Re: aluminum corrosion

["Edward R. Walker" <erwalker@xxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1998 01:33:47 -0500 (EST)
>From: Alix Kay Sebesta <asebesta@domain.elided>
>Subject: 
>
>I could be wrong about this, but I'm fairly positive aluminum
>corrodes, and rather nicely at that.  

Aluminum alloys most definitely suffer from corrosion.  Ask any aircraft
technician or materials expert.  It all depends on the environment that
the aluminum is exposed to.  Both alkalies (washing soda, potash,
cement dust, etc) and salt solutions (especially chlorides and heavy
metals) are very corrosive to aluminum.  Marine atmospheres, laden with
with salt particles or salt saturated water, are extremely corrosive.

The product of aluminum corrosion is a white or grey powder.

That said, I think that the rest of a car (the steel bits) will rust out
long before the aluminum parts will expire.  Just keep your car out of
heated garages and, if the weather gives you the opportunity, wash the
underside of your car thoroughly once in a while.

Ed Walker (in wonderful Nova Scotia with a marine atmosphere and too much
           road salt.)

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