Sodium zincate refers to anionic zinc oxides or hydroxides, depending on conditions. In the applications of these materials, the exact formula is not necessarily important and it is likely that aqueous zincate solutions consist of mixtures.

Hydroxyzincates

Solutions of sodium zincate may be prepared by dissolving

zinc Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic tabl ...

, zinc hydroxide, or

zinc oxide Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the Chemical formula, formula . It is a white powder which is insoluble in water. ZnO is used as an additive in numerous materials and products including cosmetics, Zinc metabolism, food supplements, rubbe ...

in an aqueous solution of

sodium hydroxide Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions . Sodium hydroxide is a highly corrosive base (chemistry), ...

. Simplified equations for these complex processes are: :ZnO + H₂O + 2 NaOH → Na₂Zn(OH)₄ :Zn + 2 H₂O + 2 NaOH → Na₂Zn(OH)₄ + H₂ From such solutions, one can crystallize salts of containing the anions Zn(OH)₄²⁻, Zn₂(OH)₆²⁻, and Zn(OH)₆⁴⁻. Na₂Zn(OH)₄ consists of tetrahedral zincate ion and octahedral sodium cations.
The salt Sr₂Zn(OH)₆ features zinc in an octahedral coordination sphere.

Oxozincates

Related oxides are also known such as Na₂ZnO₂,D. Trinschek, M. Jansen (1996): "Na₂ZnO2, ein neues Natriumzinkat". ''Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B'', volume 51, issue 5, pages 711-714. Na₂Zn₂O₃, Na₁₀Zn₄O₉.Ein neues Oxozinkat mit trigonal-planar koordiniertem Zink, D. Trinschek, M. Jansen: Na₁₀Zn₄O₉, Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie volume 622 (1996), pp. 245-50

References

Sodium compounds Zinc compounds {{inorganic-compound-stub