In　the　present　work　open-cell　Zn　foam,　as　potential　biodegradable　materials　for　medical　use,　was　fabricated　by　vacuum　infiltration　casting　technology.　The　structure,　compressive　properties,　energy　absorption　and　hardening　behavior　of　open-cell　Zn　foams　with　various　porosity　and　cell　size　were　investigated.　A　finite　element　analysis　(FEA)　was　employed　to　simulate　the　deformation　behavior　of　open-cell　Zn　foams　during　compression.　Results　showed　that　Zn　foams　with　larger　cell　size　and　lower　porosity　exhibited　higher　compressive　strength　and　energy　absorption　capacity.　Instead　of　sudden　collapse,　the　global　continuous　deformation　of　open-cell　Zn　foam　during　compression　was　observed　even　though　brittle　fracture　is　the　primary　failure　mode　of　Zn　matrix.　The　open-cell　Zn　foam　in　this　study　also　showed　higher　cell　structure　sensitivity　than　that　forecasted　by　Gibson-Ashby　model.　Moreover,　it　can　be　found　that　there　is　a　significant　smooth　hardening　region　rather　than　a　fluctuant　plateau　region　on　compressive　stress-strain　curves.　These　can　be　attributed　to　the　coexistence　of　two　types　of　cell　structures,　which　are　called　＇cell　wall＇　structure　and　＇struts＇　structure　in　the　open-cell　Zn　foams.　The　successive　occurrences　of　multiple　deformation　bands,　cooperative　deformation　of　both　cell　structures　and　early　densification　of　cell　during　compression　can　account　for　the　smooth　flow　hardening　behavior　of　open-cell　Zn　foam.　In　addition,　FEA　estimation　for　unit-cell　models,　both　cell　wall　model　as　well　as　struts　model,　also　indicated　a　continuous　emergence　and　bending　of　plastic　hinge.