Zinc Chloride is an important inorganic salt and Lewis acid catalyst, renowned for its strong hygroscopicity, high water solubility, and coordination capability. Its production primarily involves the reaction of zinc ingots or zinc dross with hydrochloric acid, followed by purification, concentration, and molding processes, with the mainstream method being atmospheric pressure synthesis via "zinc + hydrochloric acid → zinc chloride + hydrogen".
❋ Aliases: Zinc Butter
❋ English Name: Zinc Chloride
❋ Chemical Formula: ZnCl₂
❋ Molecular Weight: 136.30
❋ CAS Number: 7646-85-7
Key Properties: Highly hygroscopic, high solubility, strong coordination ability, conductive in molten state
Frontier Application Scenarios
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"Electrolyte Core" in Battery Industry
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Zinc-carbon battery electrolyte: Serves as primary electrolyte providing ionic conduction pathways, ensuring battery discharge performance;
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Metal-air batteries: Participates in electrode reactions in zinc-air batteries, enhancing energy density.
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"Versatile Catalyst" in Chemical Synthesis
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Fischer-Tropsch synthesis promoter: Functions as molecular sieve modifier enhancing catalytic activity and product selectivity;
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Lewis acid in organic synthesis: Promotes carbon-carbon bond formation reactions like Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation.
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"Protection and Connection Specialist" in Metal Treatment
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Flux active component: Removes metal surface oxide films in hot-dip galvanizing and welding processes;
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Metal anti-corrosion treatment: Key component in zinc plating passivation solutions forming dense protective layers.
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"Interface Modifier" in New Energy and Materials
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Lithium battery electrode modification: Regulates electrode/electrolyte interface stability, inhibits dendrite growth;
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Functional material precursor: Used in synthesizing MOF materials, zinc-based semiconductors and other novel functional materials.
Technological Breakthroughs and Sustainable Development
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High-purity process innovation: Employs solvent extraction and vacuum distillation technologies to reduce lead, cadmium and other heavy metal impurities to ppm levels;
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Resource recycling: Recovers zinc resources from galvanizing waste residues and zinc ash to produce battery-grade zinc chloride;
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Green synthesis pathways: Develops hydrogen chloride recycling processes to achieve high-value utilization of by-product hydrochloric acid;
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Safe formulation development: Researches solid granular formulations to replace powdered products, reducing dust hazards during usage.
