Re: Brass corrosion question for the chemists


"Don Bruder" <dakidd@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:f0eavq$kt9$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
# In article <f0dfis$6qm$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
# "frank.logullo" <frankdotlogullo@xxxxxxx> wrote:
#
# # "Robert Scott" <desmobob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
# # news:f0d4ip$15a$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
# # # I just found a canvas duffle bag in my cellar (sometimes damp,
# concrete
# # # floor) that had some shooting gear in it. There were a couple of
# cheap
# # # suede sandbag rests and a partial box of empty .223 cases from a
# long-past
# # # shooting session.
# # #
# # # The parts of the suede rest bags that were in contact with the bottom
# of
# # the
# # # duffel were hard, leading me to believe they got wet at some point,
# then
# # # dried. There were a half-dozen or so little mouse poops in there too;
# # well
# # # dried out.
# # #
# # # When I opened the .223 cartridge box, I was quite surprised to see the
# # cases
# # # were a beautiful light blue color and all bubbly looking! They looked
# # like
# # # they were dipped in some kind of ceramic glaze or something. Very
# # # strange....
# # #
# # # I've never seen brass do that. Could plain water have done that? Or
# # water
# # # that had seeped through the concrete (changing its pH?)? Something to
# do
# # # with the tiny bit of mouse droppings? Or did my damn cat pee in the
# # duffel?
# # # =:-0
# # #
# # I'd suspect carbonate formation such as you sometimes see on pipes.
# Copper
# # carbonate, I believe is green. Not sure about zinc carbonate. Moisture
# and
# # acidic conditions would cause this and there is enough carbon dioxide in
# the
# # air for this reaction to occur.
#
# I'd expect that the suspicion of the cat piddling on it is the simplest
# and most likely explanation - Urine decomposition = ammonia.
# Copper/copper-bearing alloys plus ammonia = pretty shade of blue scrunge.
#
# Then again, acid rain = sulphuric acid (mostly - there are other fun
# things in it as well) forming from reactions between loose
# sulphur-bearing compunds and rainwater, and hitting
# copper/copper-bearing alloys with sulphuric acid gives you copper
# sulphate, which, in turn, is a rather pretty shade of blue. (the color
# of the semi-precious stone turquoise is due to copper sulphate,
# ferinstance)


Thanks guys,

I'm now officially blaming it on the cat. ;-)

That brass looked so funky I just had to find out what might have happened.

Good shooting,
desmobob


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