Would plating a copper penny with zinc be considered galvanization?
Galvanization is generally used to describe the electrochemical deposition of Zn on another metal of lower (more negative) reduction potential; therefore, Zn acts as a sacrificial anode, being oxidized before the protected metal. The consequent reactions with O2, H2O, and CO2 result in a zinc carbonate barrier that bonds very well to the Zn beneath, protecting the metal beneath the Zn coating. Technically, what you did was galvanization, although the term is generally used to describe coating iron or steel with zinc. I would not call it galvanization though because, as you pointed out, electricity was not used to electroplate. Conceptually what happened was the Zn reacted with the OH- to form Zn(OH)2. In the solution of Zn(OH)2 there are complexes of Zn(OH)4^2- (i.e., Zn bonded to 4 hydroxyl groups with a net charge of -2); it is this complex that displaces the Cu(s), forming Zn(s) on the penny surface, and Cu(OH)4^2 goes into solution-: Zn(OH)4^2-(aq) + Cu(s) = Cu(OH)4^2- + Zn(s) It i
