A chemist told me rust does not spread. The top of my refrigerator gives me some doubt. It’s covered in these spots. The center of every spot is a small break in the paint, but the rust all around those spots is on top of the paint.
this post was submitted on 15 Feb 2025
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Chemistry
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Yes, rust spreads.
Rust mechanically destroys the protection the surrounding metal has against rust. Once the protection is gone, the actual rusting is quite fast.
That is, if you have a surface like the one on your photo. If you have a single material, then no, rust doesn't spread.