No passwords, no registration, no paywalls, no popups

As an Amazon Associate & eBay Partner we earn from affil links

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

Search our quarter-million Q&As

Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989

-----

Tinplate: Why it doesn't rust

Can someone tell me why doesn't tinplate rust? My son is doing an assignment on this.

Rosie Robins
- Australia

Rust is iron oxide, the corrosion product of iron when exposed to the oxygen in the air. Tin is not iron, so you cannot produce iron oxide from the corrosion of tin.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
tedmundmooney@gmail.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.

Because the layer of tin on the surface of the steel prevents atmospheric oxygen and moisture from contacting the steel. Scratch the layer of tin so that the steel is exposed to oxygen and moisture, and the steel so exposed will quickly rust.

Bill Reynolds [deceased]
consultant metallurgist - Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
We sadly relate the news that Bill passed away on Jan. 29, 2010.

Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Please maintain your bookmarks! Although Ted Mooney is retiring, finishing.com is not!
It will have a new owner/curator very shortly!

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: