Taking care of white rust

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Galvanised steel is a valuable asset in the fight against corrosion. During galvanisation the steel receives a thin layer of zinc. This protects it from exposure to corrosive settings. What you may not know about this same zinc layer though is that it can produce its own rust. This is what we call white rust. What we will be doing in this post is discussing it, how it forms, and prevention.

What is white rust?

Tube bending servicesFirstly, we will go over what white rust actually is. It’s a localised corrosion attack that happens on zinc exteriors. It manifests as a chalky, white substance as a deposit. This is rapid corrosion and it normally forms when you expose zinc to hydrogen and oxygen.

White rust tends to show up more on new zinc-coated steel products. The deposit harms the steel’s appearance. It also consumes the complete zinc coating gradually. White rust is essentially zinc hydroxide that forms because of the chemical reaction of zinc with water and air in wet environments. If you require stellar tube bending services, make sure you come to us.

You may notice the corrosion when you place freshly galvanised materials in contact with hydrogen dioxide or water. During the first days, the zinc layer is most vulnerable to white rust attacks. Although, older zinc exteriors can become corroded by white rust too. This happens when you expose them to high pH levels and extremely high conductivity water. Aggressive cleaning causes it too.

In addition, when you store galvanised steel for future use, moisture can become trapped between the individual items easily. If there is not enough air circulation, white rust can form.

How bad is it?

As for whether white rust is actually bad, it does damage the product’s appearance. It can also make the coating useless. Your steel will once again be susceptible to a corrosion attack. So, you need to control or eliminate it.

If you intend to prevent the rust from appearing, you can use multiple methods. One would be to allow your zinc to produce stable oxides before you expose it to moisture. Other strategies would be to avoid water exposure and eradicate the possibility of condensation. You can also try employing passivating oils or chemicals to stop zinc oxidation.

Storing galvanised steel items in dry locales with good ventilation is a smart move too. Lastly, do not expose your cold zinc substances to warm air.

We aim for the top results with tube bending services

At Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd, we use the best equipment to do our work. Because of this, the results from our services are extremely accurate. That means you can expect accuracy no matter how complex your needs may be.

We want the best for every client that gets tube bending services from us. Not to mention, we are always on hand to give out advice. So, if you would like to work with us, please get in touch.