Provenance

Reference data from EU CLP Annex VI and published regulations — verify against your supplier's SDS before use.

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Substance profile

Cobalt(II) oxide

Cobalt(II) oxide is powder or cubic or hexagonal crystals.

CAS 1307-96-6 CoO 74.933 g/mol Warning

01 · Identification

What Cobalt(II) oxide is

Cobalt(II) oxide is powder or cubic or hexagonal crystals. Its molecular formula is CoO and its molecular weight is 74.933 g/mol. It melts at 1935 °C.

Under the GHS it carries the signal word Warning.

02 · Identifiers

Cobalt(II) oxide identifiers and molecular data

Cobalt(II) oxide CAS number and EC number

CAS number1307-96-6
EC number215-154-6
Index number (CLP Annex VI)027-002-00-4

Cobalt(II) oxide molecular formula and molecular weight

Molecular formulaCoO
Molecular weight74.933 g/mol

Other names for Cobalt(II) oxide

  • cobalt oxide

03 · GHS classification

Cobalt(II) oxide hazard classification

Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.

Cobalt(II) oxide pictograms and signal word

Signal wordWarning

Cobalt(II) oxide hazard class and category

GHS hazard classes Cobalt(II) oxide falls into
Hazard class Category From code Pictogram
Acute toxicity - oral GHS chapter 3.1 Category 4 H302 GHS07
Skin sensitisation GHS chapter 3.4 Category 1 or 1A or 1B H317 GHS07
Hazardous to the aquatic environment - acute GHS chapter 4.1 Category 1 H400 GHS09
Hazardous to the aquatic environment - chronic GHS chapter 4.1 Category 1 H410 GHS09

Where two values are shown with “or”, the hazard statement is shared by more than one category or by more than one class, and the code alone does not say which. H272, for example, belongs to oxidising liquids and to oxidising solids — the physical state decides. The binding answer for a specific entry is in the CLP Annex VI table itself.

Cobalt(II) oxide hazard statements (H-codes)

Hazard statements assigned to Cobalt(II) oxide
CodeHazard statement
H302 Harmful if swallowed.
H317 May cause an allergic skin reaction.
H400 Very toxic to aquatic life.
H410 Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.

This page lists only the codes assigned to Cobalt(II) oxide. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.

Safety Data Sheet

Getting an SDS for Cobalt(II) oxide

A Safety Data Sheet is written for a product, not for a substance: the supplier of the grade you actually buy issues it, so two suppliers of Cobalt(II) oxide issue two different sheets. That is why there is no single authoritative SDS for a substance to download — what there is, is the job of collecting the sheets for the products you hold and keeping them current as suppliers revise them.

04 · Precautionary statements

Cobalt(II) oxide precautionary statements

CLP Annex VI assigns 12 precautionary statements to Cobalt(II) oxide. They are grouped the way a label groups them: what to do before handling, what to do when something has already happened, how to store it and how to dispose of it.

Disposal

What has to happen to the contents and the empty container.

Reading the notation. is a blank the supplier fills in — not a truncated sentence.· [square brackets] mark a part printed only when it applies.

05 · Names in the regulation

Cobalt(II) oxide name in 23 EU languages

CLP Annex VI Part 3 is published in every language edition of the regulation, and the identification column is written out in each of them. Nothing below is translated by us: each line is the name as that edition prints it. Under Art. 18(2) the substance name from Annex VI is a lawful product identifier, so this is the wording to put on a label going to that market — and where the cell lists several designations, any one of them qualifies.

Language Name in CLP Annex VI Part 3
Bulgarian български кобалтов оксид
Spanish español Óxido de cobalto
Czech čeština oxid kobaltnatý
Danish dansk cobaltoxid
German Deutsch Cobaltoxid
Estonian eesti koobaltoksiid
Greek ελληνικά οξείδιο του κοβαλτίου
English English cobalt oxide
French français oxyde de cobalt
Croatian hrvatski kobaltov oksid
Italian italiano ossido di cobalto
Latvian latviešu kobalta oksīds
Lithuanian lietuvių kobalto oksidas
Hungarian magyar kobalt-oxid
Maltese Malti ossidu tal-kobalt
Dutch Nederlands kobaltoxide
Polish polski tlenek kobaltu(II)
Portuguese português óxido de cobalto
Romanian română oxid de cobalt
Slovak slovenčina oxid kobaltnatý
Slovenian slovenščina kobaltov oksid
Finnish suomi kobolttioksidi
Swedish svenska koboltoxid

All 23 language editions of Annex VI carry this entry. Irish is the twenty-fourth official EU language and has no line here for a different reason: no consolidated CLP text has ever been published in Irish, so there is no Irish edition of Annex VI to quote a name from. Source: consolidated CLP, CELEX 02008R1272, language editions. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — only the electronic Official Journal of the European Union is authentic.

06 · Label elements

Cobalt(II) oxide GHS label elements

Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Cobalt(II) oxide, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.

GHS07 Exclamation mark pictogramGHS09 Environment pictogram

Warning

Cobalt(II) oxide

  • Harmful if swallowed.
  • May cause an allergic skin reaction.
  • Very toxic to aquatic life.
  • Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
  • Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
  • Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
  • Contaminated work clothing should not be allowed out of the workplace.
  • Avoid release to the environment.
  • Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/
  • IF SWALLOWED:
  • Call a POISON CENTER/doctor/ if you feel unwell.
  • Get medical advice/attention.
  • Rinse mouth.
  • If skin irritation or rash occurs:
  • Collect spillage.
  • Dispose of contents/container to

Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity

Need this as an actual label? Open Cobalt(II) oxide in the GHS label constructor →

07 · Health hazards

Cobalt(II) oxide health hazards and exposure limits

Cobalt(II) oxide hazard summary

May cause skin sensitization and asthma after prolonged contact; [ICSC] A skin and eye irritant; [MSDSonline] See Cobalt.

Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases

Cobalt(II) oxide carcinogenicity classification

IARC classification Group 2B — Possibly carcinogenic to humans
IARC monographs Volume 52: (1991) Chlorinated Drinking-water; Chlorination By-products; Some Other Halogenated Compounds; Cobalt and Cobalt Compounds; Volume 131: (2023) Cobalt, Antimony Compounds, and Weapons-grade Tungsten Alloy

... There is sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of cobalt(II) oxide in experimental animals. ... Overall Evaluation: Cobalt and cobalt compounds are possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). /Cobalt and cobalt compounds/

Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

There is inadequate evidence for the carcinogenicity of cobalt and cobalt compounds in humans. There is sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of cobalt metal powder in experimental animals. There is limited evidence for the carcinogenicity of metal alloys containing cobalt, chromium and molybdenum in experimental animals. ... Overall Evaluation: Cobalt and cobalt compounds are possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). /Cobalt and cobalt compounds/

Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

An IARC group and a CLP classification answer different questions. IARC judges whether the evidence for cancer in humans is strong enough; CLP Annex VI is the legally binding EU classification. A substance can carry one and not the other.

08 · Physical and chemical properties

Cobalt(II) oxide properties

Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.

Cobalt(II) oxide melting point

Property Value Conditions Source
Melting point 1935 °C (3515 °F) ICSC
1830 °C (3326 °F) DOE PAC
1935 °C (3515 °F) approximate HSDB

Cobalt(II) oxide density

Property Value Conditions Source
Density 6.66 g/cm³ at 21.3 °C, Density of Liquids and Solids HSDB
6.45 g/cm³ at 25 °C DOE PAC
6.2 g/cm³ range, midpoint shown HSDB

Cobalt(II) oxide solubility

Property Value Conditions Source
Solubility Practically insoluble in water HSDB
Insoluble in water HSDB
In water, 4.88 mg/L at 20 °C, 3.27 mg/L at 37 °C (column elution method) at 20 °C HSDB

Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.

09 · Handling and storage

Cobalt(II) oxide storage and handling

Cobalt(II) oxide safe storage

Separated from hydrogen peroxide.

Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)

Cobalt(II) oxide storage conditions

Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Keep in a dry place. Storage class (TRGS 510): Non-combustible, acute toxic Cat. 1 and 2 / very toxic hazardous materials.

Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Cobalt(II) oxide incompatible materials

Incompatible materials: Strong oxidizing agents.

Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Cobalt(II) oxide in the storage compatibility matrix →

10 · Questions

Cobalt(II) oxide — frequently asked questions

What is the CAS number of Cobalt(II) oxide?

The CAS number of Cobalt(II) oxide is 1307-96-6. Its EC number is 215-154-6.

What is the chemical formula of Cobalt(II) oxide?

The molecular formula of Cobalt(II) oxide is CoO and its molecular weight is 74.933 g/mol.

What does a Cobalt(II) oxide label have to show?

Under CLP Annex VI the label for Cobalt(II) oxide carries the pictograms Exclamation mark and Environment and the signal word is Warning.

Is Cobalt(II) oxide flammable?

CLP Annex VI assigns Cobalt(II) oxide no flammability hazard class. That is not a statement that it cannot burn: the harmonised list only records the hazards that were assessed for it.

Is Cobalt(II) oxide a carcinogen?

CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Cobalt(II) oxide. Annex VI is a list of agreed classifications, not a list of substances found safe, so this is an absence of a classification rather than a clean bill of health. IARC places it in Group 2B: possibly carcinogenic to humans.

What is the melting point of Cobalt(II) oxide?

The melting point reported for Cobalt(II) oxide is 1935 °C (3515 °F) (ICSC).

How should Cobalt(II) oxide be stored?

Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Keep in a dry place. Storage class (TRGS 510): Non-combustible, acute toxic Cat. 1 and 2 / very toxic hazardous materials. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))

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