Can hydrogen peroxide rust stainless steel?

Stainless steel is an alloy that is composed of iron and chromium, with lesser amounts of other elements. The chromium in stainless steel forms a protective layer of chromium oxide on the surface of the metal, which prevents the iron from rusting.

However, if stainless steel is exposed to concentrated hydrogen peroxide for an extended period of time, the hydrogen peroxide can break down the chromium oxide layer and allow the iron to rust. The rate at which this happens depends on the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide, the temperature, and the length of time that the stainless steel is exposed to the hydrogen peroxide.

For example, a 30% concentration of hydrogen peroxide can cause stainless steel to rust within a few hours, while a 10% concentration may take several days. In general, the higher the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the faster the rusting will occur.

The temperature also plays a role in the rate of rusting. Stainless steel is more likely to rust at higher temperatures. For example, stainless steel that is exposed to concentrated hydrogen peroxide at a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius will rust much faster than stainless steel that is exposed to the same concentration of hydrogen peroxide at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

Finally, the length of time that the stainless steel is exposed to the hydrogen peroxide also affects the rate of rusting. The longer the stainless steel is exposed to the hydrogen peroxide, the more likely it is to rust.

Therefore, it is important to avoid exposing stainless steel to concentrated hydrogen peroxide for an extended period of time. If stainless steel does come into contact with hydrogen peroxide, it is important to wash the stainless steel thoroughly with water as soon as possible.