Poll of the Day > Can someone explain why zinc plated metal can't be used on stainless steel?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Something about the zinc reacting with the stainless steel and corroding whatever is galvanised, which eventually leads it to rust.

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it shouldn't do anything to stainless steel.

galvanized steel, on the other hand

When two metals are connected and in contact with a conducting liquid, the more active metal will corrode and protect the noble metal. Zinc is more negative than steel and so the zinc coating of galvanised steel will corrode to protect the steel at scratches or cut edges. The stainless steels, including 304 and 316, are more positive than zinc and steel, so when stainless steel is in contact with galvanised steel and is wet, the zinc will corrode first, followed by the steel, while the stainless steel will be protected by this galvanic activity and will not corrode. The rate of galvanic attack is governed by the size of the potential difference.

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