In terms of demand, Zinc boasts 4th rank worldwide next to steel, aluminum, and copper. Over 50% of its total consumption in industrial applications is employed toward zinc galvanizing essentially to protect steel and iron from their biggest enemy rusting. Galvanizing involves plating of metal substrates with a thin layer of zinc that helps generate an anti-corrosion barrier. Remarkably, brass which is a widespread form of zinc usage is produced via alloying copper with it. Apart from protecting metallic parts from corrosion, Zinc plating offers a series of benefits in industrial, commercial, and domestic uses. Let’s have to look to its great attributes of zinc electroplating.

The Plating Process

Typically, the plating process begins with pretreatment involving cleaning the exterior of the object, accomplished by use of alkaline detergent solution as well as an acid solution for removal of dirt, debris, oils, and rust of the surface. Once cleaned, the ready for plating substance is dipped into an electrolyte solution with dissolved zinc. Then a DC electrical current is passed through the solution, which helps in the easy and consistent deposition of zinc on the metal through the electro-deposition process.

Zinc Plating Benefits on Metals

Corrosion Protection

With its natural ability to produce corrosion byproducts, zinc plating can lessen the rate of corrosion of ferrous metals amazingly. Commonly referred to zinc patina, the zinc coat serves to be an extremely protective wall on metal substrates. They keep moisture away which is the key cause of oxidation and speed up rusting of steel, iron or other metals.

Easy Application

Zinc coatings are an easy to apply process which won’t make stress on objects while plating and naturally don’t cause damage. With a range of plating means, industries from automotive to decorative world and others are widely benefited with zinc plating for product finishes.

Shiny Finishes

Aside from enhancing chemical properties of metal surfaces, one of the key objectives of plating is to enhance the visual appeal of objects that make them attractive to potential consumers. With zinc plating, you can get a level of luster corresponding to chromium which can be evenly controlled with a variety of additives used. Thus, as you can get matt finishing or rough texture, also your service provider can offer you glittery finishes of components or decorative items.

Range of Colors

When it comes to zinc plating, the industry is rich enough to offer a range of color options including Yellow, Black, Blue, and Acidic. Excepting for their aesthetical part, interestingly each color type offers various levels of the anti-corrosive feature. Like yellow and black (olive or pure) provide medium and higher protection resistance respectively and globally demanding in automotive, hardware and engineering applications. Blue or clear is more biodegradable and include the standard level of protection to corrosion. Acid, on the other hand, is mainly used for hard-to-plate substrates.

Means of Plating Concept

Perhaps one of the unique plus points of zinc plating is its varied plating approaches known as rack and barrel plating appear extremely accommodating to industrial uses in choosing procedure matching to the type of products and their volume. It also makes zinc plating low cost for industries.

Effective Undercoat

Owing to its amazing adhesive properties, zinc coating is often demanded to increase the resistive capability to corrosion while working as an undercoat of painted metal surfaces.

The scope of Zinc Alloys

Plating zinc alloys perform much better than zinc itself as anti-corrosive. This is the key cause why plating with zinc-cobalt has demand in major industrial applications. Other than zinc cobalt, some popular alloys of zinc include zinc-iron, zinc nickel, and tin-zinc Regardless the type of alloy its performance is better than zinc plating alone.