Influence of metal ions on the formation of artificial zinc rusts

The artificial rust particles were prepared from ZnCl2 solutions dissolving Al(III), Fe(III), Fe(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Mg(II) at different atomic ratios from 0 to 0.3 in metal/Zn. With increasing metal/Zn the crystal phases of the products turned following as ZnO→a mixture of ZnO and Zn5(OH)8Cl2·H2O (ZHC)→ZHC. Al(III) most facilitated the formation of ZHC but Mg(II) and Fe(III) produced no ZHC. The morphology of the formed particles varied following as agglomerate→fine→rod→sheet→irregular with the increase of metal/Zn. The sheet and irregularly shaped particles were identified as ZHC and the other particles as ZnO.