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Does osmium tarnish? Does it corrode, rust and oxidize?
No, osmium doesn’t tarnish.
Osmium is a highly stable precious metal that doesn’t tarnish under any circumstances.
Osmium is also very corrosion-resistant and immune to most substances you can throw at it. Only substances like chlorine and fluorine corrode osmium with long-enough exposure.
Finally, osmium is very oxidation resistant but isn’t fully impervious to oxidation.
Exposure to air, especially at higher temperatures (above 200°C) or when the metal is finely divided, causes osmium to react with oxygen and form osmium tetroxide.
- Does Osmium Tarnish? Does it Corrode, Rust and Oxidize?
- Does Pure Osmium Bullion Tarnish? Does it Corrode and Oxidize?
- Does Osmium Jewelry Tarnish? Does it Oxidize and Corrode?
Here’s an awesome quiz about osmium tarnishing and corroding.
Take it after you’ve read my guide below.
Table of Contents
Does Osmium Tarnish? Does it Corrode, Rust and Oxidize?
No, osmium doesn’t tarnish. It’s a noble metal that’s highly resistant to Earth’s elements + anything you can expose it to in your kitchen and home.
Below I list all the potential tarnishing-causing substances and their effect on osmium objects.
- Water. Osmium doesn’t tarnish in water. Water has no effect on osmium-made bullion or jewelry. Saltwater also don’t tarnish osmium so it’s safe to wear osmium jewelry in the sea or ocean.
- Chlorine. Chlorine is a rare substance that tarnishes osmium. Exposing osmium to chlorine and adding required heat and pressure cause the metal to tarnish and develop osmium(IV) chloride (OsCl₄).
- Bleach. Bleach doesn’t tarnish and and corrodes osmium. While a related metal ruthenium will readily dissolve in bleach, osmium will be unchanged.
- Hydrogen peroxide. Osmium doesn’t tarnish, oxidize or corrode when exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t react with osmium under any circumstances. Hydrogen peroxide can react with osmium tetroxide, but this usually happens in chemical labs, and not in normal day-to-day circumstances.
- Vinegar. Vinegar doesn’t tarnish osmium. Acetic acid from vinegar is too weak to tarnish, corrode and oxidize osmium, even upon prolonged exposure.
- Lemon juice. Lemon juice doesn’t tarnish osmium. It also doesn’t corrode and oxidize it. Lemon juice’s acids are too weak to do any visible damage to solid osmium objects.
- Makeup. Makeup doesn’t tarnish osmium. It also doesn’t corrode and oxidize jewelry items or bullion made from it.
- Nitric acid. Nitric acid doesn’t tarnish osmium. It also doesn’t oxidize and corrode it.
- Alcohol. Alcohol doesn’t tarnishes or corrode osmium. You can use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to clean your osmium bullion or jewelry.
- Toothpaste. Toothpaste neither tarnishes nor corrodes osmium. The abrasive elements in toothpaste are able to keep your teeth healthy and clean, but they can’t do any damage to solid osmium, a powerful precious metal.
- Fire. Fire doesn’t tarnish and corrode osmium. However, on high temperatures (above 200°C) and above osmium starts reacting with oxygen to form osmium tetroxide, a toxic and volatile gas than can even explode.
Does Pure Osmium Bullion Tarnish? Does it Corrode and Oxidize?
No, osmium bullion doesn’t tarnish.
Pure osmium coins and bars are immune to tarnishing and also to corrosion and oxidation.
Fire is the only exception because osmium bullion caught in a strong house fire would produce osmium tetroxide, a volatile gas prone to exploding. A big explosion would obviously damage any osmium bullion right in the midst of it+ housefire.
Pure osmium bullion is extremely rare and valuable so keep in it a fireproof safe if you have one in your house.
Occasionally, osmium is inlayed into bullion made of some other precious metal.
The example below shows a rare German silver coin with inlayed osmium. Osmium is a very small part of that particular coin so in that case you’d have to worry about silver’s tarnishing properties, and not osmium’s.
Does Osmium Jewelry Tarnish? Does it Oxidize and Corrode?
No, osmium jewelry doesn’t tarnish. It also doesn’t oxidize and corrode under any normal circumstances.
Pure osmium jewelry would be ruined however it caught in a strong housefire. Because on high temperatures (above 200°C) and above osmium starts reacting with oxygen to form osmium tetroxide, a toxic and volatile gas than can explode.
Osmium is often alloyed with other metals like iridium, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, or platinum. This creates jewelry that’s exceptionally hard, dense, and boasts a unique sparkle and luster.
But with each unique and different alloy come challenges related to tarnishing, corrosion and color discolorations.
The good news is that all metals from the platinum group (ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, platinum, palladium) are highly resistant to tarnish and corrosion so a jewelry item made from osmium alloyed with some other metal will likely be safe.
Does Osmium Tarnish? Does it Corrode, Rust and Oxidize? Conclusion
Osmium doesn’t tarnish.
It’s a highly stable precious metal that doesn’t tarnish under any circumstances.
Osmium is also very corrosion-resistant and immune to most substances you can throw at it. Only substances like chlorine and fluorine corrode osmium with long-enough exposure.
Finally, osmium is very oxidation resistant but isn’t fully impervious to oxidation.
Exposure to air, especially at higher temperatures or when the metal is finely divided, causes osmium to react with oxygen and form osmium tetroxide.
References:
- aren’t you guys worried carrying Osmium given how toxic it’s oxides are?- https://www.reddit.com/r/Wallstreetosmium/comments/x5kff2/arent_you_guys_worried_carrying_osmium_given_how/
- Would an Osmium ring be dangerous to wear?- https://www.reddit.com/r/chemistry/comments/17uxoe6/would_an_osmium_ring_be_dangerous_to_wear/
- Chemical properties of osmium – Health effects of osmium – Environmental effects of osmium- https://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/os.htm
- Can osmium react with oxygen at room temperature?- https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/160115/can-osmium-react-with-oxygen-at-room-temperature
- Does osmium react with bleach like ruthenium does?- https://www.reddit.com/r/Wallstreetosmium/comments/148oryj/does_osmium_react_with_bleach_like_ruthenium_does/
Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.
