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How do I keep aluminum from oxidizing

H

HiTek21

Diamond Member
I have a nice aluminum strut tower bar that came off my car but it has some dings that I would like to sand out. I was thinking I would use 1000 grit sandpaper, move up to 2000 grit, and buff it out with some aluminum polish but will that keep it from oxidizing or will I have to coat it with something special?
 
Aluminum is pretty resistant to corrosion by itself... well, depending on the alloy I guess.

Is it showing signs of corrosion already or something?

lol, you could wax it after polishing.
 
its tough without altering the color / tone i.e. anodization. Sprays may help, but they can peel over time.
 
I was thinking I would have to apply some kind of spray over the bar. The bar itself looks like it was just machine finished because you can still see milling marks all around the bar. The top of the bar itself has a semi glossy finish but if you feel it or look closely you can see machining marks.
 
I have some no-ox, but it is like grease. There are some coatings out there for aluminum, alodine is one of them, but they do discolor the aluminum.
 
Actually for the most part oxidized aluminum is ok. When aluminum oxidizes it coats the pure aluminum underneath protecting it from oxidation. The catch is, unlike iron, the aluminum rust doesn't easily come off and if it does the exposed part of pure aluminum oxidizes to form a coat again. This is part of the reason aluminum is used to extensively.
 
Aluminum oxidizes within a few seconds of being exposed to air. So if you think you can prevent it, you better think again. Those aluminum pop cans are actually partially aluminum rust.
 
if you let the aluminum oxidize, the aluminum oxide will actually act as a protective layer that prevents further oxidation. the AL2 O3 also makes it corrosion resistant
 
I agree with the others that say than aluminum oxide doesn't flake and instead protects the rest of the aluminum, so you have nothing to worry about.

PS you can also try the aforementioned "mercury paste" if you'd like to be mad as a hatter.
 
Originally posted by: mordantmonkey
Originally posted by: Kenazo
What no one got my mercury joke?
Click to expand...

you forgot to tell him to heat it up first... in a pot on his stove. and to make sure to keep smelling it, to make sure it doesn't burn.
Click to expand...

psshh... All mercury needs to do is get beneath the aluminum oxide layer and it'll do its magic. All it would need is a scratch and that would be the end of his piece of aluminum.
 
Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Where do you come up with this stuff? They are plastic coated aluminum.
Click to expand...
From my education as a PhD in chemical engineering. Sorry, I don't have all my textbooks here for references, but you can do a quick Google search if you want.

Link 1: "If a bare aluminum surface is exposed to an oxygen containing atmosphere (e.g. air) then a very thin layer of alumina (far too thin to be visible to the naked eye) will form very quickly, even at room-temperature".

Link 2: "Aluminum oxidizes very quickly, and rapidly forms an aluminum oxide coating that inhibits further oxidization."

Link 3: "Metals in the reactivity series from aluminum to copper react with oxygen in the air to form the metal oxide. Aluminum is the fastest and copper is the slowest of the six."
 
Originally posted by: dullard
Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Where do you come up with this stuff? They are plastic coated aluminum.
Click to expand...
From my education as a PhD in chemical engineering. Sorry, I don't have all my textbooks here for references, but you can do a quick Google search if you want.

Link 1: "If a bare aluminum surface is exposed to an oxygen containing atmosphere (e.g. air) then a very thin layer of alumina (far too thin to be visible to the naked eye) will form very quickly, even at room-temperature".

Link 2: "Aluminum oxidizes very quickly, and rapidly forms an aluminum oxide coating that inhibits further oxidization."
Click to expand...

Is that the same as this? http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb98/886512781.Ch.r.html
 
Originally posted by: dullard
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Is that the same as this? http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb98/886512781.Ch.r.html
Click to expand...
Yes, cans do have liners. But those liners go OVER the aluminum oxide layer. It just develops to fast to avoid. I never said cans don't have liners.
Click to expand...

So the cans are only made from the alumina? But I thought the layer was far too thin to be visible, wouldn't most of the can be made from real aluminum? Or do they harvest the alumina somehow and make the cans from that.
 
Originally posted by: Mo0o
So the cans are only made from the alumina? But I thought the layer was far too thin to be visible, wouldn't most of the can be made from real aluminum? Or do they harvest the alumina somehow and make the cans from that.
Click to expand...
Yes, most of the can is real aluminum. But my point is the same: you can't completely "keep it from oxidizing". A thin oxidizing layer can and WILL form.

 
Originally posted by: dullard
Originally posted by: Mo0o
So the cans are only made from the alumina? But I thought the layer was far too thin to be visible, wouldn't most of the can be made from real aluminum? Or do they harvest the alumina somehow and make the cans from that.
Click to expand...
Yes, most of the can is real aluminum. But my point is the same: you can't completely "keep it from oxidizing". A thin oxidizing layer can and WILL form.
Click to expand...

Oh. Your very first post was kind of vague then. "Those aluminum pop cans are actually aluminum rust. " makes it sound like the whole can is made from rust. This is oxidation is just like what happens with solide sodium or potassium right?
 
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Originally posted by: dullard
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Is that the same as this? http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb98/886512781.Ch.r.html
Click to expand...
Yes, cans do have liners. But those liners go OVER the aluminum oxide layer. It just develops to fast to avoid. I never said cans don't have liners.
Click to expand...

So the cans are only made from the alumina? But I thought the layer was far too thin to be visible, wouldn't most of the can be made from real aluminum? Or do they harvest the alumina somehow and make the cans from that.
Click to expand...


Did you take Chemistry in high school? 😉
 
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