Applications of Inorganic Compounds

Chernobylite is a technogenic mineral with high (up to 10%) content of uranium as a solid solution. It is black and yellow. It was discovered in the corium produced in the Chernobyl accident, a lava-like glassy material formed in a nuclear meltdown of a reactor core. Chernobylite is highly radioactive due to its high uranium content and contamination by fission products.

Zinc selenide (ZnSe), is a light yellow binary solid compound. It is an intrinsic semiconductor with a band gap of about 2.70 eV at 25 °C. ZnSe rarely occurs in nature. It is found in the mineral stilleite named after Hans Stille.

Zinc bromide (ZnBr₂) is a chemical compound of zinc and bromine. Its shares many properties with zinc chloride, ZnCl₂, namely a high solubility in water forming acidic solutions, and solubility in organic solvents. It is hygroscopic and forms a hydrate ZnBr₂.2H₂O. It is used in oil and natural gas wells to displacing drilling mud when transistioning from the drilling phase to the completion phase or in well workover operations.

Zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂),  is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium. Its most naturally occurring form, with a monoclinic crystalline structure, is the rare mineral baddeleyite. The high temperature cubic crystalline form is rarely found in nature as mineral tazheranite (Zr,Ti,Ca)O₂ (a doubtful mineral arkelite). This form, also called cubic zirconia, is synthesized in various colours for use as a gemstone and a diamond simulant.

Zinc chromate, ZnCrO₄, is a chemical compound containing the chromate anion, appearing as odourless yellow solid powder. It is used industrially in chromate conversion coatings. Exposure to zinc chromate can cause tissue ulceration and cancer. Its use as a corrosion resistant agent was applied to aluminium alloy parts first in commercial aircraft, and then in military ones.

Gallium arsenide (GaAs) is a compound of the elements gallium and arsenic. It is a III/V semiconductor, and is used in the manufacture of devices such as microwave frequency integrated circuits, monolithic microwave integrated circuits, infrared light-emitting diodes, laser diodes, solar cells, and optical windows.

Zinc borate is an inorganic compound, a borate of zinc. It is a white crystalline or amorphous powder insoluble in water. Its toxicity is low. Its melting point is 980 °C. It is primarily used as a flame retardant in plastics and cellulose fibers, paper, rubbers and textiles.

Zinc nitrate is a highly deliquescent substance which is usually prepared by dissolving zinc in nitric acid. It can be used as a mordant in dyeing.

Aluminium acetotartrate (or ALSOL) is an organic acid, astringent, and disinfectant. It is the aluminium salt of acetic acid and tartaric acid. It is employed in 0.5-2% solutions as a nasal douche in affections of the respiratory tract.

Aluminium iodide is any chemical compound containing only aluminium and iodine. Aluminium iodide is employed as a catalyst to break certain kinds of C-O and N-O bonds. It cleaves aryl ethers and deoxygenates epoxides.

Aluminium chlorohydrate is a group of specific aluminium salts having the general formula Al_nCl(3n-m)(OH)_m. It is used in deodorants and antiperspirants and as a coagulant in water purification.

Aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN) is a semiconductor material. It is an alloy of aluminium nitride and gallium nitride. AlGaN is used to manufacture light-emitting diodes operating in blue to ultraviolet region, where wavelengths down to 250 nm (far UV) were achieved. It is also used in blue semiconductor lasers. It is also used in detectors of ultraviolet radiation, and in AlGaN/GaN HEMT transistors.

Dihydroxyalumini sodium carbonate is an antacid. It is also known as dihydroxyaluminium sodium carbonate.

Aluminium nitride (AlN) is a nitride of aluminium. Its wurtzite phase (w-AlN) is a wide band gap (6.2 eV) semiconductor material, giving it potential application for deep ultraviolet optoelectronics.

Sodium bismuthate, also known as sodium bismuth oxide, is a slightly hygroscopic chemical compound with the chemical formula of NaBiO₃. Sodium bismuthate is an oxidizer. It is insoluble in cold water, but decomposes when placed in hot water. Sodium bismuthate is commercially used in manganese testing.

Aluminium sulphate, is a chemical compound with the formula Al₂(SO₄)₃. Aluminium sulphate is mainly used as a flocculating agent in the purification of drinking water and waste water treatment plants, and also in paper manufacturing.

Sodium aluminium hydride (NaAlH₄) or sodium alanate is a chemical compound used as a reducing agent. It is similar to lithium aluminium hydride. It is used for hydrogen storage in hydrogen tanks.

Sodium diuranate, Na₂U₂O₇·6H₂O, is a uranium salt also known as the yellow oxide of uranium. Along with ammonium diuranate, it was a component in early yellowcakes, the ratio of the two species determined by process conditions; yellowcake is now largely a mix of uranium oxides. It is commonly referred to by the initials SDU.

Sodium chlorate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (NaClO₃). When pure, it is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water. It is hygroscopic. Sodium chlorate is used as a non-selective herbicide. It is considered phytotoxic to all green plant parts. It can also kill through root absorption.

Sodium iodide is a white, crystalline salt with chemical formula (NaI) used in radiation detection, treatment of iodine deficiency, and as a reactant in the Finkelstein reaction.

Sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate is a series of organic compounds with the formula C₁₂H₂₅C₆H₄SO₃Na. It is a colourless salt with useful properties as a surfactant. It is usually produced as a mixture of related sulphonates. It is a major component of laundry detergent.

Sodium bromide is an inorganic compound with the formula NaBr. It is a high-melting white, crystalline solid that resembles sodium chloride. It is also known as sedoneural, sodium bromide has been used as a hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and sedative in medicine, widely used as an anticonvulsant and a sedative in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

Sodium fluoride is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula NaF. A colourless solid, is a source of the fluoride ion in diverse applications. Toothpaste often contains sodium fluoride to prevent cavities.

Sodium nitrate is the chemical compound with the formula NaNO₃. It is a white solid which is very soluble in water. It is used as an ingredient in fertilizers, as an ingredient in smoke bombs, as a food preservative, and as a solid rocket propellant, as well as in glass and pottery enamels.

Sodium percarbonate is a chemical, an adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide (a perhydrate), with formula Na₂CO₃ ·1.5H₂O₂. It is a colorless, crystalline, hygroscopic and water-soluble solid. It is used in some eco-friendly cleaning products and as a laboratory source of anhydrous hydrogen peroxide.