How Passivation Works
When fresh metal is exposed from a machining process it will immediately begin to react with the atmosphere. Depending on the atoms present on the surface of the metal it can react in a variety of ways. For example, a free iron present on the surface of a sheet of metal will react with the oxygen in the air to form rust. On the other hand, chromium on the surface of stainless steel will react with oxygen to form chromium oxide which can help to protect the metal.
Passivation works in two ways. First, passivation rids the surface of the metal of free iron and other impurities that would be likely sources of corrosion. Secondly, it deactivates the active surface of the freshly exposed metal, forming a protective film and making it less likely to react further with the atmosphere.
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