Citric acid has an advantage over some other acids, because it is less corrosive, not as dangerous to the environment, while remaining efficient, cheap (but not as cheap as the old battery acid). The chemistry is relatively simple, rust (iron oxide) is Solubilised by the acid (ammonium ion is also acidic) and citrate ion coordinates to the iron-forming soluble iron citrate.
Citric acid has an advantage over some other acids, because it is less corrosive, not as dangerous to the environment, while remaining efficient, cheap (but not as cheap as the old battery acid). The chemistry is relatively simple, rust (iron oxide) is Solubilised by the acid (ammonium ion is also acidic) and citrate ion coordinates to the iron-forming soluble iron citrate.
A fast, easy and safe to remove rust from your old tools (or anything else for that matter) is to dip rusty parts in a solution of citric acid. Citric acid can be bought at the pharmacy. Officially it is used as an obstruction of the pig!.
The involvement of water accounts for the fact that rusting occurs much more rapidly in moist conditions as compared to a dry environment such as a desert. Many other factors affect the rate of corrosion. For example the presence of salt greatly enhances the rusting of metals. This is due to the fact that the dissolved salt increases the conductivity of the aqueous solution formed at the surface of the metal and enhances the rate of electrochemical corrosion. This is one reason why iron or steel tend to corrode much more quickly when exposed to salt (such as that used to melt snow or ice on roads) or moist salty air near the ocean.
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salt will speed up rusting. The more salt you