It's no secret that zinc and zinc hydroxide are widely used by modern scientists. And the spectrum of their use directly depends on the physical and chemical properties.
Interestingly, the alloy of zinc with copper was used by the ancient Egyptians, and later in the Roman Empire. But zinc in its pure form could not be isolated for many years. Only in 1746 A. Marggraff first received this metal in its pure form. In the seventeenth century, zinc was already smelted on an industrial scale.
Zinc: chemical properties and a brief description
Zinc is a metal of medium hardness. Interestingly, at low temperatures it is quite fragile. But at a temperature of 100 to 150 degrees Celsius, the metal becomes plastic - it is used to make sheets or even foil with a thickness much less than a millimeter.
From a chemical point of view, zinc is an atom with an oxidation state of +2. This is a fairly active metal, which is involved in the reactions as a reducing agent. It is interesting that in air, at temperatures up to 100 degrees, zinc quickly dims, its surface is covered with a thin film of carbonates. If the air is humid and contains a large amount of carbon dioxide, then the metal is quickly destroyed.
Zinc burns with a blue flame in the presence of oxygen or during heating - in such cases, the combustion process is accompanied by the formation of white smoke (this is metal oxide).
Zinc reacts with both simple elements and acids and some bases, forming salts and zinc hydroxide, respectively.
Today, about 66 minerals are known that contain zinc - they are the main source of industrial metal production. Calamites, zincites, willemite, franc-linite and smitsonite can be cited as an example.
Zinc Hydroskide: Physical and Chemical Properties
Zinc (II) hydroxide is also of great importance, as it is used in various branches of the chemical industry. Under normal conditions, this substance is a colorless small crystals that are practically insoluble in water. The hydroxide formula is as follows:
Zn (OH) 2
It is worth noting that this substance has relatively strong amphoteric properties. Zinc hydroxide reacts more actively with acids, entering into a neutralization reaction and forming salts and water. For instance:
Zn (OH) 2 + H2SO4 = ZnSO4 +2 H2O
However, zinc hydroxide also reacts with alkalis, forming complex salts and water. For example:
Zn (OH) 2 + 2NaOH = Na2ZnO2 + 2H2O
It is worth noting that when heated, the substance decomposes with the formation of oxide and water:
Zn (OH) 2 = ZnO + H2O
As for the scope, the hydroxide is used in the chemical industry to obtain various zinc compounds, in particular, its salts.
Zinc and its use
It's no secret that zinc is widely used as an anti-corrosive substance that coat steel and iron. In addition, a huge amount of metal mined is used to produce brass and bronze.
Interestingly, in dry batteries, zinc is used as an anode, and also acts as a container. In addition, this metal is used during the separation of precious metals (such as gold) from lead. Some zinc compounds are considered common semiconductor materials.
Zinc in a living organism
In fact, it is difficult to overestimate the role of zinc in the life of any living organism, including humans. Despite the rather low content, it is part of important enzymes, is involved in the process of protein synthesis, cellular respiration, etc. Zinc is also responsible for the development of the skeleton of the fetus. It is proved that with an insufficient amount of this mineral a delay in sexual development and the appearance of dwarfism are possible.