Zinc pyrophosphate (Zn₂P₂O₇) is an ionic

inorganic In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemist ...

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

composed of Zn²⁺

cation An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

s and

pyrophosphate In chemistry, pyrophosphates are phosphorus oxyanions that contain two phosphorus atoms in a P–O–P linkage. A number of pyrophosphate salts exist, such as disodium pyrophosphate (Na2H2P2O7) and tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Na4P2O7), among other ...

anion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

Preparation

Zinc pyrophosphate can be obtained from the thermal decomposition of zinc ammonium phosphate. :2 ZnNH₄PO₄ → Zn₂P₂O₇ + 2 NH₃ + H₂O It can also be obtained from the reaction between

sodium carbonate Sodium carbonate, , (also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2CO3 and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield moderately alkaline solutions ...

zinc oxide Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a white powder that is insoluble in water. ZnO is used as an additive in numerous materials and products including cosmetics, food supplements, rubbers, plastics, ceramics, glass, cemen ...

, and

ammonium dihydrogen phosphate Ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP), also known as monoammonium phosphate (MAP) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (NH4)(H2PO4). ADP is a major ingredient of agricultural fertilizers and some fire extinguishers. It also has sign ...

. :Na₂CO₃ + 2 ZnO + 2 (NH₄)H₂PO₄ → Zn₂P₂O₇ + 2 NaOH + 2 NH₃ + 2 H₂O + CO₂ It is also produced when a strongly acidic solution of

zinc sulfate Zinc sulfate is an inorganic compound. It is used as a dietary supplement to treat zinc deficiency and to prevent the condition in those at high risk. Side effects of excess supplementation may include abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, and ti ...

is heated with

sodium pyrophosphate Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, also called sodium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium phosphate or TSPP, is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula, formula Na4P2O7. As a salt, it is a white, water-soluble solid. It is composed of pyrophosphate anion an ...

. :2 ZnSO₄ + Na₄P₂O₇ → Zn₂P₂O₇ + 2 Na₂SO₄ Another method is precipitating zinc as a phosphate, then heating over 1123 K.

Properties

Zinc pyrophosphate is a white crystalline solid that is insoluble in water. On heating in water, it decomposes to form Zn₃(PO₄)₂ and ZnHPO₄. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system. The α-form crystallizes at low temperatures and the β-form crystallizes at high temperatures.

Uses

Zinc pyrophosphate is used as a pigment. It is useful in

gravimetric analysis Gravimetric analysis describes a set of methods used in analytical chemistry for the quantitative determination of an analyte (the ion being analyzed) based on its mass. The principle of this type of analysis is that once an ion's mass has been ...

of zinc.

References

Pyrophosphates

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