Safety aluminum halides

Its use for handling chlorinated solvents requires careful consideration. Under most conditions, particularly at room temperatures, aluminum alloys resist halogenated organic compounds, but under some conditions they may react rapidly or violent with some of these chemicals. If water is present, these chemicals may hydrolyze to yield mineral acids that destroy the protective oxide film on the aluminum surface. Such corrosion by mineral acids may in turn promote reaction with the chemicals themselves, because the aluminum halides formed by this corrosion are catalysts for some such reactions. To ensure safety, service conditions should be ascertained before aluminum alloys are used with these chemicals. 

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