Typical Specification of Zinc Chloride Solution

PARTICULARS	LYE
Assay  (as ZnCl2)	40-42%
Appearance	Water White Liquid
Iron & Lead	Less than 10 ppm
Specific Gravity	1.40-1.45

Zinc Chloride General Information

Zinc chloride is the name of chemical compound with the formula ZnCl₂ and its hydrates. ZnCl2, of which nine crystalline forms are known, is colorless or white and highly soluble in water. ZnCl₂ itself is hygroscopic and even deliquescent. Samples should therefore be protected from sources of moisture, including the water vapor present in ambient air. ZnCl2 finds wide application in textile processing, metallurgical fluxes, and chemical synthesis. No mineral with this chemical composition as ZnCl2 is known although a very rare mineral, simonkolleite, Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂H₂O is known.

Applications & Uses:

As a metallurgical flux

Zinc chloride has the ability to attack metal oxides (MO) to give derivatives of the formula MZnOCl₂. This reaction is relevant to the utility of ZnCl₂ as a flux for soldering. It is used in fluxes for galvanizing, soldering and tinning.

Dry Cell  or Batteries

It is commonly used in dry cell batteries as an electrolyte where it also acts as a moisture absorbent and corrosion inhibitor.

Electroplating

Today, there are three primary types of acid zinc plating baths: straight ammonium chloride, straight potassium chloride and mixed ammonium chloride/potassium chloride.

Petroleum

It is an excellent emulsion breaker and is used to separate oil from water. It is also an effective packer fluid in oil and gas wells due to its high specific gravity.

Chemical

It is used in the production of ethylacetate. It is also used as condensing agent for the production of organic dye-stuff. It  is used as a stabilizing agent for diazonium compounds. It is used for the production of active carbon. It is used for Friedel Craft Reaction, Azotropic or Azeotropic Distillation, Desiccation. Zinc laurate, linoleate Stearate or resinate can be formed from ZnCl2 solutions and solutions of the corresponding sodium salt. Zinc chloride is a Lewis acid and therefore electrophilic in character. Zinc Chloride is particularly effective in catalyzing reactions that eliminate molecules of water, ammonia or mercaptans. Its solutions gelatinize cellulosic materials and induce cross linking in such polymer formers as the methylol ureas. It absorbs readily on charcoal or silica for catalyzing acylations and alkylations by Friedel-Crafts synthesis. In esterifications and condensation reactions, it facilitates the elimination of water or ammonia molecules from the reactants. One example is the Fischer idole synthesis.

Herbicide

Zinc Chloride is used as an herbicide. It is used to control lichen and moss growing on the roofs of houses and other domestic dwellings, along walks, driveways, fences, and wherever moss grows.

Agriculture

It is very rarely used in agriculture. ZnCl2 may be reacted with chelating agents to form solutions of zinc that are biologically available to plants and animals.

..and several other uses.