United States. Researcher Husnu Gerengi of the American Chemical Society says there is an eco-friendly way to prevent corrosion in aluminum used in airplanes, vehicles and other similar products. It is palm juice, a tree known as a source of food and traditional medicines.
The scientist, who in this research had the support of the Council of Scientific and Technological Research of Turkey, mentioned that date palm juice inhibits the corrosion of an aluminum alloy called AA7075, used in aerospace and other applications, in a saline solution.
Gerengi noted that while an extract of date palm leaves is a known anticorrosive, this was the first test of the fruit juice, which was adsorbed on the surface of the aluminum, and which contains a number of sugars. The researcher postulates that these react with aluminum to form an anticorrosive film on the surface of the metal.
Currently, lightweight and strong aluminum alloys are used to manufacture aircraft, automobiles and industrial equipment. Aluminum is mailed when exposed to air, but unlike oxidation in steel, corrosion of the aluminum surface layer forms a protective film that prevents degradation of the underlying metal. However, the film breaks in some aggressive environments, such as seawater, leaving the metal vulnerable. Engineers have developed coatings to protect aluminum in these applications, but many of them use potentially toxic chemicals.
