Zinc Acetate Dihydrate: Properties, Structure, and Specifications

What Is Zinc Acetate Dihydrate?

Zinc acetate dihydrate brings together zinc, acetic acid, and water molecules to form a substance you might not notice unless you start looking for the physical traits. It goes by the formula Zn(CH₃COO)₂·2H₂O and holds an HS Code of 29152990. Most often, it shows up as white, odorless, and crystalline. Someone working in pharmaceuticals, textiles, or even in a run-of-the-mill lab, knows these crystals have value. For those who haven’t handled raw materials like this, zinc acetate dihydrate feels like fine flakes, grains, or powder—sometimes pearly, all solid at room temperature, but dissolving readily in water and alcohol.

Product Forms, Structure, Density, and Appearance

The molecular mass clocks in at about 219.5 g/mol, and each molecule comes built around a central zinc ion surrounded by two acetate groups and two water molecules hydrogen bonded in. Under the microscope, the crystals look monoclinic, almost resembling transparent needles or plates. Usually, you find these packed in airtight containers because humidity gets them to clump. Sellers offer this raw material in solid, flaky, or powder forms, packed for batch work in chemical processing or as a stock for analytical solutions. The density averages near 1.74 g/cm³, a number you won’t forget if you’ve ever transferred the raw powder with a spatula and watched it settle, heavier than baking flour yet still easy enough to sweep up spill with a standard brush. Those odd-shaped crystals, when dissolved, create a nearly transparent solution, which is clear and stable, unless mixed in high pH solutions that can bring on hydrolysis or precipitation.

Product Specifications and Use: From Pearls to Solutions

Zinc acetate dihydrate works for folks making catalysts, dietary supplements, wood preservatives, and dye mordants. Chemists recognize the clear, colorless solution it creates when mixed in water—all that acetate and zinc deliver reliable zinc ions, making the compound useful in making other zinc salts and in zinc plating too. Dosing depends on grade and application, with raw material purity running from around 98% up to higher, lab-approved numbers. Some industries want the flakes, some prefer microcrystalline powder, and some go for granular “pearls” for even distribution. Floating between solid and dissolved states, it’s flexible—a raw chemical for batch reactors or a measured solute in reagent-grade solution. Bulk buyers ask for solutions by the liter, and density checks make sure the number matches spec sheets, so the final product works just as engineers or pharma chemists expect.

Chemical Safety, Hazards, and Handling

Though zinc acetate dihydrate serves up zinc, an essential trace element, raw exposure to the solid or its dust doesn’t come recommended. Under the GHS (Globally Harmonized System), it rolls in with standard warnings: may irritate skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract, while long-term or excessive repeated doses carry environmental harm for aquatic life if not properly treated. Working with it, goggles and a lab coat make up the front line against accidental splashes or powder. Good ventilation helps—especially when weighing out or transferring the chemical, as the fine dust can linger and settle over benches and ledges. In storage, keep it dry and sealed because this stuff absorbs moisture easily, pumping up the weight and ruining measured doses. Spills wipe up well with damp cloths, and smaller labs lean on typical chemical spill protocols to catch stray powder. Waste solutions need dilute treatments, and the spent material has to take the hazardous waste route, avoiding sinks or municipal drains.

Zinc Acetate Dihydrate as a Raw Material in Industrial Supply Chains

Production stretches from small pilot batches to tons for industry use. Every lot tags along with a certificate showing compliance with regulations and detailed breakdowns listing the purity, assay figures, molecular ratio, and absence of unwanted heavy metals. Specification sheets record physical form (flakes, powder, or pearls), expected color, minimum purity, moisture content, and packaging setup. For exporters and importers, the HS Code gets the paperwork moving for customs. Traceability matters in pharmaceutical and food applications, linked to Good Manufacturing Practice, while industrial users focus on container size, moisture-proof linings, and labels carrying chemical hazard symbols. Suppliers refer to international standards, delivering material in kilogram bags or liter bottles, and the transition from warehouse to workbench follows strict chains, so the material ends up in process reactors or blending tanks exactly as required.

The Importance and Future of Responsible Chemical Use

Handling zinc acetate dihydrate responsibly means seeing beyond its powder, flakes, or pearl forms. The supply chain must balance industrial demand, physical consistency, chemical stability, and environmental safety. Trace metals affect finished product quality, so purity grades really matter. Science classrooms, advanced labs, and bulk plants each rely on the same principles—store it dry, keep it clean, measure it out exactly, and dispose of waste safely. Companies face audits and certifications, and traceable quality beats cut corners every time. As industries chase cleaner processes and safer materials, suppliers and users lean on transparent labeling, updated safety sheets, batch tracking, and training for everyone handling the material. Smart chemical management makes it possible to keep delivering the element zinc—whether as an active ingredient, a catalyst, or just a raw chemical for the next round of innovation.