That aluminum rust can protect bare aluminum indefinitely, but what if you want to paint the aluminum? In that case, you’ll need to sand off the aluminum oxide coating and get to clean aluminum, since most coatings don’t adhere well to aluminum oxide.ĭon’t plan for a paint job on any aluminum surface to last long if you haven’t sanded and cleaned it thoroughly prior to painting. Couple that with the fact that it is a grayish color very similar to aluminum, and you may never even notice your aluminum’s rust. It doesn’t flake off like iron oxide and therefore, once the outer layer of aluminum “rusts” the process stops and the aluminum is protected. But although powder-coating provides long-term durability, it is not completely invincible to the impact of the elements.
The electrochemical reaction between aluminum and oxygen causes the formation of a thin, hard protective film of aluminum oxide. Does powder coated aluminium rust If you apply powder coating to aluminium surfaces, this will help to protect them from corrosion. However, it is susceptible to corrosion in the presence of oxygen that is readily available in the surrounding air. It is actually quite hard and serves as a protective coating around the underlying aluminum. Aluminum cannot rust as it contains no iron particles. While in general use, and even in some dictionaries, the term ‘rust’ is used to mean corrosion of metals of any type, its strictest definition is reserved for the corrosion of iron only. Iron oxide (rust) is a soft red colored metal that begins to expand and flake off as it is chemically transformed which exposes more of the underlying steel or iron to the air and the process continues until the metal is completely transformed to iron oxide.Īluminum oxide is different. Technically, it’s true: aluminum can’t rust at least if you’re using the narrowest definition of rust. When exposed to oxygen, it forms aluminum oxide, just like steel forms iron oxide, but the difference lies in the chemical makeup of these two oxides. Fortunately for the airline industry, when aluminum metal is placed in the atmosphere, a thin layer, known as aluminum oxide, forms on the metal’s surface and acts like a protective, rust-resistant shield. It just rusts in a different way than steel and iron rust. The short answer is, yes, aluminum does rust. You already know that aluminum can last outside for decades, but what you want to know is does aluminum rust, right? Does aluminum rust? It’s a valid question and one that a lot of folks think they have the answer to, but you may be surprised by what I have to tell you about aluminum and its ability to stand up to corrosion.Īluminum is seen as a rockstar of corrosion resistance and is one of the few metals, along with stainless steel, that can hold up to exterior and coastal exposures over long periods of time.
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