ABSTRACT
Although metals and polymers are vastly different, they share certain similarities. In principle, a piece of metal can be regarded as a giant molecule, and metal atoms are the building blocks (monomers) of the lattice (network). As described in Chapter 2, most metals or metal products corrode in an oxygenated and hydrated environment, during which the giant molecule breaks down into metal ions. This is accelerated in biological environments with higher levels of aqueous salts.
