I made a railing in metal that should rust superficially at an accelerated rate.
can I use ammonia or nitric acid or something similar for that?
the handrail itself must be varnished afterwards with a two-component varnish.
Asker: Jean-Claude, 40 years old
Answer
Hi Jean-Claude
You can indeed use some acid to make the rust formation faster, but normally hydrochloric acid (HCl) is sufficient. A little sanding also ensures that you have bare metal without any protective layer.
And then just put the railing outside for a while, of course. So do artists.
For rust you need the combination of iron, oxygen and water.
Acids and salt (NaCl) speed up the process, a base retards rusting.
Answered by
Dr Marina Vanhecke
analytical chemistry toxicology soil remediation
UCLL
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UC Leuven Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13 | 3000 Leuven Hertogstraat 178 | 3001 Heverlee UC Limburg Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan Building B bus 1 3590 Diepenbeek
http://www.ucll.be
.