On 2 Mar 2005 at 18:46, Andrew Grebneff wrote:

>  you MUST REMOVE EVERY MOLECULE OF IRON OXIDE or
> the rust will spread again

I keep seeing comments like this and I don't understand.  I'm not a
chemist but I do know rust is not magic.  That one inorganic molecule
of iron oxide is not going to multiply by itself.  It's not going to
propagate by dividing in two like some live organism.  Nor is it a
seed.  To create more molecules of iron oxide (or similar compounds),
you have to have more molecules of oxygen available and those
typically come via oxygen dissolved in moisture.

Someone was kind enough to provide the link:

     <http://www.corrosion-doctors.org>

which contains a lot of good technical information about what rust
really is and how it forms.  Far more than I'll attempt to repeat
here.  Recommended reading.

If I'm missing something, please point me in the right direction.

//Jack