Geoff's Science Garage - Electrolytic Rust Removal

Rust happens when metal is exposed to the elements. If the metal is properly sealed with a coat of paint, it cannot rust. However, you have to get it to the point where the paint will adhere. I don't know what this thing looks like or how many cracks and crevices you're talking about. If there are blind spots the process won't work in them anyway. Most people doing an entire car have the body acid dipped for this reason.

I have a coupe body that I am trying to remove all the rust to make into a hotrod. If I make a huge tank and put the whole body in it. There will be some spots where I can not get that black goo off. Like cracks and crevices. If I just leave it there will it rust again or what will happen. Please respond if you know. Thanks.

The mixture I use is 1/2 cup sodium carbonate(you can get this by baking baking soda over 300 degrees for over an hour) to ever 5 gallons. you have to be careful with tools like copper and chrome 'cause you can be left with chlorine gas and chromium and chromium is illegal to dump 'cause it'll F**k up a well or a water table.

In a small 2 gallon bucket like the one I had in the video, a cup or two is more than enough. For really BIG derusting (you can do an entire car at one time, provided you can build a big enough tank) you will need a considerable quantity, but I don't know how much. Start out small and experiment. By the way, the bucket is no longer pretty after you use it for this, as it is heavily stained by the iron residue. Don't use the wife's good buckets!

What's the ratio of mixture? watter:soda

i used spirits of salts (sulphuric acid) i find that work amazingley, give that a go.. you'll be immpressed!

I THINK that you're left with a lot of oxide slime (depends on what you're cleaning).

I've also heard that mercury can be released if you use a stainless steel rod as your anode.

Thanks for posting this video. I usually use a little 12v wall adapter, but a battery charger is a much safer alternative.

AAAA +++

Hi mate I'm from the UK and I built a similar electrolysis device in a bucket! To de-rust a load of old spear gun. There almost like new now and I saved around £80 in terms of actual rrp! however if you add more anodes around the circumference, and then suspend your part in the centre using a piece of wooden dowel with a cable tie to hold your cathode cable in place, you will get full 360 degree cleaning and also a lot faster to boot. Also table salt works perfectly well.

Any unprotected metal will re-rust quickly, especially in a wet or even just a humid environment. The process has been used successfully in a wide variety of applications, so I would experiment with whatever you have; if it's ferrous rust, it should work. As far as disposal is concerned, the liquid is ferrous-rich water, and isn't hazardous to most forms of plant life. You can re-use the same liquid over and over again for future de-rusting projects, or just dump it out on the lawn.

Now would this work on tools too, like chrome, or the "Craftsman" finish (not chrome but not bare metal). If you do it to your tools, will they rust over in a few days again?? And what about disposal?

Great, thanks!

I slept through chemistry, so I'm wondering what you are left with in the bucket. Does it require any special disposal?

Very nice demo, good job.

thats pretty cool