What makes aluminum so corrosion resistant?
The formation of a tenacious aluminum oxide later on fresh aluminum surfaces provides resistance to attack by the environment and a wide range of other chemical species. Corrosion resistance varies significantly, however, with various alloy and temper combinations as well as environments and secondary conditions such as stress. An excellent reference in this area is Corrosion of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys by J. R. Davis, available from the Aluminum Association or ASM International.
