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[Phys-l] Copper and aluminum



Hi everyone,

My HS chemistry is rusty, and my application of replacement reactions is non-existent. My goal is to insulate my hot water pipes in my cold basement. I have a few options:
- buy an expensive aluminum tape; the reflectivity helps with loss due to radiation, presumably.
- use foam "noodles" to insulate them, which presumably helps with loss from conduction (I guess)
- use Al foil around the pipe to help with radiation, and then foam around it, or
- use foam with Al foil around it.

I'm not sure if:
- having Al foil directly on the pipe will cause spontaneous corrosion of the pipe (I think that it may, given my cursory review of the chemistry). The tape stuff is coated with something to keep the metals apart, I believe.
- having Al foil around the noodles. This allays my fears about corrosion, but will it actually do anything now that it's outside of the foam insulator?

Thanks for the help!
Josh




--
Joshua Gates
Physics Faculty
Tatnall School (Wilmington DE)
JHU Center for Talented Youth