So Why Does Rust Never Sleep? | Corrosion-Pedia

A Rusty Truck In A Field

Let's put this in the category of "things we did not know".


As an almost lifetime "rustie", we all know that one of the most fundamental universal laws -- in the immortal lyrics of Neil Young -- is that Rust Never Sleep. But why?


From Rust Never Sleeps | Thermo Fisher Scientific by Jordan Seefeldt:

The album has been described by one critic as a “sneak attack on entropy,” with rust as the metaphor for corrosion, and a warning to embrace change else one fades away. In chemistry, iron tends to fade away when exposed to the elements, becoming iron oxide Fe2O3.

Rust.

Electrochemical oxidation is a natural process that will convert a refined metal into a more chemically stable form such as oxide, hydroxide, or sulfide. This reaction is also the principal behind electrochemistry and energy storage. Corrosion degrades the useful properties of certain materials and structures, including strength, appearance, and permeability to liquids and gases.

According to the website corrosionpedia.com, rust encompasses a number of iron oxides occurring where there is unprotected steel or iron exposed to the water or air. “It can form in various colors like yellow, brown, orange and green, which is known as the green rust.”

“Green rust is produced in environments with low oxygen concentration like rebar in chlorine-rich environments, where there can be a release of iron hydroxides. In such a case, the steel’s depassivation leads to the formation of green rust when the ratio between hydroxide ions and chloride ions is higher than 1. Thus, rebar in materials such as concrete is protected from green rust if the concrete’s alkalinity is adequately high.”

Well, thanks to the good folks at Corrosion-Pedia, we're able to establish a more precise understanding of this inevitable and inexorable trend. So for all of your rust and corrosion questions, please don't hesitate to visit the essential Corrosion-Pedia.

You'll be glad you did. Tell them "Thrasher sent me!"

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As Neil Young and Crazy House say in their 1979 live hit, “Rust Never Sleeps.” Read how our spectrometry instruments can help analyze a variety of materials, including rust: https://t.co/SdJCb7kLDM

— Microscopy & Spectroscopy (@thermosciEMSpec) November 26, 2019

Rust Never Sleeps - Rust Repair Shop Sign
Photo by Mimi R.

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