Pure zinc is one of those metals that are not magnetic.
Well, this can be so intriguing considering most people assume that all metals are magnetic. In this guide, we shall explore some fundamental aspects of this article.
Zinc Vs. Ferromagnetism
Ferromagnetic materials can be magnets. At the same time, when all conditions are favorable, they become permanent magnets.
Zinc’s magnetic properties are not even close to being a ferromagnetic material. That is, even when you subject pure zinc to the highest form of magnetic field, it will not become a magnet.
Pure zinc is a diamagnetic material.
Remember, diamagnetic materials tend to repel magnetic fields. Therefore, there is no way that these materials will be attracted to a magnet.
Putting this into perspective – when you examine zinc’s outermost orbital, there are no unpaired electrons. Its third orbital is completely filled.
Remember, the lack of unpaired electrons simply means that all possible magnetic moments will cancel out. Therefore, there is no way pure zinc can exhibit ferromagnetic properties.
Remember, other magnetic metals such as iron and nickel are ferromagnetic due to their atomic structure which makes them exhibit magnetic moments.
Magnetic Properties of Zinc
As mentioned earlier, pure zinc is a diamagnetic material due to its atomic structure. However, under certain conditions, you may modify zinc to possess some magnetic properties.
This is only possible through alloying zinc with other ferromagnetic materials. For instance, there are magnetic sensors made from zinc alloy. Therefore, you should not confuse this with pure zinc.
Another factor that may affect zinc magnetism is impurities. Certain impurities can create localized magnetic moments. Usually, this can lead to a weak paramagnetic behavior in zinc.
A paramagnetic material experiences a weak magnetic attraction. In most cases, this magnetic attraction can be so weak that it remains unnoticeable.
At the same time, it is worth noting that defects in the crystal or structure can also lead to paramagnetic behavior.
Factors that Make Zinc Non-magnetic Material
The magnetic property of a material depends on its structure and composition. Let’s briefly discuss some of the main aspects:
- Non-existence of unpaired electrons – it does not have unpaired electrons. Therefore, you don’t expect any magnetic moments. Furthermore, zinc does not have a spin density difference distribution. That makes zinc an example of a diamagnetic material.
- Temperature – Even in situations where there is impurity in zinc, increasing temperature only results in disruption in thermal energy. A result is a disruption in electrons alignment which reduces any possible magnetism in zinc.
Comparing Magnetism in Zinc to Other Metals
When analyzing magnetism in metals, we have two broad categories:
- Magnetic metals and,
- Non-magnetic metals
Apart from zinc, other non-magnetic metals are gold, titanium, copper, lead, and aluminum. On the other hand, common magnetic metals are iron, nickel, gadolinium, and cobalt.
The magnetic metals exhibit high ferromagnetic behavior, which is not the case for zinc magnetic behavior.
Application of Zinc as a Non-magnetic Material
Even with zinc’s non-magnetic properties, it plays a critical role in many industrial applications. It has superior properties that make it a perfect alloying material.
For example, a combination of low melting point and low corrosion makes it a perfect choice for many uses, especially in galvanization.
Additionally, since zinc is a non-magnetic material, it is a perfect choice where you don’t require metal with magnetic properties.
Still, if you want to enjoy the desirable properties of zinc and magnetic characteristics, you may alloy zinc. For instance, certain alloys such as ZAMAK or zinc oxide compounds may have some magnetic properties.
The next generation of magnetic storage systems is exploring the use of zinc oxide compounds.
In short, zinc is not magnetic. Zinc’s electronic configuration attributes this. Still, you can alloy it with other metals for specific applications. Still, analyzing zinc’s magnetic properties is critical before choosing the material for any use.