Metallic zinc has good rolling, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and castability, and has good room temperature mechanical properties. It can be made into alloys with various metals with excellent performance. It is mainly used in the form of galvanizing, zinc-based alloys, and zinc oxide. It is widely used in automobiles, construction, household appliances, ships, light industry, machinery, batteries and other industries. At present, it is second only to copper and aluminum in the consumption of non-ferrous metals.

Galvanizing

Galvanizing refers to the surface treatment technology of coating a layer of zinc on the surface of metals, alloys or other materials to achieve the effects of beauty and rust prevention. The main method used now is hot-dip galvanizing. Since zinc is easy to form a protective film on the surface at room temperature, it fully exerts its anti-atmospheric corrosion performance. Therefore, zinc is widely used in the galvanizing industry, mainly used for surface coating of steel and steel structural parts (such as galvanized sheet), and is widely used in automobiles, construction, ships, light industry and other industries. For example, coatings containing zinc powder, zinc blocks that play a connecting role (steel components connecting ships, bridges and offshore oil and gas derricks), roofs made of galvanized iron plates (zinc alloy plates), hot-dip galvanizing of steel strips, etc.

In recent years, with the development of galvanizing technology and the adoption of high-performance galvanizing brighteners, galvanizing has been upgraded from the initial protective purpose to protective-decorative applications. Currently, galvanizing accounts for more than half of the total zinc consumption structure.

Zinc alloy

Zinc itself has low strength and hardness, but has applicable mechanical properties. Therefore, after forming an alloy with aluminum, copper, etc., its strength and hardness are greatly improved. In particular, the comprehensive mechanical properties of zinc-copper-titanium alloys have approached or reached the level of aluminum alloys, brass, and gray cast iron, and its creep resistance has also been greatly improved. Therefore, using its superior superplastic properties, zinc alloys are widely used in the production of die castings and various parts in the automotive manufacturing and machinery industries. At the same time, zinc plates containing a small amount of lead, cadmium and other elements can be made into printed zinc plates, powder-corroded photolithography plates, and offset printing plates.

Currently, zinc alloys account for about 20% of zinc applications. However, through technological innovation, Western countries have realized the direct use of zinc alloy plates as roof covering materials, and the service life has been greatly increased from 5-10 years of galvanized to 120-140 years, and it can be recycled. Therefore, in the long run, the proportion of galvanized in the zinc consumption structure will decline, while the proportion of zinc alloy will gradually increase.

Battery

Zinc can be used to make batteries. For example: zinc-manganese batteries and the latest zinc-air batteries.

Other applications

Zinc has good anti-electromagnetic field performance. In the case of radio frequency interference, zinc plate is a very effective shielding material. At the same time, because zinc is non-magnetic, it is suitable for instrument parts, instrument housings and coins. In addition, zinc itself and collisions with other metals will not produce sparks, making it suitable for underground explosion-proof equipment. Zinc fertilizer (zinc sulfate, zinc chloride) has the effect of promoting plant cell respiration and carbohydrate metabolism. Zinc powder, zinc barium white, and zinc chrome yellow can be used as pigments. Zinc oxide can also be used in medicine, rubber, paint and other industries.