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View Full Version : Who Thinks Aluminum Can't Rust?



johnnynumfiv
09-17-2004, 06:22 PM
I found this while reading popular science. I always thought that aluminum could never rust, but I guess I was wrong. The mercury causes the aluminum to rust at a very fast rate, which doesn't allow the aluminum oxide to create a protective layer. There is a video on the page too.

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/h20/article/0,12543,693558,00.html

Matra et Alpine
09-17-2004, 06:26 PM
Elise' had/have a recall to replace the floor mats and to 'advise' owners on the importance of cleaning and drying underneath the mats.

Turns out the floor panel can corroed through.

It's a reaction with the matting and aluminium when wet.
They replace the mats with an inert and air-flow one and treat the aluminium and in some cases bond a new floor pan in !!!!

Egg Nog
09-17-2004, 06:27 PM
Keep that goddamn mercury away from my NSX/Elise/etc. :D

whiteballz
09-17-2004, 06:30 PM
its called sacrificial rusting, its where a higher metal (with more electrons) and a lower metal aer in contact, one will pass its electrons on to the other metal, causing the higher metal to rust rather then the lower. they use it on ships, they connect two different metals in the hull so the outer layer wont rust, but a block of zinc in the middle of the ships container hold will...

want more info just ask.

Matra et Alpine
09-17-2004, 06:33 PM
Keep that goddamn mercury away from my NSX/Elise/etc. :D
http://www.lotuscars.co.uk/template.cfm?name=IMPORTANT_NOTICE_TO_ALL_LOTUS_EL ISE_OWNERS

Too late :)

ovlov
09-17-2004, 07:51 PM
Actually rust is a term only used for the oxidation of iron (or steel, but steel is just impure iron). Therefore, although aluminium will oxidise it is not called rusting. The oxide layer that aluminium forms is actually insoluble (which is why aluminium will last so long) and one way to remove the oxide layer is with the mercury, enabling oxygen to once again react with the aluminium, thus why it appears to oxidise a lot faster.

KnifeEdge_2K1
09-17-2004, 07:52 PM
wow thanks for the heads up man

Rico
09-17-2004, 09:56 PM
thats a lot of rust

Hell_Unleashed
09-18-2004, 01:05 AM
its called sacrificial rusting, its where a higher metal (with more electrons) and a lower metal aer in contact, one will pass its electrons on to the other metal, causing the higher metal to rust rather then the lower. they use it on ships, they connect two different metals in the hull so the outer layer wont rust, but a block of zinc in the middle of the ships container hold will...

want more info just ask.
Well read... right outta my text book... :)