Relationship among chemical element properties, bulk additive properties, and crystal structures of binary zinc compounds

Two fundamental chemical element properties, melting point and pseudopotent ial radii, were found to be strongly correlated not only to the effects of additives in galvanizing but also to the crystal structures of their corres pondent binary zinc compounds, based on experimental data from the literatu re. It was suggested that both the bulk properties (such as galvanizing eff ects in this study) and crystal structures might be regulated by the same s et of constituent chemical element properties. Although most chemical eleme nts, as well as crystal structures of binary compounds, are well investigat ed and understood, our knowledge of bulk properties of known systems is sti ll less comprehensive. In this study, a correlation between effects of addi tives in galvanizing, through the behaviors of their correspondent zinc com pounds, and two selected chemical element properties was first established, based on available literature data. The selected two element properties we re, then, used to correlate to the crystal structures of binary zinc compou nds, which will further reveal the relationship between bulk properties and the relevant structures. Predictions of new additives that may enhance the galvanizing process were made, based on the developed correlation. The mec hanism of chemical behaviors of constituent elements both in the galvanizin g process and in crystal formation might be revealed since only two well-st udied chemical element properties were involved in the correlation. It was shown that; diffusion might play a key role in both galvanizing and the rel evant crystal formation process. This research may provide an interesting a pproach in the design of new chemicals when there is a lack of bulk propert y data but a wealth of structural information.