Zinc Chloride
ZnCl₂ | CAS: 7646-85-7 | HS: 28273990
Product Description
Zinc Chloride is a strongly Lewis-acidic, highly soluble zinc salt with a unique combination of fluxing, activating, and cellulose-dissolving properties exploited across galvanising, batteries, textiles, and chemical synthesis. In galvanising and soldering, it is the classic flux — dissolving surface oxides to expose clean metal for solder and zinc adhesion. In carbon-zinc dry cell batteries, it is the electrolyte providing both electrical conductivity and the zinc anode environment. In textiles, concentrated ZnCl₂ solution dissolves cellulose for viscose and speciality fibre processing. MITCHEM supplies technical, battery, and anhydrous grades with full documentation.
Applications by Industry
The classic flux for hot-dip galvanising, lead-tin soldering, and tin-plating operations — dissolves surface oxide layers to expose clean metal for solder wetting and zinc coating adhesion.
Electrolyte and zinc complexing agent in carbon-zinc (Leclanché and zinc-chloride) dry cell batteries; provides conductivity and controls anode dissolution kinetics.
Used as a Lewis acid catalyst in Friedel-Crafts reactions, cyclisation reactions, and organic synthesis requiring a water-soluble, recoverable Lewis acid catalyst.
Concentrated ZnCl₂ solution is a cellulose solvent used in the production of speciality fibres and as a swelling agent for mercerisation and chemical modification of cotton fibres.