Zinc

This low-melting point, corrosion resistant blue-tinged metal is brittle below 100°C and above 150°C, but in between both temperatures it becomes ductile and can be rolled into sheets. Zinc's corrosion resistance is its main strongpoint, and it is used to protect iron and steel against corrosion either by adding a protective zinc oxide layer or by sacrificial corrosion, where zinc corrodes instead of iron, a process known as galvanization. Besides galvanization, zinc is also an important component of many common alloys especially tailored for die casting applications, which makes this bivalent metal an essential part in many manufacturing processes.