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Zinc and zinc alloys
zinc-alloysAbout zinc and zinc alloys
Zinc and zinc die-casting alloys: properties by alloy, with sources.
Zinc is used pure, as a coating and as the base of die-casting alloys such as Zamak. Every value names the alloy and condition.
At a glance
- Highest yield strength: Zamak reaches 360 MPa. Lowest: Zinc minor alloys starts at 100 MPa. (3 of 3 grades have a sourced value.)
- Highest tensile strength: Zamak reaches 397 MPa. Lowest: Zinc and zinc alloys (Zn) starts at 150 MPa. (3 of 3 grades have a sourced value.)
Ranges run across the conditions each source reports (temper, heat treatment, form), measured at room temperature where the source says so.
How they compare
The same measurements for every material in the collection. A range means the grade has values under several conditions; "at least" means the source gives a specified minimum. "no data" means no sourced value yet. For ranked tables, open a benchmark.
| Material | Yield strength | Tensile strength | Density | Young's modulus | Thermal conductivity | Melting point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc and zinc alloys (Zn)die-casting alloy and corrosion-protective coating | 110 to 290 MPa | 150 to 374 MPa | 6.3 to 7.2 g/cm³ | no data | 109 to 115 W/(m·K) | 375 to 420 °C |
| Zamakdie-casting alloy | 198 to 360 MPa | 207 to 397 MPa | no data | no data | 105 to 115 W/(m·K) | 375 to 404 °C |
| Zinc minor alloysrolled building sheet, corrosion-resistant electroplate and hot-dip steel coating | at least 100 MPa | at least 150 MPa | 7.14 to 7.2 g/cm³ | no data | 109 W/(m·K) | 419 to 420 °C |
What these materials are made of
Composition by weight, as printed in the sources for each grade (the first constituents listed).
| Material | Main constituents |
|---|---|
| Zinc and zinc alloys (Zn) | Zn 100% · Cu 0.08 to 0.17% · Ti 0.07 to 0.12% · Al 0.015% · Al 3.7 to 4.3% · Mg 0.02 to 0.06% · Cu 0.1% |
Where they are used
| Use | Grades |
|---|---|
| Silver-zinc battery | Zinc and zinc alloys (Zn) |
| Galvanised steel for automobile and construction markets | Zinc and zinc alloys (Zn) |
| Rolled titanium-zinc roofs and façades | Zinc and zinc alloys (Zn) |
| Die-cast valve, pump and general-engineering parts (Zamak 3, Zamak 5 and ZA-8) | Zamak |
| Heat sinks cast from zinc die-casting alloys | Zamak |
| EMI shielding and wave-guides from zinc die castings | Zamak |
| Roofing, cladding and cable trays from Magnelis Zn-Al-Mg coated steel | Zinc minor alloys |
| Barns and greenhouse structures from Zn-Al-Mg coated steel | Zinc minor alloys |
| Zinc-nickel electroplated automotive parts and fasteners | Zinc minor alloys |
When each grade fits
| Material | Best for | Weakest at |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc and zinc alloys (Zn) | Die-cast parts with thin walls, and steel protected by a galvanised zinc coating | Weight (6.3 to 7.2 g/cm3) and post-casting shrinkage in precision die castings |
| Zamak | Thin-walled die-cast parts, and heat sinks and EMI shields that need good heat and electrical conduction | Creep under sustained load (Zamak 3 creeps most of the four grades the IZA tests), and intercrystalline corrosion when tin or lead exceed the specified limits |
| Zinc minor alloys | Thin rolled zinc roofs, facades and gutters, and steel sheet coated with Zn-Al-Mg where cut edges and chloride air matter | The corrosion figures for zinc-nickel and Zn-Al-Mg come from a plater, a coating maker and a literature summary, not from a standard test report, and no corrosion data for the rolled sheet was read in this run |