Jake,
The issue of electrolysis softening ferrous metal is interesting. I am not a
metallurgist, so I do not have an answer. But I do know that heating
different metals and cooling them in materials such as a box of fine charcoal, oil,
sand, or soda ash will do different things to metals. I distinctly recall
working brass and copper and dipping them in oil and sand for certain effects.
Copper softened so that it could be easily hammered, then got brittle and the
process had to be repeated. I expect someone will come up with the answer to
your riddle, but just wanted to drop this memory into the pot.
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.
In a message dated 4/11/2008 11:01:34 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Hello all,
Although I don't have anything to contribute to the discussion of
brass corrosion, I thought this would be a good time to ask a general
question re: corrosion, electrolysis, and the structure of metals.
I've recently put together a small-scale electrolysis set-up and have
been playing around with it for the last few weeks (with materials
recovered archaeologically as well as random other metals for fun).
One observation I've made concerning cast iron that really intrigues
me is, for lack of a better word, a "softening" of the iron following
electrolysis. Once the iron has been dried under heat, the cast iron
seems to return to its pre-electrolysis hardness.
Hopefully my description makes sense. Does anyone on the list know
what is occurring chemically to the iron during electrolysis to cause
this apparent shift in rigidity? Please be as technical as you like.
Best wishes,
Jake
--
Jakob Crockett
Department of Anthropology
University of South Carolina
Hamilton College, Room 317
Columbia, SC 29208
http://mannsimons.freehostia.com
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