Corrosion is actually beneficial for copper

When it comes to professional tube manipulation services, there is no one better than Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd. We use a range of techniques and the best machinery to offer top quality tubing. You can use the tubes for all kinds of items, such as furniture, fittings, barriers, and more. Plus, the services we offer are appropriate for many materials.

Decomposition

Tube manipulationMore than 80% of the world’s known elements are metals. We categorise them according to their chemical and physical attributes. This includes reactions to chemicals, melting point, conductivity, and more. You can argue that one of the best ways to group metals is by decomposition.

Like any other substance, metal deteriorates when you expose it to another compound or element. This process is what we call corrosion. It is true that all metals corrode. However, some come with higher resistances. In most cases, separate metals corrode differently when you expose them to the same chemical. For example, zinc will turn into a white powder and iron transforms into rust. This happens when they come into contact with moisture or air.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metals

With corrosion, metals have two broad classifications. These are ferrous and non-ferrous. The first contains iron and the latter does not. Iron is infamous for being vulnerable to corrosion. When you expose it to any substance that contains oxygen, like water and air, the oxygen atoms merge with the iron atoms. As a result, rust (iron oxide), forms.

Copper is one of the more famous non-ferrous metals. It does not have any iron, so it won’t rust if you expose it to oxygen. What happens instead is that the oxygen will merge with the copper atoms to create copper oxide.

As opposed to iron oxide, copper oxide does not deteriorate with time. Instead it remains on the exterior and thickens with time until it transforms into copper carbonate. This new layer, known as patina, acts as a shield. It preserves the material beneath from wear and tear. Please speak to us if you require tube manipulation for your copper tubes.

Not as detrimental as you think

With corrosion, it is usually thought of as detrimental to metals since it takes away their useful attributes. For example, rust makes iron lose its tensile strength so that it is useless for most applications.

However, things are different with the corrosion of copper. Rather than destroying the metal, it offers a unique and elegant appearance. What’s more, it does not deteriorate copper’s essential characteristics. These would be conductivity and workability. In fact, the oxide layer provides more protection. This allows it to last for an incredibly long time. In short, corrosion is beneficial for copper, and by extension, any tubing made of the metal.

The most reliable tube manipulation services

At Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd, we can manipulate tubes to an excellent standard. This allows us to meet the expectations of our clients, regardless of the end use. Whether it is simple bends or complex designs, we can take care of the project.

So, if you would like to use our tube manipulation services, feel free to give our team a call. You can even ask us for advice if you are unsure about anything.