Editing Plating (section)

===Zinc plating ===
{{See also|Galvanization|Hot-dip galvanization|Electrogalvanization|Bethanization|Sherardising}}

[[Zinc]] coatings prevent [[oxidation]] of the protected metal by forming a barrier and by acting as a sacrificial anode if this barrier is damaged. [[Zinc oxide]] is a fine white dust that (in contrast to [[iron oxide]]) does not cause a breakdown of the substrate's surface integrity as it is formed. Indeed, the zinc oxide, if undisturbed, can act as a barrier to further oxidation, in a way similar to the protection afforded to [[aluminum]] and [[stainless steel]]s by their [[oxide]] layers. The majority of hardware parts are zinc-plated, rather than [[#Cadmium plating|cadmium-plated]].<ref name="fin2"/>