Zinc nitrate
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zinc nitrate is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula Zn(NO3)2. This colorless, crystalline salt is highly deliquescent. It is typically encountered as a hexahydrate Zn(NO3)2·6H2O. It is soluble in both water and alcohol.
| |
 | |
| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name
Zinc nitrate | |
| Other names
Zinc dinitrate | |
| Identifiers | |
| |
3D model (JSmol) |
|
| ChEBI | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.029.038 |
| EC Number |
|
PubChem CID |
|
| RTECS number |
|
| UNII | |
| UN number | 1514 |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
|
| |
| |
| Properties | |
| Zn(NO3)2 | |
| Molar mass | 189.36 g/mol (anhydrous) 297.49 g/mol (hexahydrate) |
| Appearance | colorless, deliquescent crystals |
| Density | 2.065 g/cm3 (hexahydrate) |
| Melting point | 110 °C (230 °F; 383 K) (anhydrous) 45.5 °C (trihydrate) 36.4 °C (hexahydrate) |
| Boiling point | ~ 125 °C (257 °F; 398 K) decomposes (hexahydrate) |
| 327 g/(100 mL), 40 °C (trihydrate) 184.3 g/(100 mL), 20 °C (hexahydrate) | |
| Solubility | very soluble in alcohol |
| −63.0·10−6 cm3/mol | |
| Hazards | |
| Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |
Main hazards |
Oxidant, may explode on heating |
| GHS labelling: | |
  | |
| Flash point | Non-flammable |
| Safety data sheet (SDS) | ICSC 1206 |
| Related compounds | |
Other anions |
Zinc sulfate Zinc chloride |
Other cations |
Cadmium nitrate Mercury(II) nitrate |
Related compounds |
Copper(II) nitrate |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
| |
Synthesis
Zinc nitrate is usually prepared by dissolving zinc metal, zinc oxide, or related materials in nitric acid:
- Zn + 2 HNO3 → Zn(NO3)2 + H2
- ZnO + 2 HNO3 → Zn(NO3)2 + H2O
These reactions are accompanied by the hydration of the zinc nitrate.
The anhydrous salt arises by the reaction of anhydrous zinc chloride with nitrogen dioxide:[1]
- ZnCl2 + 4 NO2 → Zn(NO3)2 + 2 NOCl
Reactions
Treatment of zinc nitrate with acetic anhydride gives zinc acetate.[2]
On heating, zinc nitrate undergoes thermal decomposition to form zinc oxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen:
- 2 Zn(NO3)2 → 2 ZnO + 4 NO2 + 1 O2
Aqueous zinc nitrate contains aquo complexes [Zn(H2O)6]2+ and [Zn(H2O)4]2+.[3] and, thus, this reaction may be better written as the reaction of the aquated ion with hydroxide through donation of a proton, as follows.
Applications
Zinc nitrate has no large scale application but is used on a laboratory scale for the synthesis of coordination polymers.[4] Its controlled decomposition to zinc oxide has also been used for the generation of various ZnO based structures, including nanowires.[5]
It is used as a corrosion inhibitor. [6]
It can be used as a mordant in dyeing. An example reaction gives a precipitate of zinc carbonate: