Chemistry
Three nanometres of oxide is the only thing between stainless steel and rust — and it needs oxygen to survive
27 Sept 2026 · 12 min read
An entire material class exists because of a film a few dozen atoms thick that repairs itself when scratched. Take away its oxygen supply, or introduce chloride, and it stops repairing — which is why stainless steel fails under gaskets and near the sea while the visible surface still looks new.
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