rust
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.35|Colors and porous surface texture of rust
AI overview
Rust is a reddish-brown coating that forms on iron and steel when they're exposed to oxygen and moisture. It matters because rust weakens metal structures and causes billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure, vehicles, and equipment worldwide.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Chemical reactions
- Oxidation of iron
- Associated reactions
- Prevention
- Rust-resistant alloys
- Galvanization
- Cathodic protection
- Coatings and painting
- Bluing
- Inhibitors
- Humidity control
- Treatment
- Economic effect
- Cultural symbolism
- See also
- References
- Further reading
thumb|upright=1.35|Colors and porous surface texture of rust
Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH)3), and is typically associated with the corrosion of refined iron.