution freezes well below 0°C, so it circulates as a non-freezing heat-transfer fluid in industrial refrigeration, ice rinks, and cold-storage coils. Concentration is tuned to the lowest operating temperature, and inhibitors are added to manage the chloride’s corrosivity toward system metals. It is favored where a low-cost, high-density brine is acceptable and the system is built to handle chloride.
Oil and gas
In drilling, completion, and workover operations, calcium chloride brine raises fluid density to control formation pressure without adding solids that could damage the producing zone. A clear CaCl2 brine can reach roughly 11.6 lb/gal and is often blended with calcium bromide or other salts for higher densities. It also serves as a packer and clear completion fluid. High-assay pellet is the common solid feed because it dissolves quickly and predictably on location.
Industrial drying, food, ballast, and water
As a desiccant, calcium chloride dries gases and organic liquids and goes into moisture-absorbing packs — the same hygroscopy that makes it useful for dust control. In food processing it is used (informationally) as a firming agent for canned vegetables and in cheese and pickle brines; food-grade material is a distinct, separately specified product. It is also pumped into tractor and equipment tires as liquid ballast for weight and traction, and it appears in wastewater and water-treatment work as a calcium and chloride source. Confirm food-grade or potable-water suitability against the Certificate of Analysis and the relevant regulatory specification for your application.
Handling and storage
Calcium chloride is strongly hygroscopic, so it cakes and liquefies if left exposed; keep solid grades in sealed, moisture-tight packaging away from humidity. Dissolution is exothermic — adding solid calcium chloride to water generates significant heat, so add salt to water (not the reverse) and account for the temperature rise when making up concentrated brines. The material is an irritant to skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract, and concentrated solutions can be corrosive to some metals. Use appropriate PPE and engineering controls. And carry the concrete caveat through to the jobsite: the same chloride that makes it a useful accelerator corrodes reinforcing steel, so it has no place in reinforced concrete. Always consult the current SDS before handling, storage, transport, or disposal.
Bulk supply from RawSource
RawSource distributes calcium chloride to manufacturers, contractors, and operators in industrial bulk formats: bags and super-sacks for flake, pellet, and powder; liquid solution in IBC totes and bulk tankers. We quote per order because price moves with form, assay, packaging, volume, and freight. Send your target form (flake, pellet, powder, or liquid), the CaCl2 percentage you need, your volume, and any CoA or specification requirement, and we will return a current bulk quote against CAS 10043-52-4.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is calcium chloride used for?
Calcium chloride (CaCl2, CAS 10043-52-4) is used for road de-icing and anti-icing, dust control on unpaved roads, concrete set acceleration (non-reinforced only), brine and refrigeration heat-transfer fluids, oilfield drilling and completion fluids, industrial drying/desiccant duty, food firming (food grade), tire ballast, and as a calcium/chloride source in water treatment. It is a strongly hygroscopic salt and dissolves exothermically.
What forms does calcium chloride come in?
Four common forms: flake (typically 77–80% CaCl2), pellet or prill (94–97%), powder (~94–97%), and liquid solution (32–38%). Higher-assay pellet melts ice fastest and resists caking; flake is the lower-cost de-icing and industrial workhorse; liquid removes on-site dissolving.
What is the difference between calcium chloride flake and pellet?
Flake is roughly 77–80% CaCl2 and costs less per ton, making it the standard for de-icing and bulk dissolving. Pellet (or prill) runs 94–97% CaCl2, dissolves and melts ice faster at low temperatures, and cakes less in storage, but it carries a higher price per ton. Choose pellet for fast cold-weather melt or high-assay brines, flake for cost-driven volume work.
Why is calcium chloride used for de-icing?
Calcium chloride melts ice at lower temperatures than rock salt (sodium chloride) and releases heat as it dissolves, so it works fast and stays effective in deep cold. It is applied as solid flake or pellet to melt existing ice, or as a liquid brine to pre-treat roads before a storm (anti-icing). The trade-off is that chloride brines are corrosive to steel and concrete reinforcement.
Is calcium chloride safe to use in concrete?
Only in plain, non-reinforced concrete. Calcium chloride is an effective set accelerator that shortens set time and boosts early strength, but its chloride ions corrode embedded steel. It must not be used in reinforced, prestressed, or post-tensioned concrete, or where galvanized or aluminum metal is embedded; building codes limit chloride content in reinforced concrete for this reason. Specify a non-chloride accelerator where steel is present, and confirm requirements for your structure.
When should I use liquid calcium chloride versus dry?
Liquid (a 32–38% solution) is ready to spray or inject and skips on-site dissolving, which suits anti-icing brine, dust-control spraying, and concrete plant dosing. Dry forms (flake, pellet, powder) carry far more active per pound, so they are cheaper to freight and store and are preferred for high-assay brine make-up, desiccant use, and applications where you dissolve on demand. In short: liquid for application convenience, dry for freight efficiency and high concentration.
Does RawSource supply calcium chloride in bulk packaging?
Yes. RawSource distributes calcium chloride in bulk formats — bags and super-sacks for flake, pellet, and powder, and IBC totes or bulk tankers for liquid solution — to manufacturers and operators. Send your form, CaCl2 percentage, volume, and any CoA requirement for a quote against CAS 10043-52-4.
