This useful white powder can be found in many everyday items, such as rubber, ceramics, sunscreen, and even healing creams. Over time, zinc oxide production has changed a lot, blending old production techniques with new, environmentally friendly methods.
Thermal Process for Zinc Oxide Production
In factories that produce zinc oxide on a large scale, heat-based techniques have been used for many years. These methods are generally divided into two main groups.
- The French Process
The French Process, also known as the indirect method, is one of the oldest and most common ways to produce pure zinc oxide. It starts with high-quality zinc metal. Usually shaped like shiny ingots, placed inside a special furnace that can handle extreme heat. Once the zinc melts, it turns into vapor.
These hot zinc vapors are sent into another chamber, where they meet air and react with oxygen. This reaction creates tiny white particles of zinc oxide. After that, the powder cools down and passes through filters to separate and collect it safely.
Because this method produces zinc oxide with around 99.7% purity or higher. It’s perfect for products that require extra purity, such as medicines and cosmetics.
- The American Process
The American Process, also called the direct method, uses zinc materials that aren’t pure metal. Instead of starting from scratch, it often reuses leftovers from other industries. Like zinc dross from galvanizing or other zinc-rich waste.
Inside a furnace, these materials are blended with a reducing substance such as coal or coke. Then, it is heated until a reaction takes place. This process releases zinc vapor. This is later turned into zinc oxide through oxidation. Similar to how it’s done in the indirect method.
What makes this technique valuable is how it turns industrial waste into something useful. Although the zinc oxide it produces is slightly less pure, usually around 95% to 99%, it still works well for many industries, especially in making rubber.
There are several ways in zinc oxide production, each offering different results. Thanks to these methods, manufacturers can produce everything from regular industrial-grade powder to ultra-pure nanoparticles used in modern technologies and everyday innovations.
