What Is Zinc Sulfate Hydrate?

Zinc sulfate is sometimes used as a weed killer.

Zinc sulfate is a crystalline solid at room temperature with the chemical formula ZnSO4. It's typically found in hydrate form, where a set number of molecules of water are present for each formula unit of zinc sulfate.

Features

A hydrated salt has water molecules incorporated into its crystal structure. These water molecules bind to or interact with the ions that form the crystal lattice but can usually be separated from it by heating the substance to evaporate the water. Zinc sulfate is usually found in the heptahydrate form, where seven molecules of water are present for each atom of zinc. Heating this substance will turn it into the hexahydrate form, with six molecules of water for each zinc atom, or the monohydrate form, with one molecule of water for each zinc atom.

Function

Zinc sulfate hydrates enjoy a variety of uses in industry; among these uses are the manufacture of rayon and zinc plating. It's also used as a weed killer. Like many sulfate salts, it dissolves well in water.

Fun Fact

Zinc sulfate heptahydrate is sometimes called white vitriol or zinc vitriol. According to Merriam-Webster, the word vitriol is derived from the Latin for a clear or glassy substance, which is how zinc sulfate and other vitriols earned their names.

References

• JT Baker: MSDS, Zinc Sulfate 7-hydrate
• Oxford University: Safety Data for Zinc Sulfate 7-hydrate
• Merriam-Webster: Vitriol
• ChemicalLand21: Zinc Sulfate Heptahydrate