A guide to dimethyl sulfoxide as an industrial solvent and agrochemical carrier, how it handles, and how it's supplied, from a US-based distributor.
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide, CAS 67-68-5) is a highly polar aprotic solvent that dissolves an unusually wide range of materials. Stratus Chemical supplies industrial grade DMSO for paint stripping and industrial cleaning and as a carrier solvent in agrochemical formulation, where it also serves as a low-toxicity replacement for NMP and DMF. COA and SDS provided.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Dimethyl sulfoxide |
| CAS number | 67-68-5 |
| Molecular formula | C2H6OS |
| Molecular weight | 78.13 g/mol |
| EC / EINECS | 200-664-3 |
| Synonyms | DMSO, methyl sulfoxide, methylsulfinylmethane |
| Appearance | Clear, colorless liquid |
| Melting point | 18.5°C (65.3°F) |
| Boiling point | 189°C |
| Grade supplied | Industrial / technical |
| Packaging | Drums and totes |
Dimethyl sulfoxide is a sulfur-containing organic solvent, clear and colorless, with a dipolar aprotic character that makes it unusually versatile. It dissolves a very wide range of materials, including many resins and polymers that resist conventional solvents, which is what makes it effective at stripping cured coatings and at carrying poorly soluble active ingredients.
Three properties define how you work with it:
DMSO is used in industrial settings to dissolve and remove stubborn resins, polymers and paint residues. Its dissolving power extends to cured coatings that resist milder solvents, and it works without the flammability of ketone and ester strippers.
Its main commercial pull in this application is regulatory. Methylene chloride, long the workhorse of paint stripping, faces severe restriction, and NMP, the usual substitute, is a classified reproductive toxicant. DMSO carries neither classification, which lets a formulator keep stripping performance while removing a restricted substance from the product and from the workplace. It is used in paint strippers, graffiti removers, coating-line and reactor cleaning, and equipment degreasing where cured resin has to come off.
DMSO acts as a solvent and delivery agent in the formulation of specific pesticides and herbicides. Many crop-protection actives are poorly soluble in water and in conventional solvents, which caps how much can be carried in a given volume of formulation. DMSO's solubilizing power allows higher active loading, giving a more concentrated product with less solvent shipped per unit of active.
It is used in emulsifiable concentrates and soluble liquid formulations, and as a co-solvent alongside other carriers. Its low toxicity relative to the alternatives, and the fact that it is readily biodegradable, matter in a sector under continuous scrutiny of its formulation ingredients.
DMSO, NMP (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone) and DMF (dimethylformamide) are the three workhorse dipolar aprotic solvents and they overlap heavily in what they dissolve. In stripping, cleaning and agrochemical formulation the difference that matters now is regulatory rather than technical.
| Factor | DMSO | NMP | DMF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive toxicity classification | Not classified | Classified reproductive toxicant | Classified reproductive toxicant |
| EU regulatory status | Not restricted | REACH-restricted, SVHC | REACH-restricted, SVHC |
| Flammability | Non-flammable at ordinary temperatures | Combustible | Combustible |
| Boiling point | 189°C | 202°C | 153°C |
| Freezing point | 18.5°C, solidifies near room temperature | −24°C | −61°C |
| Main handling constraint | Freezes near room temperature; hygroscopic; carries solutes through skin | Regulatory compliance burden | Regulatory compliance burden |
Where DMSO substitutes cleanly. In stripping, cleaning and agrochemical formulation DMSO is often a near drop-in for NMP, with comparable dissolving power and a much better toxicological profile. Reformulators typically find the changes are about handling rather than chemistry.
Where it needs work. The freezing point is the main practical obstacle, since a plant plumbed for NMP at ambient temperature may need heat tracing or heated storage. Hygroscopicity means closed transfer matters more. And because DMSO carries dissolved substances through skin, glove selection and handling procedures have to be reviewed rather than inherited from the previous solvent.
If you're evaluating a switch, tell us your current solvent, volume and specification and we'll quote against it.
DMSO freezes at 18.5°C (65.3°F), which is below normal room temperature in many warehouses and well above winter ambient. Receiving solid or slushy DMSO is normal. It is not a quality problem and the material is fully recoverable.
Stratus Chemical supplies industrial grade DMSO in drums and totes. COA and SDS are provided with every shipment.
In industrial settings DMSO is used as a paint stripper and cleaner, dissolving and removing stubborn resins, polymers and paint residues, and in agriculture as a solvent and delivery agent in the formulation of specific pesticides and herbicides.
The CAS number for dimethyl sulfoxide is 67-68-5. Its molecular formula is C2H6OS and its molecular weight is 78.13 g/mol. It is also known as methyl sulfoxide.
DMSO dissolves cured resins, polymers and paint residues that resist milder solvents, and it does so without the flammability of ketone and ester strippers. It is also not classified as a reproductive toxicant, unlike NMP, and is not subject to the restrictions facing methylene chloride.
Many crop-protection active ingredients are poorly soluble in water and in conventional solvents. DMSO's solubilizing power allows higher active loading in a formulation, producing a more concentrated product with less solvent shipped per unit of active.
In stripping, cleaning and agrochemical formulation DMSO is often a near drop-in for NMP, with comparable dissolving power and without NMP's reproductive-toxicant classification and REACH restrictions. The practical obstacles are DMSO's 18.5 degree C freezing point, which may require heated storage, its hygroscopicity, and revised glove selection.
DMSO has a melting point of 18.5 degrees C (65.3 degrees F), which is below typical room temperature. Receiving solid or partly frozen DMSO is normal and does not indicate a quality problem. It is recovered by gentle, even warming, and freeze-thaw cycling does not damage the material.
DMSO has low toxicity for a solvent of its dissolving power and is non-flammable at ordinary temperatures. The key handling consideration is that it carries dissolved substances through skin, so glove material must be selected specifically for DMSO and any contaminant dissolved in it must be treated as a skin-exposure risk. Consult the SDS before handling.
Stratus Chemical supplies industrial grade DMSO in drums and totes, with COA and SDS provided. Share your volume and delivery point and we will respond with pricing and availability within one business day.
Looking for related products? See acetone, the full product range, or request a quote.
Tell us the grade, form, and volume. We'll respond with pricing and availability within one business day.
Request a Quote →