Binary Compounds
Zinc oxide, ZnO, is the most important manufactured compound of zinc, with a wide variety of uses. It crystallizes with the Wurtzite structure. It is amphoteric, dissolving in acids to give the aqueous Zn2+ ion and in alkali to give the tetrahedral hydroxo complex, 2-. Zinc hydroxide, Zn(OH)2 is also amphoteric.
Zinc sulfide, ZnS, crystallizes in two closely related structures, the Zinc blende structure and the Wurtzite structure which are common structures of compounds with the formula MA. Both Zn and S are tetrahedrally coordinated by the other ion. A useful property of ZnS is its phosphorescence.The other chalcogenides, ZnSe, and ZnTe, have applications in electronics and optics.
Of the four halides ZnF
2 has the most ionic character, whereas the others, ZnCl
2, ZnBr
2, and ZnI
2, have relatively low melting points and are considered to have more covalent character. The pnictogenides Zn
3N
2 (notable for its high melting point), Zn
3P
2, Zn
3As
2 and Zn
3Sb
2, have various applications. Other binary compounds of zinc include the peroxide ZnO
2, the hydride ZnH
2, and the carbide ZnC
2.
Read more about this topic: Compounds Of Zinc
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