Man, I wish CGC guaranteed grades like this.... 0

[ExNihilo]

32 minutes ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

Then whoever so deemed it doesn't know basic chemistry.

Rust...iron oxide...is caused by water (either in liquid or vapor form), oxygen, and iron. Those "chemicals" were H2O, Fe2 and O2. 

Can rust form without water? Yes, but it would take a very long time, or very high heat. Obviously, high heat was not the issue, and neither was time. So what happened? Water vapor...humidity...interacted with the oxygen already in the air and the iron in the staples.

Iron has a certain tendency to dissolve in water according to the following equation:

Fe(s)⟶Fe2+(aq)+2e−Fe(s)⟶FeX2+(aq)+2eX−

The release of electrons causes a small current to flow in the metal (Remember that metals conduct electricity). This turns the point where iron dissolves into an anode, and the region around this area becomes rich in electrons, a cathode. Now, we have to remember that water dissociates to small extents according to:

H2O(l)↽−−⇀H+(aq)+OH−(aq)HX2O(l)↽−−⇀HX+(aq)+OHX−(aq)

If it was an acid, the H+HX+ would have quickly taken all the electrons liberated from the dissolution of iron earlier, but the concentration of hydrogen ions is not large enough in water, so that we get another reaction taking place at the cathode [The hydrogen ions actually 'gather up' near to the surface but cannot do anything, creating a thin protective layer of hydrogen ions around the cathode, but not strong enough to prevent further reaction]. This reaction involves oxygen and other water molecules:

2H2O(l)+O2(g)+4e−⟶4OH−(aq)2HX2O(l)+OX2(g)+4eX−⟶4OHX−(aq)

Now this is the OH−OHX− that reacts with the earlier liberated iron (or ferrous) ions:

Fe2+(aq)+2OH− (aq)⟶Fe(OH)2(aq)FeX2+(aq)+2OHX− (aq)⟶Fe(OH)X2(aq)

Now more oxygen will react to oxidise the iron (II) hydroxide...

Fe(OH)2(aq) −→O Fe(OH)3(aq) −→O Fe2O3(s)Fe(OH)X2(aq) →O Fe(OH)X3(aq) →O FeX2OX3(s)

You probably can recognise the last product.

As the Fe2+FeX2+ are consumed, more iron will get dissolved (Le Chatelier's Principle) and keep the whole process going.

Maybe a little picture to go along with this

https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/5134/why-cant-rust-form-without-water

 

Now I remember why I barely passed chemistry.

[RockMyAmadeus]

5 hours ago, newshane said:

Another source (National Gallery of Australia) is telling me that "The recommended museum levels are 20ºC and 50%RH." 

Once again, I think the magic number for comics is between 30-40%. 

I did some digging at the NGA site; lots of great stuff. I wonder...paper conservation at galleries, archives, and museums generally deal with document (metal free) preservation and book (usually metal free), rather than magazine preservation . The needs of paper are obviously different from the needs of metal, and I wonder if any serious archivists have done the heavy lifting when it comes to the balance struck between the two.

https://nga.gov.au/conservation/paper/index.cfm

I wish I could store all my books in the dry, cold air of mountainous Colorado. 

Here's the Library of Congress' page:

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/comics.html

Comic books are modern publications, the earliest of which are from the 19th century industrial era when machine-made, wood pulp paper had already become the dominant paper product. Due to the inherent chemical instabilities of wood pulp papers and the late development of U.S. paper standards (in the 1980s), many comic book collections contain acidic books. Good storage is especially critical to the preservation of acidic paper materials. Guidelines for good storage:

• A cool (room temperature or below), relatively dry (about 35% relative humidity), clean, and stable environment (avoid attics, basements, and other locations with high risk of leaks and environmental extremes)
• Minimal exposure to all kinds of light; no exposure to direct or intense light
• Distance from radiators and vents
• Supportive protective enclosures*

[BladeTX]

1 hour ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

Then whoever so deemed it doesn't know basic chemistry.

Rust...iron oxide...is caused by water (either in liquid or vapor form), oxygen, and iron. Those "chemicals" were H2O, Fe2 and O2. 

Can rust form without water? Yes, but it would take a very long time, or very high heat. Obviously, high heat was not the issue, and neither was time. So what happened? Water vapor...humidity...interacted with the oxygen already in the air and the iron in the staples.

Iron has a certain tendency to dissolve in water according to the following equation:

Fe(s)⟶Fe2+(aq)+2e−Fe(s)⟶FeX2+(aq)+2eX−

The release of electrons causes a small current to flow in the metal (Remember that metals conduct electricity). This turns the point where iron dissolves into an anode, and the region around this area becomes rich in electrons, a cathode. Now, we have to remember that water dissociates to small extents according to:

H2O(l)↽−−⇀H+(aq)+OH−(aq)HX2O(l)↽−−⇀HX+(aq)+OHX−(aq)

If it was an acid, the H+HX+ would have quickly taken all the electrons liberated from the dissolution of iron earlier, but the concentration of hydrogen ions is not large enough in water, so that we get another reaction taking place at the cathode [The hydrogen ions actually 'gather up' near to the surface but cannot do anything, creating a thin protective layer of hydrogen ions around the cathode, but not strong enough to prevent further reaction]. This reaction involves oxygen and other water molecules:

2H2O(l)+O2(g)+4e−⟶4OH−(aq)2HX2O(l)+OX2(g)+4eX−⟶4OHX−(aq)

Now this is the OH−OHX− that reacts with the earlier liberated iron (or ferrous) ions:

Fe2+(aq)+2OH− (aq)⟶Fe(OH)2(aq)FeX2+(aq)+2OHX− (aq)⟶Fe(OH)X2(aq)

Now more oxygen will react to oxidise the iron (II) hydroxide...

Fe(OH)2(aq) −→O Fe(OH)3(aq) −→O Fe2O3(s)Fe(OH)X2(aq) →O Fe(OH)X3(aq) →O FeX2OX3(s)

You probably can recognise the last product.

As the Fe2+FeX2+ are consumed, more iron will get dissolved (Le Chatelier's Principle) and keep the whole process going.

Maybe a little picture to go along with this

https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/5134/why-cant-rust-form-without-water

 

Well now I am properly schooled 

All I know is what CGC said and there were multiple cases of this in this brand safe but not others.

[BladeTX]

1 hour ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

I did some digging at the NGA site; lots of great stuff. I wonder...paper conservation at galleries, archives, and museums generally deal with document (metal free) preservation and book (usually metal free), rather than magazine preservation . The needs of paper are obviously different from the needs of metal, and I wonder if any serious archivists have done the heavy lifting when it comes to the balance struck between the two.

https://nga.gov.au/conservation/paper/index.cfm

I wish I could store all my books in the dry, cold air of mountainous Colorado. 

Here's the Library of Congress' page:

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/comics.html

Comic books are modern publications, the earliest of which are from the 19th century industrial era when machine-made, wood pulp paper had already become the dominant paper product. Due to the inherent chemical instabilities of wood pulp papers and the late development of U.S. paper standards (in the 1980s), many comic book collections contain acidic books. Good storage is especially critical to the preservation of acidic paper materials. Guidelines for good storage:

• A cool (room temperature or below), relatively dry (about 35% relative humidity), clean, and stable environment (avoid attics, basements, and other locations with high risk of leaks and environmental extremes)
• Minimal exposure to all kinds of light; no exposure to direct or intense light
• Distance from radiators and vents
• Supportive protective enclosures*

Very interesting!  Looks like I’m storing well except my display books .  Thinking about getting a few of those standing ones with UV protection.  Then I can put out really nice books

[The Lions Den]

2 hours ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

Then whoever so deemed it doesn't know basic chemistry.

Rust...iron oxide...is caused by water (either in liquid or vapor form), oxygen, and iron. Those "chemicals" were H2O, Fe2 and O2. 

Can rust form without water? Yes, but it would take a very long time, or very high heat. Obviously, high heat was not the issue, and neither was time. So what happened? Water vapor...humidity...interacted with the oxygen already in the air and the iron in the staples.

Iron has a certain tendency to dissolve in water according to the following equation:

Fe(s)⟶Fe2+(aq)+2e−Fe(s)⟶FeX2+(aq)+2eX−

The release of electrons causes a small current to flow in the metal (Remember that metals conduct electricity). This turns the point where iron dissolves into an anode, and the region around this area becomes rich in electrons, a cathode. Now, we have to remember that water dissociates to small extents according to:

H2O(l)↽−−⇀H+(aq)+OH−(aq)HX2O(l)↽−−⇀HX+(aq)+OHX−(aq)

If it was an acid, the H+HX+ would have quickly taken all the electrons liberated from the dissolution of iron earlier, but the concentration of hydrogen ions is not large enough in water, so that we get another reaction taking place at the cathode [The hydrogen ions actually 'gather up' near to the surface but cannot do anything, creating a thin protective layer of hydrogen ions around the cathode, but not strong enough to prevent further reaction]. This reaction involves oxygen and other water molecules:

2H2O(l)+O2(g)+4e−⟶4OH−(aq)2HX2O(l)+OX2(g)+4eX−⟶4OHX−(aq)

Now this is the OH−OHX− that reacts with the earlier liberated iron (or ferrous) ions:

Fe2+(aq)+2OH− (aq)⟶Fe(OH)2(aq)FeX2+(aq)+2OHX− (aq)⟶Fe(OH)X2(aq)

Now more oxygen will react to oxidise the iron (II) hydroxide...

Fe(OH)2(aq) −→O Fe(OH)3(aq) −→O Fe2O3(s)Fe(OH)X2(aq) →O Fe(OH)X3(aq) →O FeX2OX3(s)

You probably can recognise the last product.

As the Fe2+FeX2+ are consumed, more iron will get dissolved (Le Chatelier's Principle) and keep the whole process going.

Maybe a little picture to go along with this

https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/5134/why-cant-rust-form-without-water

 

[BladeTX]

I bow to the Gods of Science 

[newshane]

2 hours ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

If said collector was monitoring humidity levels, why were they not also not monitoring rust formation on the staples? A quick glance would have spotted rust long before it got as bad as the picture shows.

I suspect that said collector didn't replace his or her dessicant, and the humidity level got to the point where there was enough water vapor to act as a catalyst and really get the chemical reaction of rust formation going.

Precisely.