Zinc is a metallic element that has the atomic number 30 and the symbol Zn. It is used in making alloys that have many industrial uses. Zinc is also an essential trace mineral for humans and is crucial for health and enzyme function.
Zinc Alloys
Here are some examples of metals that are combined with zinc to make alloys:
- Antimony
- Aluminum
- Bismuth
- Cobalt
- Gold
- Iron
- Lead
- Magnesium
- Mercury
- Nickel
- Silver
- Sodium
- Tellurium
- Tin
Zinc in Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Some types of brass are:
- Admiralty brass
- Aich's alloy
- Alpha-beta brass
- Alpha brass
- Aluminium brass
- Arsenical brass
- Beta brass
- Calamine brass
- Cartridge brass
- Chinese silver
- Duplex brass
- Dutch metal
- DZR brass
- Gilding metal
- High brass
- Leaded brass
- Lead-free brass
- Low brass
- Manganese brass
- Muntz metal
- Naval brass
- Nickel brass
- Nordic gold
- Pinchbeck
- Prince's metal
- Red brass
- Rich low brass
- Rivet brass (common brass)
- Tombac
- Tonval brass
- White brass
- Yellow brass
Other Alloys that Include Zinc
- Bronze - Gunmetal (copper, tin, zinc)
- Bronze - Ormolu (Gilt Bronze) (copper, zinc)
- Devarda's alloy - copper, aluminum, zinc
- Nordic gold - copper, aluminum, zinc, tin
- Nickel alloy - German silver (nickel, copper, zinc)
- Solder - zinc, lead, tin
- Zinc alloy - Zamak (zinc, aluminum, magnesium, copper)
Uses for Galvanized Zinc
Galvanizing is the most prevalent use of zinc, as it is an anti-corrosion agent. Examples of where it is used include:
- Air conditioners
- Automobile bodies
- Chain-link fences
- Guard rails
- Hair dryers
- Heat exchangers
- Light posts
- Metal pails
- Metal roofs
- Roofing panels
- Steel frames in buildings
- Suspension bridges
- Washing machines
- Wrought iron
Other Things that Contain Zinc
- A penny made after 1982 has a zinc core
- Alkaline and zinc-carbon batteries
- Zinc air batteries for laptops
- Nuts and bolts are sometimes zinc-plated
- Organ pipes
- Jewelry
- Many toys
- Replacement for lead
- Zinc aluminum is used in die casting, as in automotive, electrical and hardware industries
- Zinc oxide is used in making paints and rubber
- Zinc chloride is used as a fire retardant, a preservative for wood and deodorant
- Zinc sulfide is found in luminescent pigments, x-rays, TVs, and luminous paints
- Zinc sulfide crystals are used in lasers
- Zinc sulfate is found in dyes
- Zinc pyrithione can be found in antifouling paint that slows the growth of organisms and is also used in anti-dandruff shampoos
- Powdered zinc is sometimes a part of a propellant
- Zinc oxide is used as an anti-corrosion agent in nuclear reactors
- Agricultural fungicides can be made from zinc dithiocarbamate complexes
- Zinc naphthenate is a wood preservative
- Zinc is present in calamine, found in lotions to treat skin rashes and itching
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Foods with Zinc
Here are examples of the top ten foods highest in zinc starting with the highest:
- Oysters
- Toasted wheat germ
- Veal liver
- Roast beef
- Roasted pumpkin and squash seeds
- Dried watermelon seeds
- Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
- Lamb
- Peanuts
- Crab
Other examples of zinc-rich foods are:
- Pork
- Fortified cereals
- Chicken leg
- Lobster
- Baked beans
- Dry roasted cashews
- Low fat yogurt with fruit
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- Almonds
- Milk
- Chicken breast
- Cheddar cheese
- Mozzarella
- Kidney beans
- Green peas
- Sesame seeds
- Flounder or sole
Now you have seen examples of all different kinds of zinc.