Immersion zinc plating
# Immersion zinc plating

Immersion zinc plating is an electroless (non-electrolytic) coating process that deposits a thin layer of zinc on a less electronegative metal, by immersion in a solution containing a zinc or zincate ions, $Zn(OH)^{2−}$ $_4.$ A typical use is plating aluminum with zinc prior to electrolytic or electroless nickel plating.

Immersion zinc plating involves the displacement of zinc from zincate by the underlying metal:

    3 $Zn(OH)^{2−}$ $_4$ + 2 Al → 3 Zn + 2 $Al(OH)^−$ $_4+$ 4 $OH^−$
