Does it have something on the surface ?
Does it have something on the surface ? Yes, aluminium is reactive and a surface coating of aluminium oxide forms quicklyThis adheres to the metal well and protects it from further corrosionThis means that you can use Al for applications where you would never use Mg The only downside is using aluminium saucepans for prolonged cooking of rather acid materialsThere is just one that normally matters don't cook rhubarb and leave it in aluminium saucepans as it tends to remove the coating and you end up with high concentrations of Al3+ ions if you eat itThe protective oxide coating can even be enhanced by a process called anodisingThe coating is often treated with dyes to the the shiny coloured aluminium objects we find in everyday life.
