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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-12-28 Origin: Site
Rubber Industry: Zinc oxide is a highly efficient vulcanization activator and reinforcing agent for natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and latex. It not only significantly increases the vulcanization speed and conversion rate but also enhances wear resistance, anti-aging properties, and mechanical strength. It is widely used in high-end products such as automobile tires, aircraft tires, and industrial seals. Simultaneously, as a white filler and pigment, it provides rubber products with a good appearance.
Paints and Coatings: Possessing excellent hiding power, tinting strength, and weather resistance, zinc oxide is one of the most important white pigments. Although its tinting strength is inferior to titanium dioxide, it excels in anti-rust paints and anti-corrosion coatings, effectively delaying metal corrosion. Furthermore, its UV absorption capability makes it a key ingredient in high-end sun-protective coatings.
Plastics and Textiles: In plastic products, zinc oxide acts not only as a filler to enhance strength and smoothness but also shields ultraviolet rays and absorbs infrared rays, improving the material's weather resistance and functionality. In the textile field, nano-zinc oxide can impart fibers with antibacterial, UV-resistant, cooling, or warming properties, finding wide application in functional clothing and hygiene materials.
Ceramics and Glass: As an ingredient in glazes, zinc oxide improves the luster, density, and mechanical strength of ceramics. In glass production, it helps lower the melting temperature, saving energy and reducing production costs.
Display and Light-Emitting Devices: It is widely used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs), thin-film transistors (TFTs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), particularly ultraviolet (UV) LEDs and flexible display devices. Its pure ultraviolet luminescence characteristics make it an ideal light source for precision optical equipment.
Transparent Conductive Films: By doping with aluminum or gallium, zinc oxide can form films that are highly transparent and conductive, used in touch screens, solar cell electrodes, and smart windows.
Electronic Components: It is used to manufacture varistors, radio equipment, and gas sensors. Its piezoelectric properties are also suitable for pressure sensors and energy harvesting devices.
Medical Uses: As an astringent and antibacterial agent, it is commonly used to treat eczema, diaper rash, burns, and skin ulcers. Zinc oxide ointments, plasters, and other preparations remain household staples today. Nano-zinc oxide, due to its high specific surface area and biocompatibility, is used in wound dressings, drug delivery systems, and bioimaging.
Cosmetics and Sunscreens: Nano-zinc oxide is an ideal physical sunscreen agent. It can block both UVA and UVB rays simultaneously, is not absorbed by the skin, and is highly safe. Compared to traditional organic sunscreens, it is gentler and more stable, widely used in sunscreens and baby care products. Simultaneously, it possesses multiple skincare benefits such as antibacterial action, oil control, and anti-aging properties.
Photocatalytic Degradation: Under light, nano-zinc oxide can generate reactive oxygen radicals that effectively decompose organic pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene series in the air, and dyes and pesticides in water, applied in air purifiers and sewage treatment systems.
Gas Sensors: It exhibits high sensitivity to toxic gases such as CO, NO₂, and NH₃, and can be used for environmental monitoring and industrial safety early warning.
New Energy Applications: As an anode material or additive in lithium-ion batteries, it can improve the battery's cycle performance and capacity. In perovskite solar cells, it serves as an electron transport layer, boosting photoelectric conversion efficiency.
Agriculture and Feed: As a supplement for zinc, it is used in animal feed to promote growth and development. It can also be used as an antibacterial agent for crop disease control.
Nanotechnology: Due to quantum size effects, nano-zinc oxide exhibits stronger activity and functionality. For example, fluorescent zinc oxide nanoparticles developed by Shimane University in Japan can stably emit light for over 24 hours within biological bodies at a low cost, holding promise for biomedical imaging such as cancer marking and drug tracking.
Military and Infrared Technology: Certain modified zinc oxides possess strong infrared absorption capabilities, applied in stealth materials and military camouflage technology.
Copying and Electronic Recording: Historically, it was widely used in electrostatic copying paper. Although gradually phased out, it still finds application in electronic plate making and laser faxing.
