Zinc Chromate is a zinc salt of chromate. As a corrosion inhibitor, it is used industrially in chromate conversion coatings, which was developed by the Ford Motor Company in the 1920s. Its major application is used as a coating over iron or aluminum materials in industrial painting with corrosion resistance. It is also used in spray paints, artists’ paints, pigments in varnishes, metal surface treatment and in making linoleum. Its putty form can be used as sealant in addition to two O-rings between sections of the failed solid rocket booster on Space Shuttle Challenger. However, it was concerned that it is a potential carcinogen, which can induce chromosome instability and DNA double-strand breaks.
