Zinc is used in countless number of items in some form or another. Another benefit of Zinc is its usage in Soaps. Zinc helps treat various skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, ringworm, fungus etc…

Zinc in the form of ‘Zinc Pyrithione’ is majorly used in bathing soaps due to its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties along with its ability to cure skin diseases like seborrheic dermatitis (skin disorder that affects face, scalp and torso). Most notably, it has a suppressing effect on Malassezia Fungus (commonly considered the main culprit in various skin diseases). Its other medical applications include treatments of psoriasis, eczema, ringworm, fungus, athletes foot, dry skin, sensitive skin, atopic dermatitis, rashes, tinea, and vitiligo. It also helps fight many pathogens from the Streptococcus and Staphylococcus genera.

 Along with soaps, Zinc Pyrithione is best known for its use in treating dandruff, thus making its use imperative in anti-dandruff shampoos. The American shampoo brand ‘Head & Shoulders’ actively uses and promotes Zinc Pyrithione as its major ingredient, introduced in the year 1961.

 Cosmetics alone are not the only applications for Zinc Pyrithione. Due to its low solubility in water (8 ppm at neutral pH) and ability to protect against mildew and algae, Zinc Pyrithione is used in outdoor paints and proves to be an effective algaecide. Also, Zinc Pyrithione slows down the process of decomposition done by ultraviolet lights, thus providing years of protection even against direct sunlight. Zinc Pyrithione is also used as an antibacterial treatment for household sponges.

 Hindustan Zinc is India’s only and world’s leading Zinc-Lead-Silver Producer..

Article by- Pavan Kaushik, Head – Corporate Communication, Hindustan Zinc

When India is looking ahead providing electricity in every village and progressively moving towards Smart Cities Project, Digital India and Make in India, the very basis of infrastructure, the power transmission, needs to be protected for many years…. And that is where Zinc will again prove to be a future metal.

When was the last time we saw a tall standing electrical pole and thanked him for providing electricity to our houses. Well, we all have grown seeing these poles and they do have memories of our childhood.  Little we knew that these poles are protected through hot-dip zinc galvanization and this is the reason they are standing tall from years after years, and have seen perhaps more age and weather conditions than us.

Since the advent of high voltage lines hot-dip galvanized steel has been used in the electric utility market.  Whether in a generation facility, substation, lattice tower, or renewable energy components, galvanized steel has been a backbone of any country.

According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, close to 1 million steel distribution poles have been installed in the United States since 1998 and are being used by more than 600 U.S. electric utilities. India might be having more poles but how many galvanised is still to be assessed.

Since zinc is anodic to steel, the hot-dip galvanizing also acts as a sacrificial anode if the galvanized coating is physically damaged to some degree. If individual areas of underlying steel become exposed, the surrounding zinc will provide sacrificial cathodic protection (CP) to the unprotected sites by corroding preferentially. The zinc is consumed as it sacrifices itself to protect the bare steel.

Generally speaking, galvanized steel can last for many years in non-aggressive environments, and typically does an excellent job of protecting steel when the structure is located in moderately corrosive environments.

It is also true that the galvanizing on structures will corrode over time. The rate that the

thickness of the zinc coating will diminish and the length of the remaining service life of the galvanizing—and the structure itself—are contingent on the active corrosivity of the environment. Several factors are associated with the corrosion rate of galvanized structures, such as the in-service atmospheric conditions to which the aboveground portion of the structure is exposed, and the soil environment where the structure’s foundation is buried.

When India is looking ahead providing electricity in every village and progressively moving towards Smart Cities Project, Digital India and Make in India, the very basis of infrastructure, the power transmission, needs to be protected for many years…. And that is where Zinc will again prove to be a future metal.

Hindustan Zinc is India’s only and world’s leading Zinc-Lead-Silver Producer..

Article by- Pavan Kaushik, Head – Corporate Communication, Hindustan Zinc