What’s Rust? How to Keep It From Ruining Your Vehicle.
The Chemistry of Cars, Ep. 3
This week TFL’s Charlotte Roadcap shows us why and how rust turns bombproof steel into red flakes of disintegration. According to Charlotte the process starts with steel and water. In fact any environment where the air is more than 50 percent water/water vapor is going to see rust, copious amounts of road salt exposure or not.
Given enough time, the iron molecules in steel react with water and oxidizes. And when it oxidizes it turns into the sad and nasty red flakes we know as rust. The process also gives up water.
But there are ways to combat this nemesis, one that causes more than $400 billion in damage in the U.S. each year. Put simply, the goal is to do whatever you can to prevent water from touching steel.
- Use a phosphate conversion coating to keep out water
- Galvanization, which is a zinc coating that provides a physical barrier to water and sacrifices the zinc to oxidization first before water reaches the steel.
- Good old paint and wax
Check out Charlotte’s video class below to learn the chemistry behind rust and more tips on saving your vehicle from literally falling apart.
