What Do People Use Zinc Sulfate For?

Zinc Galvanized Utensils

Zinc sulfate, ZnSO4·7H2O, occurs in nature as goslarite. It dehydrates when exposed to the atmosphere. Uses for zinc sulfate (sometimes called white vitriol) are many and varied.

In Agriculture

Zinc sulfate monohydrate is used in animal feeds and as a micronutrient in fertilizers for crops such as beans and corn. Zinc is an important component of certain enzymes.

In Paint

Zinc sulfate is used in making lithopone, a mixture of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide, for specialty paints. Lithopone is considerably cheaper than titanium dioxide.

In Galvanizing

Galvanizing is the process of dipping steel in molten zinc. The outer surface of the zinc layer oxidizes in air and absorbs carbon dioxide to form zinc carbonate, which prevents degradation of the steel.

In Electroplating

Zinc sulfate and other zinc salts are used by the electroplating industry as substitutes for the galvanizing process and in conjunction with copper to brass plate wire.

In Rayon Manufacture

Zinc sulfate is used in the manufacture of viscose rayon as part of a coagulant.

Additional Uses

Zinc sulfate is also used as a mordant in dyeing, and as a leather preservative.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension; "Zinc for Crop Production"
• Gannon University; "Electroplating of Metals"
• GTI Engineering, Inc.; "An Overview of Hot Dip Zinc Galvanizing"

Resources

• Patent Storm; "US Patent 4242405--Viscose rayon and method of making same"