Plating material is a term used to describe the coating of a metal surface with a thin layer of another metal. ZINC (4 letters), TIN (3 letters) and chrome (6 letters) are all commonly used plating materials. ZINC is a bluish-white metal that is often used to protect steel from corrosion. TIN is a soft, silvery-white metal that is often used to give a bright finish to metals. Chrome is a hard, shiny, silver-gray metal that is often used to give a decorative finish to metals.