Casting with Zinc Alloys

~----------------------------D.Apelianand~.Paliwal----------------------------~
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
D. C. Herrschaft
International Lead and Zinc Research Organization, Inc.
New York, New York

SUMMARY
Zi,!c-~ased
alloys have been used for pressure die-casting Table I: Range of Mechanical Propertle. of Different
appl£catwns for decades because of their excellent mechani- Ca.tlng Alloy.
cal properties and economic advantages as compared to
oth~r pressure die-~asting alloys, such as copper-, mag-
nes£um-, and alummum-based alloys. However, recently Tensne Strength Elongation Brinell
Alloy MPa (ksl) % Hardness
there has been a growing interest in the use of zinc-based
alloys as a general purpose foundry alloy. In this article the Gray iron 138-586 20-85 0 100-185
m.etallurgy of the zinc-al'!minum based family of alloys is Ductile iron 379-1103 55-160 1-18 160-302
d£scussed; the pressure d£e casting and gravity casting zinc
Malleable iron 276-758 40-110 1-18 160-302
alloys are fully described in terms of chemical composition
and mechanical properties. Casting with zinc alloys can Steel 345-1379 50-200 5-25 130-400
offer material, processing, and economic advantages; these Aluminum-based
are covered and examples of applications are given. alloys 138-310 20-45 <12 55-145
Though the superiority of zinc-based alloys for pressure Copper-based
die-casting applications vis-ii-vis other die casting alloys alloys 172-1207 25-175 <40 44-150
has always been realized, this has not been the case for the Zinc-based
foundry (gravity cast) alloys. It is shown that the zinc-based alloys 221-448 32-65 <10 80-125
a~lo>:s are viable engineering materials; that they possess
d£stmct 'processing and economic advantages, and exhibit With the availability of high-purity zinc (99.99%), im-
mechamcal properties which are competitive with other proved intercrystalline corrosion resistance became a
traditional casting alloys - both ferrous and nonferrous. reality. Between 1930-40 the Zamak· 3 and 5 pressure die-
casting alloys were introduced. Alloys No.3 and No.5 both
INTRODUCTION contain 4% AI, 0.03% Mg, and different amounts of copper.
In prewar and wartime Germany, gravity-cast zinc-based
Zinc and its alloys have come a long way. Paracelsus
(1493-1541), one of the first to mention and describe the alloys were used in lieu of copper and its alloys because of
metal zinc, states: 1 copper scarcity. In fact, between 1939 and 1943, Germany's
"~oreover there is another metal generally unknown called
use of zinc alloys increased sevenfold, from 7,BOO to 49,000
zmken. It is. of peculiar nature and origin; many other metals metric tons. More specifically, zinc alloys were developed
adulterate It. It can be melted and is not malleable. Its and extensively used in Germany during World War II as
colour is different from other metals and does not resemble bearing material, substituting for bronze. The zinc alloy
others in its growth. Its ultimate matter is not to me yet bearings proved to possess higher affinity for oil, a lower
fully kn~wn .. It admits of no mixture and does not permit of coefficient of friction, superior mechanical properties!.. and
the fabncatwnes of other metals. It stands alone entirely high internal damping characteristics. Thus an early back-
to itself." ground of experience in the use of gravity-cast zinc alloys
It is believed that the manufacturing of zinc originated in was developed in Europe. Table I illustrates the range of
India, and evidence exists that zinc was known to the an- mechanical properties of zinc-based alloy castings compared
cients (prior to 500 B.C.); bracelets made of zinc were found to other casting alloys.
i~ the ruins of Cameros. l Early in the twentieth century,
In the United States, the use of zinc in the casting indus-
zmc. alloys ~er~ first developed and utilized in pressure die try was, until recently, limited principally to pressure die-
c~stmg of pnntmg type as a substitute for tin and lead alloys,
casting alloys. Other important nonferrous alloys used by the
smce the latter lacked strength and tin was expensive. One die-casting industry are either aluminum, magnesium, or
of the earliest alloys developed for this use contained 6% Sn copper based. Of these four alloy systems, the zinc-based
5% Cu, 0.5% AI, and the balance zinc. ' alloys have been favored by the pressure die-casting industry
. The earl~ zinc alloys were not optimally designed and dis- because they exhibit good mechanical properties compared to
l~tegrated m aqueous environments. This was unfortunate
other pressure die-casting alloys (Table ll). In addition
smce adverse reputations are difficult to shed. These early their lower melting point (thus, longer die life and highe;
alloys were found to be susceptible to intercrystalline corro- production rates) make pressure die-casting with zinc alloys
sion and overaging, causing loss of strength and distortion. economically attractive. The zinc-based pressure die-casting
The intercrystalline corrosion of these alloys was found to be alloys thus enjoyed a market protected from the competition
due to im~urities such as tin, lead, and cadmium; whereas, of other alloy systems.
the o.veragmg was due to the high copper content. Because However, during the 19608, part of this market was lost to
of thls. earl~ poor ~erformance, many metallurgists did not injection molded plastics. The need to remain competitive
re.cognlze zmc and lts alloys as viable engineering materials with the plastic industry stimulated research and develop-
wlth excellent properties. ment of thin-wall die castings; thus, optimum process con-
trols and design guidelines were developed. 2 - 4 Concurrently
'Zamak ~s a registered ~rademark a~d these alloys are generally referred to as No.3 and No. alloy research work was being pursued to develop a zinc pres-
5. In thiS paper the zmc alloys Will be referred to by their alloy number designation. sure die-casting alloy with improved creep resistance. While
12 JOURNAL OF METALS • November 1981
this objective was not attained initially, the work resulted
in the introduction of Alloy No. 12 (containing 10.5-11.5
wt. % Al as the major alloying element).6-s Alloy No. 12
had creep resistance properties comparable to Alloys No.3
and No.5, but exhibited excellent properties and gravity-
casting characteristics in a variety of mold materials.
Because of its outstanding castability and mechanical
properties, the No. 12 alloy was accepted by the foundry
industry. Table m shows the comparative properties of the
sand cast No. 12 alloy and other foundry alloys. This suc-
cessful application led to the search for other novel zinc-
based alloys. Alloys No.8 and No. 27 (containing 8.0-8.8
wt. % and 25.0-28.0 wt. % AI, respectively, as the major
alloying element) were thus introduced. s-12 At present
these newly developed gravity-cast zinc-based alloys are re-
placing other nonferrous alloys, gray cast iron, and malleable
cast iron in a number of applications as general purpose
foundry alloys.8.l2-l6
ALLOY DEVELOPMENT
In the early stages of the development of zinc-based
alloys, the benefits of adding aluminum as an alloying ele-
ment were recognized. The addition of aluminum to zinc
results in an increased fluidity of the melt, finer grain size,
and improved mechanical properties of the castings. 16• l7
The binary Zn-Al system forms the basis of most of the com-
mercial alloys developed for the pressure die-casting and
gravity-casting industries. Copper and magnesium are the
other commonly used alloying elements. For specific appli-
cations where creep resistance is desired, chromium and
titanium are also used as additional alloying elements,
such as in Alloy No. 16.
The Zn-Al System
The Zn-Al equilibrium phase diagram (Figure 1) exhibits
a eutectic transformation at the composition 95 wt. % Zn-5
wt. % Al at a temperature of 382°C. The products of the
eutectic transformation are the hexagonal close packed zinc-
rich (1.0 wt. % AI) phase {J, and the face centered cubic
a' phase (17.2 wt. % AI). The solubility of aluminum in
the {J phase (1.0 wt. % Al at the eutectic temperature)
decreases with temperature, to 0.05 wt. % Al at 20°C. The
a' phase (17.2 wt. % Al at eutectic temperature) is unstable
at temperatures below 275°C (a' of 22 wt. % AI) and under-
goes a eutectoid transformation to a zinc-rich phase of
approximately 0.6 wt. % Al and an aluminum-rich phase of
approximately 31.6 wt. % Zn.
The AI-Zn system permits manipulation of the mechanical
properties of castings by suitable heat treatment. The alumi-
num-rich a phase is especially suitable for solution harden-
ing since it can be supersaturated by as much as 30 wt. %
Zn. Furthermore, both a and {J phases can be strengthened
by precipitation because of decreasing solute solubility
with decreasing temperature.
Copper
Copper is used as an alloying element in all Zn-Al alloys
as a strengthener and a hardener. The effect of copper addi-
tion on the mechanical properties of zinc alloys containing
various amounts of aluminum is depicted in Figure 2. Copper
additions of up to 2 wt. % increase alloy tensile strength and
lower the tensile elongation. The addition of copper also
improves the alloy creep and corrosion resistance. Further-
more, copper moderately retards the kinetics of the eutectoid
reaction which occurs at 275°C. For example, Zn-20 wt. %

Table II: Mechanical Propertl•• of Zinc and Other Pre•• ure Die-Casting Alloy.-

Zinc Alloy Zinc Alloy Aluminum-based Magnesium-based Copper-baaed

Properties No.3 No.5 Alloys Alloys Alloy.

Ultimate tensile strength

MPa 283 324 228-331 214-234 379-586
ksi 41 47 33-48 31-34 55-85
Elongation, % 10 7 2.5-9 3-8 15-25
Brinell hardness 82 91 50-80 63 120-160
Charpy impact strength
J 58.3 65 2.7-11.3 2.7 54-95
ft-lb 43 48 2-8.3 2 40-70

'Source: Metal Progress Data Book, June 1980, pp. 84·85.

Table III: Propertle. of Sand Ca.t Zinc No. 12 and Other Foundry Alloy.13.15

Properties Zinc Alloy Bronze Aluminum Ca.t Iron

No. 12 (85-5-5-5) (365-T6) (Clas.30)
Ultimate tensile strength
MPa 276-310 255 228 207-234
ksi 40-45 37 33 30-34
Yield strength
MPa 207 117 165
ksi 30 17 24
Tensile elongation, % 1-3 30 3.5
Brinell hardness 105-125 50-65 70 179-288
Young's modulus
GPa 82.74 93 72.39 90-113
106 ksi 12 13:5 10.5 13-16.4
Specific gravity, g/ cm 3 6.03 8.796 2.683 7.192
Melting range, °C 377-432 854-1009 580-610 1149-1204

JOURNAL OF METALS· November 1981 13

 AI, on quenching from above the eutectoid temperature, is
completely decomposed to the equilibrium phases in 90 s;
the same alloy containing 1 wt. % and 3 wt. % copper,
takes 3,500 sand 4,320 s, respectively, for complete trans-
formation. 16. 19 Though beneficial in small amounts, a
high copper content is detrimental since it causes a decrease
in mechanical properties and loss of dimensional stability
with time due to changes in aging response.
Magnesium
Magnesium is used to strengthen and harden the Zn-Al
alloys. Even though it is a minor alloying element, it is
rather important since it tends to retard intergranular corro-
sion. Similar to copper, magnesium additions also retard the
eutectoid reaction. A Zn-20 wt. % Al alloy quenched from a
temperature above the eutectoid decomposes into the equilib-
rium constituent phases within 90 s; the addition of mag-
nesium, as low as 0.1 wt. %, increases the time required for
complete decomposition to 6 X 105s (7 weeks) at room tem-
perature or approximately 7,200 s at 1OO°C.16.19 High
concentrations of magnesium (Ii:; 0.1 wt. %) can promote
hot shortness. Formation of magnesium oxide can also ad-
°C
700
&&0.37"
versely affect the castability of the alloy. The effects of
magnesium addition on the mechanical properties of Zn-
27% Al alloy in the as-cast and aged conditions are shown in
Figure 3.
Effect of Trace Elements (Impurities)
The Zn-Al based alloys are unique in the sense that their
physical and mechanical properties are drastically affected
by the presence of minute amounts of impurities such as
lead, cadmium, and tin. Initial die-cast zinc components
were rather unsatisfactory because of their susceptibility
to intergranular corrosion. The presence of moisture
is also necessary for intergranular corrosion to procede.
Prolonged dry aging at temperatures up to 95°C does not ad-
versely affect zinc alloys; however, the presence of steam at
the same temperature causes rapid corrosion.16 The severity
of the intergranular corrosion on a part die cast with a
contaminated zinc alloy can be seen in Figure 4.
Brauer and Pierce 20 were first to recognize that the presence
of the impurities lead, cadmium, and tin are the cause of
the intergranular corrosion and that careful control of their
content is needed. The governing mechanism and the inter-
play of various alloying elements in promoting or retarding
the intergranular corrosion are not clearly understood;
however, magnesium and copper are known to retard inter-

------
granular corrosion.1 6 Besides lead, cadmium, and tin, the
600
~ t -r-- other impurities that are controlled are iron and silicon
.........
~ r--- L
which form hard and brittle compounds, thus making ma-
~ chining and finishing operations difficult.
500
.............. "" "",
- ~~382'
400 a rS~~· COMPOSITION, MICROSTRUCTURES, AND
82.8
353-,
9:1 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF
300 L'"
l-- 275·
61.3'"
""- 99
7 8 - r-99.4
COMMERCIAL Zn-BASED CASTING ALLOYS
The zinc alloys that have traditionally been used for pres-
~ 31.6
I
200 /"" a+8 sure die-casting applications, Alloys No.3 and No.5, have
an aluminum content of 3.9-4.3 wt. %. Alloy No.5 which has
100
AI
/ 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
I
80
(Zn)---

90 Zn
the same composition as No.3, except for the addition of
0.75-1.25 wt. % Cu, has a high tensile strength, hardness,
Weight Percentage Zinc and creep resistance than No.3 but a lower impact strength
at elevated temperatures.
Figure 1. Zinc-aluminum phase diagram. 1.
Pressure die-castings of Alloys No.3 and No.5 exhibit
excellent mechanical properties and have been used satis-
factorily in numerous engineering applications. However,
a 58r------, strength retention of these alloys at elevated temperatures
o (90-150°C) is poor. Alloys development work directed toward
8 54 improving the creep resistance properties of pressure die-
casting alloys led to the introduction of two additional alloys
:r in the mid-1960s: No. 14 (containing 1.0-1.5 wt. % Cu and
t; 50 0.25-0.3 wt. % Ti) and No. 16 (containing 1.0-1.5 wt. % Cu,
Z 0.15-0.25 wt. % Ti, and 0.1-0.2 wt. % Cr). In these alloys,
~ 46 aluminum is only present in trace amounts. Of the two,
~ Alloy No. 16 shows superior properties and presently is the
Cf)
only one used in applications where high creep resistance is
W 42 26% At 30% At required. Alloys No.8, No. 12, and No. 27 have a much high-
...J
en er aluminum content than the pressure die-casting Alloys
~ 38 ~-------'----'-........_I No.3 and No.5. The nominal composition ranges of the
~ zinc casting alloys are summarized in Table IV.
With the exception of Alloy No. 16, all the zinc casting
~ 12 alloys are based on the binary Zn-Al system. Their relative
o mechanical properties can be understood on the basis of
Z 8 their composition (aluminum content) and the resulting
o microstructural features. Both Alloys No.3 and No.5 have
~
C)
similar microstructures. As shown in Figure 5, cored den-
drites of the zinc-rich {3 phase (>99 wt. % Zn) are sur-
is
...J
rounded by the product -phases of the eutectic transforma-
tion. On the other side of the eutectic composition lie
W 0 2402402 4 Alloys No.8, No. 12, and No. 27. The microstructure of the
No. 12 alloy, shown in Figure 6, consists of aluminum-rich
COPPER CONTENT ( Wt. % dendrites surrounded by the eutectic-like structure. Alloy
Figure 2. Effect of copper addition on tensile strength and No.8 has a microstructure similar to Alloy No. 12; however,
elongation of Zn-AI alloys with 22, 28, and 30 wt. % AI.l0 it contains a smaller volume fraction of the aluminum-rich
14 JOURNAL OF METALS· November 1981
 dendrites. Alloy No. 27, which has the highest aluminum
content, is composed mainly of a dendritic structure sur-
rounded by a small volume fraction of the eutectic phases
(See Figure 7). Here the aluminum-rich dendrites are highly
cored; the dendrite center having the highest aluminum
content (Figure 7).
For alloy compositions on either side of the eutectic com-
position, increasing the volume fraction of the dendritic
phase improves the mechanical properties of the resultant
castings, particularly the fracture toughness proper-
ties.12.22.23 For alloy compositions lying towards the alumi-
num-rich side from the eutectic composition, an improve-
ment in the mechanical properties is obtained with increas-
ing aluminum content. The commercially available zinc-
based casting alloys, in increasing order of these fracture
toughness, are therefore No.8, No. 12 and No. 27. Typical Figure 4. Grossly contaminated zinc alloy die casting showing
mechanical properties of zinc-based casting alloys (pressure severe cracking as a result of Intercrystalllne corrosion, after
die cast as well as gravity cast in sand or permanent molds) 10 years of servlce. 1'
are summarized in Table V.

CASTING PRACTICES
The zinc alloys surpass other alloys when their versatility
in terms of casting flexibility is considered. The zinc alloys
can be either pressure die cast, or gravity cast in a variety of
stationary or rotating (centrifugal) mold materials. In pres-
sure die-casting, the mold material used is typically P-20
die steel, although H-13 die steel is sometimes used for
specific mold components (such as ejector pins, etc.) that
require the use of a higher strength material. When pressure
die-casting with Alloys No.3 and No.5, a "hot chamber"
machine should be used to maximize the production rate.
However, when pressure die-casting Alloys No.8, No. 12,
and No. 27, it is mandatory to use a "cold chamber" die-

-
.~
Q.
Figure 5. Microstructure of pressure die-cast zinc Alloy No.3.

o
o
-t;
Q
X 54

Z
lIJ
a:: 50
t;
~ 46

~t- 42 Figure 6. Microstructure of zinc No. 12 alloy gravity cast In a

graphite mold.

-it 12

- 8
BASE ALLOY: Zn- 27% Al

AGED
4

o QOI 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05

MAGNESIUM CONTENT ( Wt. 0/0)
Figure 3. Tensile properties of a binary Zn-27% AI alloy as a Figure 7. Microstructure of zinc No. 27 alloy gravity cast In a
function of magnesium addltlon.lo sand mold.

JOURNAL OF METALS· November 1981 15

 Table IV: Nominal Composition of Zinc Casting Alloys, wt. %*

Allo;r Designation
Element No.3 No.5 No.8 No. 12 No.i6 No. rr
Cu 0.10 0.75-1.25 0.8-1.3 0.5-1.25 1.0-1.5 2.0-2.5
AI 3.9-4.3 3.9-4.3 8.0-8.8 10.5-11.5 0.01-0.04 25.0-28.0
Mg 0.025-0.05 0.03-0.06 0.015-0.03 0.015-0.03 <0.02 0.01~0.02
Fe <0.075 <0.075 <0.1 <0.075 <0.04 <0.1
Pb <0.004 <0.004 <0.004 <0.004 <0.005 <0.004
Cd <0.003 <0.003 <0.003 <0.003 <0.004 <0.003
Sn <0.002 <0.002 <0.002 <0.002 <0.003 <0.002
Ti 0.15-0.25
Cr 0.10-0.20
Zn Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance

'''Engineering Properties of Zinc Alloys," 2nd Edition, International Lead and Zinc Research Organization, New York, April 1981. 21

Table V: Typical Properties of Zinc Alloys In Different Cast Forms 13.15.21

No. 12 No. 27
Properties No.3 No.5 No.8
P.D.C.· P.D.C.· Perm. Mold Sand Perm. Mold P.D.C." Sand Sand (H.T.)·· P.D.C.·

Tensile strength
MPa 283 328 221-255 276-310 310-345 434 400-441 310-324 448
ksi 41 47.6 32-37 40-45 45-50 63 58-64 45-47 65
Yield strength
MPa 207 207 214 317 365 255 393
ksi 30 30 31 46 53 37 57
Elongation, % 10 7 1-2 1-3 1-3 2 3-6 8-11 1
Brinell hardness 82 91 80-90 105-125 105-125 110-125 110-120 90-100 110-125
Specific gravity, g/ cm 3 6.64 6.7 6.37 6.03 6.03 6.03 5.01 5.01 5.01
Melting range, °C 387-381 386-380 375-404 377-432 377-432 377-432 376-493 376-493 376-493

• Pressure die cast.

"Heat-treated: 321°C/3 hi furnace cooled.

Table VI: Dimensional and Weight Llmlts* for Pressure Die Castings In Different Alloys 24

Zinc Aluminum Mapesium

Maximum weight of casting

kg 34 45.4 4.5
lb 75 100 10
Maximum length of casting
m 2.49 1.4 1.22
in. 98 55 48
Minimum wall thickness, large castings
mm 0.89 2.0 2.0
in. 0.035 0.080 0.080
Minimum wall thickness, small castings
mm 3.8 7.6 1.27
in. 0.015 0.030 0.050
Cast threads, max. no./ in. external 32 12 12
Cast threads, max. no./ in. internal 24 none none
Minimum draft on cores per unit length 0.003 0.005 0.0042
Minimum draft on side walls per unit 0.005 0.010 0.008
length

'Data applies to average conditions.

16 JOURNAL OF METALS • November 1981

casting machine to mlnImlZe iron dissolution, which is a
problem with the higher aluminum-containing zinc-based
alloys.
Zinc-based pressure die cast alloys can be cast with thinner
walls than with aluminum or magnesium die casting alloys.
Table VI shows the approximate dimensional and weight
limits for pressure die casting with different alloys.
Mold materials that have been successfully used for
gravity castings include sand, plaster, silicone rubber,
graphite, cast iron, bronze, aluminum, and beryllium-copper.
The successful use of silicone rubber and graphite as mold
materials offer some special advantages. Parts with reverse
taper can be cast in silicone rubber molds because of their
flexibility. Unlike other ferrous and nonferrous alloys, the
relatively low melting point of the zinc alloys permits use
of silicone rubber molds. However, the successful use of
silicone rubber molds is limited to relatively small and thin
parts.
The use of graphite as a mold material is appealing because
it is easy to machine, does not distort or warp, and promotes
rapid solidification due to its high thermal conductivity.
Though conventional ferrous and nonferrous materials can
also be cast in graphite molds, this is not generally prac-
ticed because the higher casting temperatures cause oxida-
tion and mold deterioration. In contrast, zinc alloys do not
adversely affect the graphite molds. Using the same graphite
mold, over 20,000 zinc alloy castings have been made. 13
Castings made in graphite molds show superior surface
finish and mechanical properties.
Table VII: Metal Casting Temperature for
Zinc Casting Alloys, °C12
Alloy Alloy Alloy Alloy Alloy Alloy
Casting Method No. a- No.5- No.8 No. 12 No. 16- No. 27
--------
Sand Casting 500 500 470 520 500 600
Perm. Mold 500 500 470 520 500 600
Die Casting 450 450 500 500 550 550
'Note: Alloys No.3, No.5 and No. 16 are mainly pressure die cast; whereas, Alloy No. 12
and No. 27 have been successfully used in both pressure die casting and gravity casting.
Alloy No.8 can be sand cast, but it is recommended that it be graVity cast in permanent
molds.
Zinc alloys can be melted using conventional oil-fired,
gas-fired, or electric furnaces. Recommended casting tem-
peratures for various zinc alloys cast using different processes
are summarized in Table VII. Because of their low melting
point, zinc alloys are easy to melt and cast but require cer-
tain precautions because of their extreme sensitivity to con-
tamination. To avoid accidental addition of cadmium, lead,
or tin, crucibles previously used for other foundry alloys
(especially the brasses or bronzes) should not be used to
melt zinc alloys. Alloys No.3 and No.5 are generally melted
in iron pots. In contrast, the use of silicon carbide crucibles
is recommended for melting zinc alloys which are susceptible
to iron pick-up (Alloys No.8, No. 12, No. 16, and No. 27).
Similarly, to avoid contamination with iron, any ferrous
tools which will come in prolonged contact with the melt
should be protected with refractory coatings. The Zn-Al
alloys are typically cast at temperatures below 500°C, and
will not cause fuming due to zinc burnoff unless tempera-
tures greater than 700°C are accidentally reached.
In foundry applications, such as gravity castings, the
principal alloys used are No. 12 and No. 27. Because of the
excellent fluidity of these two alloys, finer size sand is
recommended for use when casting in sand molds since
coarse size sand will result in rough surface finish. Since
zinc alloys are cast at lower temperatures than other foundry
alloys, cores which decompose at lower temperatures should
be used for easy shakeout. It is recommended that the melt
JOURNAL OF METALS· November 1981
be stirred prior to casting to avoid the possibility of alumi-
num segregation, and then skimmed to remove any dross
formation caused by iron contamination. Casting of heavy
sections with these alloys (especially Alloy No. 27) results
in a spongy shrinkage on the underside of the casting. Impor-
tant surfaces, therefore, should be kept on the upperside of
the casting.
ADVANTAGES
To obtain wider acceptance, the zinc-based alloys must
be more advantageous either on their material merits,
manufacturing/ casting flexibility, and/ or cost considera-
tions compared to competitive alloys. These various advan-
tages are outlined below.
Material Advantages
• Zinc alloys have good corrosion resistance in normal atmos-
pheric conditions, in aqueous solutions, and when used
with petroleum products. The castings can also be easily
coated by electroplating, chromating, phosphating, paint-
ing, laquering or zinc anodizing if a decorative surface
finish or superior corrosion resistance is required.
• Zinc alloys do not contain hard spots and do not develop
residual stresses resulting from machining operation. This
decreases tool wear and eliminates stress-relieving opera-
tions and associated distortion of parts.
• Zinc alloys lend themselves to pressure die casting within
closest dimensional limits and in varying sectional thick-
nesses. In general, the ability of zinc alloys to be cast with
close dimensional tolerances eliminates the need for secon-
dary operations. Similarly sand cast alloys are smoother
and have closer tolerances than parts made from other
foundry alloys. They are also easier to machine than cast
iron, ductile iron, or certain copper alloys. The number of
machining and finishing operations are thereby greatly
reduced or completely eliminated. Permanent mold casting
results in further improvement in surface finish and me-
chanical properties.
• The impact strength of pressure die-cast zinc alloys (No.3
and No.5) is greater than that of any of the other die-cast-
ing alloys except those based on copper (see Table II).
• Zinc-based foundry alloys exhibit tensile strengths compar-
able to cast iron (Class 30) and superior to brass, bronze,
and other foundry alloys.
• The hardness of the gravity-cast zinc alloys is greater than
that of bronze and aluminum. Their better wear charac-
teristics, galling resistance, and natural lubricity make
them attractive candidates for bearing and bushing appli-
cations.
Casting Advantages
• The relatively low melting temperatures lower the energy
requirements for melting compared to conventional foundry
alloys (zinc requires 130 kWh/ ton compared to 320 kWh/
ton copper, 400 kWh/ton aluminum, and 500 kWh/ton
cast iron).
• Fluidity characteristics of these alloys reduce misruns;
thus, thinner section can be easily pressure or gravity
cast.
• Zinc pressure die-casting alloys can be cast in the highest
speed die-casting machines.
• The lower melting points of the zinc alloys reduce gas
generation in the sand molding process. Thus, sand molds
for zinc alloy castings require less permeability for venting
of generated vapors than that for alloys which are poured at
higher temperatures.
Cost Advantages
The lower material cost and lower density of the zinc
alloys as compared to bronze give it approximately a 50%
cost advantage in material' alone. Although zinc is more
17
expensive than cast iron and aluminum alloys, substantial
cost savings during successive stages of production result in
a lower overall cost. Factors which reduce the overall cost
of the cast part are:
• The lower melting point of the zinc alloys implies that less
energy is required, resulting in cost savings. In addition,
during pressure die casting fuel and die costs as well as
die upkeep are minimized.
• The zinc alloys do not fume nor require fluxing and de-
gassing operations. Pollution-free melting makes them
attractive choices since costly pollution control equipment
(to meet OSHA standards) is not required.
• Since the zinc alloys can be cast to closer dimensional tol-
erances, significant cost savings in machining and finishing
operations are realized.
APPLICATIONS
Zinc pressure die-casting alloys have competitive proper-
ties (Table II and VI) and casting advantages, as well
as economic benefits when comparing to other nonferrous
pressure die-casting alloys. Pressure die cast zinc Alloys
No.3 and No.5 have been widely used as useful engineering
materials for parts or frames in industrial machinery, scien-
tific equipment, and domestic appliances. More specifically,
they are widely used in automotive applications such as
handles and locks, mechanical components, body hardware
and trimmings, lamp and lighting fixtures and many other
different applications.
The zinc pressure die-casting Alloys No.3 and No.5 have
successfully competed against other nonferrous foundry
alloys for decades. The use of zinc alloys as a general pur-
pose foundry alloy, however, is a comparatively new develop-

55 3.5
---Zn-27AI
50 0.08
3.0 - - - - - - Zn-12 AI
20 fpm
- - - 660 Bronze
45 0.07 /
~
2.5
/
40
006 " /
~
E
35
E
E
so /
Z
~ ~ 005
~

Q 2.0 /
30 ~ ~ I
~
Vi 25
Vi 4
'"c 0.04
~
~ 1.5 / 83 fpm
'"S §
.~
/
so'" 0 "
~
CD
20

15
"
CD 3
'-.., ......

...... - _-----
........
---\J~
III 0.03

002
~
CD 1.0

05
/

10 0.01

0 0
100
0 0 Sliding Distance, feet
0 10 20 so
Bearing-Shaft Surface Sliding Speed. Itlmin
I 100
I I
1000
I 10,000
0 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 030 0.35 0.40 045
Sliding Distance, meters
Bearing-Shalt Surface Sliding Speed, m/s

Figure 8. Comparison of operating limits for zinc-based alloys Figure 9. Bearing wear comparison for 8.89 MPa (1,000 psi)
and one commonly used leaded bronze alloy.21 bearing stress. 2S

Figure 10. Sectioned zinc Alloy No. 12 (right) and bronze bushings after 4100 h service In a scoop tram. (Courtesy of TexasGulf Inc.)

18 JOURNAL OF METALS· November 1981

ment. The zinc alloys have been found to be an attractive
alternative to the more traditional foundry alloys such as the
cast irons, brasses, bronzes, and aluminum-based alloys.
Recently, No. 12 alloy has been used in bearing applications.
In 1977, the International Lead and Zinc Research Organiza-
tion (ILZRO) initiated a study comparing the zinc Alloys No.
12 and No. 27 with SAE-660 bronze for wear and frictional
properties. 25 The results indicate that, in addition to hav-
ing comparable wear resistance, the bushings machined from
the No. 27 alloy exceed the load capacity of the 660 bronze
over the entire useful speed range. The performance of both
No. 12 and No. 27 alloys along with the 660 bronze is shown
in Figure 8. Bearing wear for these three alloys for a given
bearing stress of 6.89 MPa (1,000 psi) is shown in Figure 9.
Bushings made from the No. 12 alloy have been tested in
such applications as mine elevators, drill motors, 50-ton
dump trucks and drill track rollers. No. 12 alloy bushings
showed less wear than bronze when both were used in tandem
on the same equipment. The No. 12 alloy and bronze bush-
ings which operated for over 4,000 h on the same oscillating
axle of a Wagner ST8 scoop tram are shown in Figure 10.
The bronze bushing shows signs of galling; whereas, the No.
12 alloy bushing is smooth and polished.
Both the No. 12 and No. 27 alloys have equivalent hardness
values; however, the yield and tensile strengths as well as
the creep resistance of the No. 27 alloy are higher than those
of No. 12. Thus in bearing applications, improvements in
performance over the No. 12 alloy are expected from the No.
27 alloy. Specific standards and design parameters for zinc-
based bearings are now being developed in a research pro-
gram under ILZRO sponsorship. One present limitation of
the zinc-based bearings is their inferior high temperature
(95-150°C) strength retention capability. It is expected that
zinc-based bearings and bushings will find wider acceptance
as substitutes for bronze because of their lower cost and
superior mechanical properties, particularly for low-speed,
high-load type service.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
The historical development of zinc and its alloys to the
present use of zinc-based alloys as useful engineering ma-
terials has been presented. The engineering properties of
zinc casting alloys (both pressure die casting and gravity
casting) in comparison with other die casting and foundry
ferrous and nonferrous alloys are quite respectable and
competitive. The low melting point of the zinc alloys offer
many economic advantages, as well as cast shop flexibilities
otherwise not enjoyed with "traditional" casting alloys.
Pressure die casting of zinc Alloys No.3 and No.5 are widely
used throughout the industry and should experience a
healthy growth in the future. Similarly, gravity casting of
the recently developed zinc Alloys No.8, No. 12, and No. 27
offer the casting engineer many mold logic alternatives
which are both economical and feasible. It is expected that
these alloys will replace other ferrous and nonferrous cast-
ing alloys for gravity cast applications.
In gravity casting of the No. 27 alloy, macrosegregation is
a potential problem due to the large density differences
between the zinc-rich liquid phase and the aluminum-rich
solid phase. Novel solidification processes should be applied
to the alloys with higher aluminum content to attain struc-
tural homogeneity. For example, rheocasting26 of zinc alloys
has the potential to reduce macrosegregation and porosity
in the cast product. Powder metallurgy of zinc alloys is
thought to be one route to attaining finer microstructures
with a lesser degree of segregation; however, the low sintering
temperatures and thus limited solute diffusion seem to be a
major constraint. On the other hand, diffusion solidifica-
tion,27 or possibly processes utilizing liquid-phase infiltra-
tion mechanisms have the potential of producing zinc-based
alloy castings with unique composite-like microstructures.
JOURNAL OF METALS· November 1981
Additionally, alloy development of the existing zinc-based
alloys should be pursued.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors wish to express their thanks to Mr. K. Altorfer
of TexasGulf, Stamford, Connecticut; Mr. D. Ferres of the
Fercom Group, Larchmont, New York; and Mr. W. Mihai-
chuk of Eastern Alloys, Maybrook, New York, for literature
on specific applications and case studies. In addition, the
assistance and suggestions of Mr. A. L. Ponikvar and Dr.
W. C. Zeek of International Lead and Zinc Research Organ-
ization, New York, New York are greatly appreciated.
References
1. A. Georgius, De Re Metallica (Basle, 1556) English Translation, H. Hoover and L.
Hoover, 2nd Edition, Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1950.
2. S.D. Sanders, RC. Bruton, C.W. Rodman, W.D, Kaiser and P.D. Frost, "Die Casting
Process Instrumentation Study," Transactions of the 6th SDCE International Die Casting
Congress, 1970, Paper No. 51.
3. ·T.P. Groeneveld and W.D. Kaiser, "Designing for Thin-Wall Zinc Die Castings,"
Battelle-Columbus Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio, International Lead and Zinc Research
Organization, Inc., New York, 1975.
4. D.C.H. Nevison, "Design Parameters for Zinc Thin Wall Die Castings," Die C••tint
Engineer, March-April 1977, pp. 14-28.
5. E.A. Anderson and G.L. Werley, "A New Zinc Alloy for Gravity Casting," ILZRO Re-
search Summary, Project ZM-5, July 1962.
6. E.A. Anderson, "The Development of Zinc Die Casting Alloys," Transactions of the 5th
SDCE International Die Casting Congress, 1968, Paper No: 115.
7. S.F. Radtke, "New Zinc Die Casting Alloys and Their Applications," Transactions of
the 6th SDCE International Die Casting Congress, 1970, Paper No. 104.
8. "Design Applications of Gravity Casting Zinc, ILZRO-12," Zinc Institute Inc., New
York, New York, 1972.
9. E. Gervais, P. Chollet and H. Levert, "Zinc Alloys for General Foundry Applications,"
16th Annual CIM Conference of Metallurgists, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, August 1977.
10. E. Gervais, H. Levert and M. Be.., "Development of a Family of Zinc Ba.. Foundry
Alloys," 84th Casting CongreBB and Exposition, American Foundrymen's Society, St. Louis,
Missouri, April 21-25, 1980.
11. E. Gervais, A.Y. Kandeil and H. Levert, "Properties and Die Casting of the Zn-27%
AI-2% Cu-O.Ol% Mg Alloy," 11th SDCE International Die Casting Congre.., Cleveland,
Ohio, June 1981, Paper No. G-TB1-0S6.
12. M. Murray, "The Mechanical Properties of Some Zinc Based Casting Alloys," csmo,
Division of Materials Science, Melbourne, Australia, March 1980, Paper No. 80-26.
13. W. Mihaichuk, "Graphite Mold Casting the Zinc Foundry Alloys," Modem C••tint,
July 19B1, pp. 39-42.
14. D.R Dreger, "Zinc Goes to Work in the Foundry," Machine Design, June 26, 1980.
15. D. Kanicki, "Zinc in the Foundry Industry: Where Does it Fit?" Modem C•• tin(,
March 1979.
16. L.A.J. Ladder, "Zinc-Base Alloys," Non-Ferrous Foundry Metallurgy. Edited by A.J.
Murphy, McGraw Hill Book Co., New York, 1954.
17. J.C. Fox, "Zinc-Base Alloy Castings," Zinc: The Science and Technology of the Metal,
its Alloys and Compounds. Edited by C.H. Mathewson, Reinhold Publishing Corporation,
New York, 1959.
lB. Metals Handbook, Vol. B, Bth Edition, American Society for Metals, Metals Park, Ohio,
1973, p. 265.
19. M.L. Fuller and RL. Wilcox, Metals Technology 1934 (September); AIMME Tech.
Publ. No. 572, pp. 1-17; also Trans. AIMME, 117, 1935, pp. 338-354.
20. H.E. Brauer and W.M. Peirce, Trani. AIMME, 22 (1) 1922, p. 13.
21. Engineering Properties of Zinc Alloys, 2nd Edition, ILZRO Inc., New York, 1981.
22. M.T. Murray, M.P. Harding and P.M. Robinson, "The Effect of Casting Design on the
Fracture of Zinc-Based Die Casting Alloys," ILZRO Project ZM-21B; PfOgreBB Report No.
I, 1975.
23. M.T. Murray and P.M. Robinson. "Control of Metallurgical Properties of Lightweight
Castings." ILZRO Project ZM-253. Progre.. Report No.2, 1977.
24. W.M. Peirce, Die Casting with Zinc, American Zinc Institute, Inc., New York. 1965.
25. J. W. Kissel and K. F. Dufrane, "The Bearing Properties of Zinc Gravity Casting Alloys,"
ILZRO Project· ZM-29B, Progr... Report No.2, 1980.
26. Rheocasting: Proceedings of the Workshop on Rheocasting. Edited by RD. French
and F.S. Hodi. workshop held at Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center, Feb-
ruary 3-4. 1977, MCIC-7B-35, Metals and Ceramics Information Center, Columbus, Ohio.
27. G. Langford and D. Apelian, "Diffusion Solidification," J. Meta", 32 (9) 1980, pp.
26-33.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dlren Apellen is associate professor, Depart-
ment of Materials Engineering, Drexel Uni-
versity, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was
awarded a ScD in materials science and engi-
neering from Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in 1972. His research interests
are materials processing, solidification pro-
cessing, and mathematical modeling. He cur-
rently directs the solidification processing
research at Drexel.
(Continued on next page)
19
 ....----::,.......----, Donald C. Herr.chaft is manager of metal-
lurgical research for International Lead and
Zinc Research Organization, Inc. (ILZRO). He
obtained a bachelor degree in metallurgical
engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic In-
stitute in 1942, and continued work at RPI
as a graduate research fellow on welding re-
search. Before joining ILZRO, he was assist-
ant manager, Brazing Products Division,
Handy & Harman and worked as a welding engineer at General
Electric Company's Transformer Division .
M. Paliwal is a research associate in Drexel
University's Materials Engineering Depart-
ment. He received his B-Tech from liT,
.Kanpur, India in 1975 and his PhD from
Drexel University in 1981. His research inter-
ests are in solidification processing, and he
is actively engaged in research on low pres-
sure plasma processing of materials.

Items for this department must be submitted by the first of the month, two months prior to the month of issue.

TMS/ AIME MEETINGS mont 12, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; telephone

February 14·18, 1982: lIlth AIME Annual
Meeting: Dallas, Texas.
For more information about AIME Annual
and TMS Fal! Meetings, contact: Tom
DeSalvo, The Metallurgical Society of
AIME, P.O. Box 430, Warrendale, Pa. 15086;
telephone (412) 776-9056.
February 3, 1982: Ninth Annual Automotive
Materials Symposium, Airport Hilton,
Detroit, Michigan.
Sponsored by the Detroit Section of TMS-
AIME, the symposium will explore modern
approaches to surface modification of metals.
This one-day symposium and exhibit will
focus on recent advances in the development
and application of novel metal surface
modification technology.
Contact J. Wayne Jones, Department of
Materials and Metallurgical Engineering,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michi-
gan 48109; telephone (313) 764-7503.
GENERAL MEETINGS
November 9-12, 1981: International Meet-
ing on Neutron Irradiation Effects in
Solids; Argonne, Illinois; Argonne National
Laboratory.
Contact Thomas H. Blewitt, Materials
Science Division, Bldg. 212, 9700 S. Cass
Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439; telephone
(312) 972-2000.
November 10, 1981: Seventh Annual Min-
eral Economics Symposium; Washington,
D.C.; George Washington University. Spon-
sored by the Washington, D.C. Section of
AIME.
Contact Sara S. Jacobson, U.S. Geological
Survey, MS 650, National Center, Reston,
Virginia 22092; telephone (703) 860-6822.
November 10-13, 1981: 27th Annual
Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic
Materials: Atlanta, Georgia; Sheraton-
Atlanta Hotel.
Contact Dr. Hugh C. Wolfe, American
Institute of Physics, 335 East 45th St.,
New York, New York 10017.
November 10-13, 1981: International Con-
ference on Cobalt: Metallurgy and Uses;
Brussels, Belgium; Hilton HoteL
Contact the Centre d'Information des
Metaux non ferreux, Boulevard de Berlai-
20
(02) 218.35.04.
November 16-19, 1981: Materials Research
Society 1981 Annual Meeting; Boston,
Massachusetts; Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
The meeting will feature a plenary session
on "Global Theories of Material Properties,"
plus many special symposia.
Contact MRS Secretariat, 102C Materials
Research Laboratory, University Park, Penn-
sylvania 16802; telephone (814) 865·3424.
November 19, 1981: 2nd Annual Minute-
man Corrosion Symposium, sponsored by
the Greater Boston Section of the Na-
tional Association of Corrosion Engi-
neers; Newton, Massachusetts; Valle's Steak
House.
Contact Symposium Chairman William J.
Curren, The Foxboro Company, Neponset
Avenue, Foxboro, Massachusetts 02035;
telephone (617) 543-8750, extension 2091.
January 3-8, 1982: Minerals, Coal and
Metal Extraction with Minimum Water
Use and Pollution: Miramar Hotel; Santa
Barbara, California.
Contact the Engineering Foundation, 345
East 47th St., New York, New York 10017;
telephone (212) 644-7835.
January 5-9, 1982: Workshop on Imaging
and Microanalysis with High Spatial
Resolution; Castle Hot Springs, Arizona.
Contact O.L. Krivanek, 1982 Winter
Workshop, Center for Solid State Science,
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
85281; telephone (602) 965-4544.
January 11-15, 1982: Imaging and Micro-
analysis with High Spatial Resolution;
Tempe, Arizona; Arizona State University.
Contact O.L. Krivanek, 1982 Winter
School, Center for Solid State Science,
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
85281; telephone (602) 965-4544.
January 27-29, 1982: Corrosion-Erosion
Wear of Materials in Emerging Fossil
Energy Systems; University of California
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley,
California.
Fee: $80.00. Contact NACE Meetings
Manager, NACE Headquarters, P.O. Box
218340, Houston, Texas 77218.
JOURNAL OF METALS • November 1981
BOSTON SECTION AIME MEETINGS
December 7, 1981. Topic: Monetary As-
pects of Gold and Silver. Speaker: Simon
D. Strauss.
January 11, 1982. Joint meeting with the
Association of Engineering Geologists.
Topic: Mineral Zoning Studies and Metal-
lurgical Planning. Speaker: Ulrich Peter-
son.
February 8, 1982. Topic: Cryogenics and
High-Magnetic Fields. Speaker: Howard
Sample.
March 8, 1982. Joint meeting with The
Electrochemical Society. Topic: Oxidation
of Fine-Grained Rapidly Solidified Alloys.
Speaker: Gregory Yurek.
April 5, 1982. Joint meeting with The
American Ceramic Society. Topic: In Situ
Eutectic Composites for Metal and Ceramic
Applications. Speaker: Frank Lemkey.
May 3, 1982. Topic: Mechanical Properties
of Polymers. Speaker: Roger Porter.
The Boston Section AIME meetings
will be held at the following locations:
March: Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge,
Massachusetts. April: The Ship Restau-
rant, Lynnfield, Massachusetts. December
and February: Tufts University, Medford,
Massachusetts, faculty dining room and
lounge. January: Boston College, Boston,
Massachusetts. May: GTE Laboratories,
Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts. For more
information, contact Thomas C. Wilder,
80 Bacon Street, Waltham, Massachusetts
02154; telephone (617) 894-6723.
CONNECTICUT SECTION AIME
MEETINGS
March 4, 1982. Topic: Chromium-Cobalt-
Iron Permanent Magnetic Alloys. Speaker:
Gilbert Chin.
April 8, 1982: Topic: New Materials, New
Processes and Conservation. Speaker: Alan
Lawley.
May 6, 1982: Spouse night. Topic: Gold
and Silver as Stores of Value: An Historical
Perspective. Speaker: Simon Strauss.
For further information on location and
time, contact Tom Chandler, Anaconda
Industries, 75 Liberty Street, Ansonia,
Connecticut 06401; telephone (203) 736-
2651.
(Continued on page 27)