Hmm. A High Tech Rust inhibitor? I like that idea...
Rich
> ----------
> From: Anita & Jim Barrett[SMTP:anitabrt@mindspring.com]
> Reply To: Anita & Jim Barrett
> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 1997 7:34 PM
> To: tigers@autox.team.net
> Subject: Electronics
>
> At 10:12 am 6/3/97 -0700, you wrote:
> >Okay, thanks to another list member I found out that the chemical
> >table I was referring to in my post on radiators and water chemistry
> >is called the Electronegativity Table. So I looked into it a bit,
> >and while I make no claims about fully understanding what reactions
> >are likely to take place between the metals commonly found in
> radiators,
> >I did learn the following:
> >
> > The atom with the higher electronegativity value will always "pull"
> > the electrons away from the atom that has the lower
> electronegativity
> > value. The degree of "movement or shift" of these electrons
> towards
> > the more electronegative atom is dependent on the difference in
> > electronegativities between the atoms involved.
> >
> >Here's a list I made from the periodic table of elements:
> >
> >Element Electronegativity
> >------- -----------------
> > F 3.98
> > Cu 1.9
> > Fe 1.83
> > Zn 1.65
> > Al 1.61
> > Mg 1.31
> >
> >I've included Fluorine as a reference because it has the greatest
> >attraction for electrons. Hopefully you don't have any in your
> >radiator. Maybe we should be avoiding fluoridated water too? It
> might
> >be good for your teeth, but perhaps not so good for your radiator.
> >
> >As I suspected, zinc is in between aluminum and copper in this table
> >while magnesium is below aluminum. What would this mean for a
> radiator
> >containing all of the metals listed? I dunno. Maybe all of them
> except
> >the copper (and iron because of its sheer mass) would be dissolved in
> >short order. What I would like to do is conduct an experiments. I
> was
> >thinking of putting various combinations of these metals in a jar of
> >salt water and see what happens. Does anyone have suggestions on
> >sources for small quantities of zinc and magnesium? I can probably
> find
> >zinc at a hardware store, but probably not magnesium. Maybe welding
> >rod, but I'm not so sure this would be commonly available. Anyone
> with
> >a chunk VW engine block they don't need?
> >
> >One factor that I haven't seen mentioned is coolant ph. Exposed
> >aluminum oxidizes almost instantly, forming a coating that is both a
> >good insulator and literally tougher than nails. But both acids and
> >alkalines remove this oxide pretty quickly. Presumably keeping the
> >coolant's ph near neutral would protect this coating. Maybe that's
> part
> >of what coolant corrosion inhibitors do.
> >
> >Another approach might be to eliminate all copper and brass from the
> >cooling system, but I think this would be tough to do. What about
> the
> >thermostat, heater core, heater cut-off valve and even the water
> >temperature sensor and fittings?
> >
> >Using demineralized water is no doubt a good start, but coolant
> systems
> >aren't very clean environments. I doubt demineralized water stays
> that
> >way long once poured into a radiator. Even if I decide against an
> >aluminum radiator, I'm still stuck with an aluminum water pump and
> >intake so I'm gonna go for all the protection I can get-
> demineralized
> >water, corrosion inhibitors and a sacrafcial anode, if they work.
> >
> >Roland
> >
> Roland,
> If you are going to all that trouble, then check out a good marine
> store.
> There is an electronic corresion protection system that uses a
> regulated
> voltage ( or current?) and a platimum electrode. It works fine for
> expensive boats; but it raises hell with any boat docked nearby as the
> nearby boat has a worse electrolis problem. I have seen a similar
> system for cars that is alleged to prevent rusty bodies.
> Jim Barrett 351C and others
>
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