Ferric chloride is an orange to brown-black solid. It is slightly soluble in water. It is noncombustible. When wet it is corrosive to aluminum and most metals. Pick up and remove spilled solid before adding water. It is used to treat sewage, industrial waste, to purify water, as an etching agent for engraving circuit boards, and in the manufacture of other chemicals.

1. Catalyst for organic synthesis
2. Metal etching: printed circuit boards (PCB), copper and stainless steel etching
3. Water treatment: flocculation, purification and phosphorus removal for sewage and industrial wastewater
4. Analytical reagent: for analysis of copper, selenium, arsenic, and determination of phenol, cholesterol and choline
5. Mordant in dyeing and printing industry
6. Metallurgical industry: ore leaching and metal chlorination
7. Oxidizing and chlorinating agent for organic and inorganic synthesis