Electrochemical synthesis of crystallographic phase controlled Zinc hydroxide

Controlled potential dissolution of Zn anode is an important technique from both scientific and industrial approach. Significance of zinc hydroxide as precursor of ZnO nanostructures, as well as its application in skin lotions, baby powders ointments and other cosmetics is the motivation of researchers in this era. In this work, electrochemical synthesis of zinc hydroxide has been studied in presence of cyanoguanidine as complexing agent in a simple one compartment cell containing zinc metal electrodes as anode and cathode. Cyanogunidine has been selected for the above mentioned reaction due to existence of CN and amnie functional groups in its structure. Sonoelectrochemistry comparison with conventional mixing the solution during electrosynthesis was also investigated. Electrochemically precipitated materials were investigated by x-ray diffraction and FT-IR spectroscopy techniques. Results showed that controlled potential electrodissolution of zinc in sodium nitrate electrolyte solutions containing cyanogunine results in solely the Wulfingite crystallographic structure of Zn(OH)2 .