Fantasma4500
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Registered: 12-12-2012
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Copper grease??
so, having dabbled a bit with electrodeposition of metals, specifically copper plating steel i came across a electroplating forum stating that you
cant copper plate steel to inhibit corrosion due to copper catalysing the steel to rust faster, something about electrolytic potential or was it the
copper forming oxide layer (Cu2O) that catalyses the steel rusting?
having welded a fair bit, we have copper plated steel rods for TIG/WIG welding, and i do remember every now and then seeing that they would corrode
quite well after getting a bit of water
usually steel is coated with zinc either electrolytically or dipped in molten zinc as the zinc is more reactive to water and atmosphere than steel is,
so the zinc will first tear up and supposedly inhibit steel even in small holes of the zinc from rusting, its also used as anodes for ships and in
docks (along with aluminium and some cases magnesium)
i dont see why this would imply that copper is a good idea to add to greases intended to help steel from corroding? would it make more sense to make
like.. ZINC GREASE? or just add some sulfur compounds? is copper grease a marketing scam?
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violet sin
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WHAT IS COPPER GREASE?
Copper grease is a specially formulated anti-seize compound manufactured by combining fine copper particles and high grade corrosion and oxidation
inhibitors. The grease is created through a procedure that combines oil with soap. This imparts a sticky quality to the grease which enables it to
cling to the surface it has been applied to and stay in place longer. Copper grease is an anti-seize grease as opposed to a lubricant.
https://www.greasemonkeydirect.com/blogs/news/grease-guide-w...
"Lithium grease adheres particularly well to metal, is non-corrosive, may be used under heavy loads, and exhibits good temperature tolerance. It has a
drip temperature of 190 to 220 °C (370 to 430 °F) and resists moisture, so it is commonly used as lubricant in household products, such as electric
garage doors, as well as in automotive applications, such as constant-velocity joints."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_soap
I would assume lithium grease to be corrosive for similar reasons, but many of us know it's not. Especially if you used it for bearing grease or
similar. It doesn't come off metal well. I used it on my drywall mud knife's because the blued steel guys would spot up and that the edge irregular
quickly. They are more flexible than stainless knife's, both have their place. For waterproofing it worked pretty good; at the end of the day,
lithium grease was messy and smeared rust stains into pants pretty bad.
I've ground zinc into lubricating oil and rubbed it on a few galvie pipe joints that were rusting a bit. It stopped the corrosion from progressing,
but I was just trying a stopgap approac before wire brush cleaning and more magic blue pipe dope is applied.
Thanks for the reading material, I'd not heard of copper grease
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Fantasma4500
International Hazard
Posts: 1681
Registered: 12-12-2012
Location: Dysrope (aka europe)
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Mood: dangerously practical
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yes i believe the lithium compound is slightly basic which would typically protect steel alloys
i see, they add anti corrosion chemicals to the copper grease, but when that stuff wears out.. maybe i should just create some super fine zinc dust
electrochemically and make my own zinc grease, i really dont trust that copper grease regardless. just boiling oil with sulfur will get you sulfur
oil, but then you have to keep in mind that those oils are acids themselves
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