ZnO

Zinc oxide · Zincite, Calamine

Zinc oxide is a stable, semiconducting inorganic compound widely employed for its catalytic and electronic properties.

Crystal structure of ZnO
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Zinc oxide

Zinc oxide is a thermodynamically stable semiconducting material that serves as a cornerstone in modern materials science. Its robust electronic structure and high structural versatility make it a preferred candidate for various catalytic and optoelectronic applications.

Because it resides on the convex hull, this compound exhibits exceptional stability, ensuring reliable performance in demanding chemical environments. It is widely utilized in industrial processes where its surface reactivity and electronic properties can be precisely tuned.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Zinc oxide, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

0.45–1.28 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

407
4 databases, 38 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting ZnO.

Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Uses

Applications

Where Zinc oxide is used.

CatalysisGas sensorsOptoelectronicsPigmentsSunscreen formulations
Intellectual Property

Patent Landscape

70 patents reference ZnO or close compositional variants.

PatentTitleAssigneeGranted
9464005Dielectric ceramic composition comprising Bi2O3, ZnO, Nb2O5 and V2O5, dielectric ceramic, electronic device, a
5488019Dielectric ceramic composition containing ZnO-B.sub.2 O.sub.3 -SiO.sub.2 glass, method of preparing the same,
8187976Stable P-type semiconducting behaviour in Li and Ni codoped ZnO
10633609Process for in-situ synthesis of dispersion ZnO—TiO2 nanoparticles in oil
8636927ZnO deposition material and ZnO film formed of the same
6358378Method for fabricating ZnO thin film for ultraviolet detection and emission source operated at room temperatur
4681717Process for the chemical preparation of high-field ZnO varistors
7799291Apparatus for synthesis of ZnO nano-structured materials
8642123Integration of ZnO nanowires with nanocrystalline diamond fibers
5264403Dielectric ceramic composition containing ZnO-B.sub.2 O.sub.3 -SiO.sub.2 glass
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Zinc oxide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is ZnO?

Zinc oxide is a stable, semiconducting inorganic compound widely employed for its catalytic and electronic properties.

More questions
What is ZnO used for?
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is used in catalysis, gas sensors, optoelectronics, pigments, and sunscreen formulations.
What is the band gap of ZnO?
Zinc oxide (ZnO) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.45–1.28 eV across 407 reported structures.
Is ZnO a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 1.28 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is ZnO thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Zinc oxide (ZnO) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of ZnO are known?
407 structures of ZnO are reported across 4 databases, spanning 38 distinct space groups.
How is ZnO synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for ZnO include sol gel (10 procedures documented).
What elements does ZnO contain?
Zinc oxide (ZnO) contains O and Zn (2 elements).
Where does the data for ZnO come from?
ZnO data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the spinel oxide catalysts class.

Within the diverse family of spinel and related oxides, ZnO stands out as a highly accessible and extensively studied semiconductor compared to more complex perovskites like LaNiO3 or LaMnO3. While materials such as MgAl2O4 often serve as structural substrates, ZnO is frequently prioritized in catalytic research for its distinct electronic character and ease of synthesis.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Spinel Oxide Catalysts in the database.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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