Overview Of Common Applications Of ZnO

ZnO has got a wide array of applications. The reactivity of ZnO makes it ideal to be used as a precursor for getting supplementary compounds of Zn. ZnO has showed be a boon for materials science because it has combination of unique properties like antimicrobial properties, Ultra Violet (UV) absorption, steady thermal and optical properties. ZnO has got a very significant contribution in rubber manufacture, medical, food additives, anti-corrosive coating, electronic applications, antibacterial activity and many more.

Rubber Manufacture

The rubber industry is responsible for consuming about 50% of the ZnO that produced globally. ZnO with stearic acid are must for activating the process of vulcanization in rubber manufacture. Rubber curing becomes faster and more controlled when a combination of these two substances is used. It’s also an important additive in car tyres by improving their thermal conductivity which helps the tyres to dissipate heat quickly when they are in motion thereby increasing their life span.

Medical Uses

A mixture of ZnO with 0.5% Fe2O3 is known as Calamine and is used in manufacturing Calamine lotions. Fine particles of ZnO have antimicrobial and deodorizing qualities, so they are used for packaging purposes. ZnO has ability of neutralizing acids and its properties make it suitable for antiseptic creams, healing creams etc. they are also an important component of tooth pastes and dental prosthetics. Due to its ability to absorb ultraviolet light, ZnO is also used in sunscreens and sun blocks to prevent sunburns. ZnO is additionally employed in making of butt filters because it helps in removing harmful substrates like H2S and HCN without affecting the flavor.

Food Additives

In food products ZnO is usually added as a source of Zn which is a much needed nutrient in helping the performance of many physiological activities such as growth and good functioning of sexual organs. It is also added to fodder for Zn supplement for livestock. ZnO is used to produce Zinc gluconate which is found in cold prevention lozenges.

Anti-Corrosive Coatings

ZnO is an excellent inhibitor of fungi, mildew and mold. Paints which have ZnO are usually used as anti-corrosive coatings for various metals like galvanized Zn which is especially hard to protect as it makes organic coatings brittle and unsuitable for adhesion. ZnO paints have maintained their flexibility and adhesive properties for years on finish. The UV blocking talent of ZnO plays a crucial role in raising the resilience of the paint. In contract to some lead pigments that are available commercially, ZnO is impervious to the consequence of sulphur compounds that are within the atmosphere.

Electronic Applications ZnO wide band gap makes it to be used in making LEDs and laser diodes. ZnO also used in producing Transparent Thin Film Transistors (TTFT). Nanorod sensors made by ZnO are devices which sense fluctuations in electric current passing through the wires as a result of the adsorption of gas molecules. The nanorods could be made partial to H2 gas by sputtering Pd clusters on the surface which may dissociating the H2 molecules which improves the sensing nature of nanorods. H2 concentrations up to 10 ppm can be detected at room temperature without any response to O2. Properties like biocompatibility have enabled ZnO to be used as a biomimic material to modify and immobilize biomolecules. As Field effect transistors (FETs), they can function without even a p-n junction thus bypassing doping problems. This is why some FETs use nanorods made of ZnO as conducting channels. ZnO is also used in making Zn-Ag oxide batteries, Ni-Cd oxide batteries, Zn-C dry cells, and some secondary batteries. ZnO other important application is fuel cell which are used to make various parts like the electrodes and sometimes also as the fuel. It can also act as a photo catalyst in places like the solar cell.