Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Britannica Sources used in this answer

What industrial uses does zinc sulfate have?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
A labeled diagram of the periodic table entry for zinc, showing its atomic number 30, symbol Zn, atomic weight 65.38, electron configuration, name, hexagonal crystal structure, solid state at room temperature, and classification as a transition metal.
zinc

Zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) serves several important industrial and agricultural functions. Its primary industrial applications include:

  • Manufacturing: It is a key component in the production of viscose rayon, where it acts as a constituent in the precipitating bath.12
  • Textiles and Pigments: It is utilized in dyeing processes, where it functions as a mordant, and it has been used in the production of white paint pigments.31
  • Agriculture: It is employed as a weed killer and as a protective agent against pests. It is also commonly used in the formulation of fertilizers.123
  • Metallurgy: It serves as an intermediate compound during the electrolytic process used to extract zinc from its ores.1
  • Medicine: In pharmaceutical contexts, it is used for its properties as an astringent, an emetic, and a weak antiseptic.3

Additionally, zinc sulfate is utilized in various other small-scale industrial applications, including printing and the creation of specialized sprays.32