What is Rust?

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What is Rust?

The most common example of is this the rusting of iron, a natural chemical reaction in which the iron combines with both oxygen and water to form hydrated iron oxide. The oxide is a solid that is soft, somewhat bulkier than the iron from which it is formed, relatively weak, and brittle.

Alloying

The alloying method is the most effective, but the most expensive. A good example is stainless steel, nickel and other metals are alloyed with the iron; this alloy is not only absolutely rustproof but will even resist the action of such corrosive chemicals as hot, concentrated nitric acid.
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Galvanization

The most common example of this is galvanized iron, which is iron covered with zinc. In the presence of corrosive solutions, an electric potential is set up between the iron and the zinc, causing the zinc to dissolve but protecting the iron as long as any zinc remains.

Barrier Methods

The third method, Barrier Protection, involves coating the surface with an impermeable layer. It is the least expensive and therefore the most common method of protection. It will work as long as no crack appears in the coating. Once the coating cracks, ...

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