Aluminium diacetate, also known as basic aluminium acetate, is a white powder with the

chemical formula In chemistry, a chemical formula is a way of presenting information about the chemical proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound or molecule, using chemical element symbols, numbers, and sometimes also other symbol ...

C₄H₇AlO₅. It is one of a number of

aluminium acetate Aluminium acetate or aluminium ethanoate (also "aluminum ~"), sometimes abbreviated AlAc in geochemistry, can refer to a number of different salts of aluminum with acetic acid. In the solid state, three salts exist under this name: basic aluminium ...

s and can be prepared in a reaction of

sodium aluminate Sodium aluminate is an inorganic chemical that is used as an effective source of aluminium hydroxide for many industrial and technical applications. Pure sodium aluminate (anhydrous) is a white crystalline solid having a formula variously given as ...

(NaAlO₂) with acetic acid.

Medicinal use

Aluminium diacetate is used as an antiseptic and

astringent An astringent (sometimes called adstringent) is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. The word derives from the Latin ''adstringere'', which means "to bind fast". Calamine lotion, witch hazel, and yerba mansa, a Californian pla ...

. It is used topically as wet dressing, compress, or soak for self-medication to temporarily relieve itching and soothe, particularly on wet or weeping lesions. It relieves skin irritation from many causes, such as insect bites, athlete's foot,

urushiol-induced contact dermatitis Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis (also called Toxicodendron dermatitis or Rhus dermatitis) is a type of allergic contact dermatitis caused by the oil urushiol found in various plants, most notably species of the genus '' Toxicodendron'': pois ...

from plants poisonous to the touch such as poison ivy, oak, or sumac, and skin irritation due to sensitivity to soaps, detergents, cosmetics, or jewellery. It is also used to relieve swelling from bruises. Preparations are also used topically for the relief of a variety skin conditions such as eczema, diaper rash, acne, and pruritus ani. It is typically used in the form of

Burow's solution Burow's solution is an aqueous solution of aluminium triacetate. It is available in the U.S. as an over-the-counter drug for topical administration, with brand names including Domeboro (Moberg Pharma), Domeboro Otic (ear drops), Star-Otic, and Bor ...

, 13% of AlAc in water. In the USA medications containing aluminum acetate are sold under the brand names Domeboro Powder, Gordon's Boro-Packs, and Pedi-Boro Soak Paks. It is sold in gel form under the name TriCalm. Acetic acid/aluminium acetate solution can be used medicinally to treat infections in the outer ear canal. This medication stops the growth of the bacteria and fungus and beneficially dries out the ear canal. US preparations for this purpose include Domeboro Otic, Star-Otic, and Borofair.

Mordant

In the dyeing industry, basic aluminium diacetate is used in combination with aluminium triacetate as a

mordant A mordant or dye fixative is a substance used to set (i.e. bind) dyes on fabrics by forming a coordination complex with the dye, which then attaches to the fabric (or tissue). It may be used for dyeing fabrics or for intensifying stains in ...

for fibres like

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

References

Acetates Aluminium compounds {{inorganic-stub