How to Clean Rust From Metal With Electrolysis
Rust consists of various iron oxides that form on the surface of many iron alloys. Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to split the rust compounds into iron and oxygen, thus cleaning the rust from the metal surface. This procedure will require a battery charger, rebar and several common household items.
Things You'll Need
- Large plastic bucket
- Laundry soda
- Rebar
- Metal grinder
- Iron C-clamps
- Battery charger
- Electrical wire or cables
- Water
- Small metal chain
Instructions
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1
Fill the plastic bucket with five gallons of water and add a half-cup of laundry soda. Mix the solution thoroughly to ensure all the laundry soda dissolves.
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2
Obtain at least two sections of rebar to serve as your electrodes. Ensure the pieces of rebar are at least four inches taller than your bucket. Remove the rust from the pieces of rebar with a metal grinder and ensure one end of each piece of rebar is especially clean. Place the rebar pieces in the bucket at equal distances around the sides with the clean ends pointed up and clamp them firmly in place. Connect the tops of the rebar pieces together with electrical wire or cable.
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3
Attach the rusty part to be cleaned to a small chain and suspend it in the center of the bucket. Ensure the part doesn't touch the bucket or any of the pieces of rebar. Fix the chain in place and ensure it doesn't make electrical contact with any of the pieces of rebar.
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4
Connect the negative lead of the battery charger to the metal part you wish to remove rust from and connect the positive lead to the clean end of one of the pieces of rebar.
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5
Turn the charger on. The bubbles that collect on the rusty part are hydrogen and the bubbles on the pieces of rebar are oxygen. This process will turn the rust into elemental oxygen and iron.
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Tips & Warnings
This process creates hydrogen gas which burns explosively when ignited. Extinguish all flames in the work area and avoid touching the battery charger leads together, which will produce a spark. Perform this task in a well-ventilated area to ensure the hydrogen doesn't accumulate.
