what does rust consist of?
<answer> hydrated iron(III) oxide (Fe2O). <context> Rust is the red-brown oxide of iron formed by the action of moisture and oxygen on the metal. It consists mainly of hydrated iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3.H2O) and iron(III) hydroxide (Fe(OH)3). If oxygen is in short supply the formation Fe3O4 is favoured; this can be regarded as a mixture of Fe2O3 (magnetite) and FeO.ron is an element. Steel is an alloy; it is a mixture of iron (typically more than 98%) with variable amounts of carbon, manganese and other elements, depending on the properties required. The hulls of ships are generally made of mild steel.