Any-Growth8158 t1_j65u0dz wrote
Reply to comment by druppolo in ELI5: Is aluminum common enough that it’s not a concern, or are we just really good at recycling it? by RestrictedCervical
Mostly correct, although the part about pure aluminum not corroding is absolutely incorrect. Pure aluminum corrodes very quickly, but it's oxide doesn't flake and fall off like rust on iron. The outside of pure aluminum quickly corrodes in our atmosphere creating a very thin skin of an aluminum oxide. This thin layer provides a barrier that prevents oxygen from getting further into the aluminum and corroding the interior.
druppolo t1_j67s2ox wrote
Ty, corrected. I skipped that cause I wanted to keep it short. I work in aviation and if I open my mouth about corrosion it can take few hours before I shout up again XD
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