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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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for Metal Finishing since 1989
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How to measure the rate of rusting quantitatively
Q. Hello I am doing a experiment and I need to measure the rate of rust. I was thinking if I dissolved the rust then tried to find the amount of iron ion in solution however I do not know how to dissolve the rust or what chemicals I should use for the titration.
thank you
STUDENT - BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
2007
A. Titration for iron is problematic since both Fe(+2) & Fe(+3) will be present.
Weigh the sample coupon (a thin rectangle of some standard area is usually used) before testing. Afterwards, remove the rust & re-weigh the coupon. Corrosion can be reported in units of weight/area/time.
ASTM G1-03, 'Standard Practice for Preparing, Cleaning, and Evaluating Corrosion Test Specimens' gives some solutions for removing rust. It is probably much more practical to use an equivalent household rust remover; e.g., hydrochloric acid solution containing an inhibitor. The inhibitor is necessary to avoid loss of metal.
- Goleta, California
Finishing.com honored Ken for his countless carefully researched responses. He passed away May 14, 2015.Rest in peace, Ken. Thank you for your hard work which the finishing world, and we at finishing.com, continue to benefit from.
Q. Where can I find the substances used to remove the rust?
ALEKS LAZAREVIC [returning]STUDENT - BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Ken recommended a household product, so try C-L-R ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (Calcium - Lime - Rust Remover). The label says it contains water, glycolic, sulfamic & citric acid s, and surfactants.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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