Henkel BONDERITE® M-CR 600™ AERO Light Metals Conversion Coating

Henkel BONDERITE® M-CR 600™ AERO Light Metals Conversion Coating from SkyGeek is a powdered chemical that is used to produce a chromate conversion coating on all types of aluminum surfaces. It also works on aluminum alloys with outstanding results. The product is designed for conversion chrome and surface reactants and has a wide immersion temperature range of 70°F to 100°F. The surface treatment varies in color from light gold to tan and may be applied using a spray system, a brush or an immersion method. The formula contains no complex cyanides and is specifically recommended in environments where a low dielectric coating is desired. For the best results, please be sure to thoroughly clean all surfaces of grease, dirt and debris before applying.

SkyGeek carries BONDERITE® M-CR 600™ AERO in various sizing options ranging from a modest eight-ounce bottle to a large 55-gallon drum. Choose the size container that corresponds to your project size to ensure you have plenty of product available. Alodine® 600 is priced competitively and ships as quickly as possible.

Table Title - Operating Summary Chemical - Bath Preparation per 100 gallons: ALODINE 600 Chemical - 12.5 pounds *ALODINE TONER 22 - 9.9 pounds (1.0 gallons) *Not required when processing to meet class 3 of MIL-C-5541. (end table)

Table Title - Operation and Control ALODINE Titration - 7.4 to 9.4 ml Temperature - 70° to 100° Fahrenheit Time - 1 to 5 minutes pH - 1.5 to 2.0 (end table) The Process

The complete process sequence for the ALODINE 600 treatment normally consists of the following steps:

1. Cleaning
2. Water rinsing
3. Deoxidizing (optional)
4. Water rinsing
5. Treating with Alodine 600 processing solution
6. Water rinsing
7. Drying

Materials:

Alodine 600

Alodine Toner 22

Nitric acid

Testing reagents and apparatus

Equipment:

Process tank and housing should be fabricated from stainless steel, such as 316L or 304L. The 316L being preferred for maximum tank life. In all cases, approved welding techniques must be used. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or CPVC lined mild steel can be used. In spray applications, nozzles fabricated from 300 series stainless steel are preferred.

Process piping and pumps should be constructed of 316 or 304 stainless steel alloys. Various formulations of plastic pipe may be used with recommended support spacing, Schedule-80 being generally recommended. PVC Type I is limited to maximum process temperatures of 140° Fahrenheit. CPVC and PP may be used up to a maximum process temperature of 190° Fahrenheit. PVDF may be used for all expected operating temperatures.

Heat exchanger plates should be polished 316 stainless steel. Gas fired burner tubes are not recommended. All process circulation pump seals, valve seats, door seals, etc., which come into contact with the process solution and occasional acid equipment cleaners, should be EPDM, Viton™ or Teflon™.

Chemical feed pump parts and other elastomers which may come into contact with the concentrated replenishing chemical should be Viton or Teflon.

Support equipment available from Henkel Technologies for this process includes: chemical feed pumps, level controls, transfer pumps and bulk storage tanks.

Your local sales representative should be consulted for information on Henkel Technologies automatic process control equipment for this process and any additional questions.

Surface Preparation

Cleaning: All metal to be treated with the processing solution must be free from grease, oil and other foreign matter before the treatment. A complete line of cleaners is available and our representative should be consulted.

Water Rinsing: After cleaning, the metal must be thoroughly rinsed with water. The rinse should be overflowed continuously at a rate which will keep it clean and free from scum and contamination.

Deoxidizing (optional): When aluminum to be treated with ALODINE 600 processing chemical has corrosion products or heavy oxide on the surface, it should be cleaned by installing two additional stages between the post cleaner rinse and the ALODINE 600 treatment stage. One is for deoxidizing with a deoxidizing chemical and one is for an additional cold water rinse.

Treating with the Alodine 600 Processing Solution

Buildup: Fill the tank about three-fourths full with cold water. For each 100 gallons of final solution volume, add 12.5 pounds of pre-dissolved ALODINE 600 chemical and circulate until thoroughly mixed; add, while mixing, 9.9 pounds (1.0 gallon) of ALODINE TONER 22 chemical. Finally, add sufficient water to bring the solution up to the working level and then heat, if necessary, to the operating temperature.

Operation:

Time: 1 to 5 minutes.

Temperature: 70° to 100° Fahrenheit.

Each alloy reacts with the ALODINE 600 solution to produce a coating that is characteristic of that alloy. The bath should produce a light, iridescent, gold to tan coating within the operating conditions selected.

If the coating is powdery:

1. The pH of the bath may be too low for the bath concentration selected.
2. The work may have been improperly cleaned and/or rinsed.
3. The ALODINE 600 bath may have become contaminated with phosphates, sulfates, or some other contaminant. In most cases, phosphate contamination will stop-off the coating completely.
4. The bath temperature may be too high.
5. The process time may be too long.

If the coating is too light or iridescent:

1. The temperature of the ALODINE 600 bath may be too low for the process time selected.
2. The process time may be too short
3. The concentration of the bath may be too low.
4. The pH of the bath may be outside of the proper range.

Testing and Control: Never pipet by mouth, use a pipet filler.

Alodine Titration Pipet a 5 ml sample of the ALODINE 600 bath into an iodimetric flask and dilute to approximately 100 ml with water. Add approximately 1 gm (1/2 teaspoonful) of Reagent 2 and agitate the solution until the compound is dissolved. Add approximately 10 ml of Reagent Solution 49 in 5 ml increments to the lip of the flask, raising the stopper slightly after each addition to allow the acid to run into the flask. Rinse the lip several times with water and replace the stopper. Let sit for approximately one minute.

Titrate with Titrating Solution 104 until a straw color is obtained. Do not rezero the buret. Add several milliliters of Indicator 10 to the sample and continue the titration until the blue-black color disappears. The milliliters of Titrating Solution 104 used is the ALODINE titration.

ALODINE titration range: 7.4 - 9.4 ml.

To increase the value 1.0 ml: 1.5 pounds of ALODINE 600 chemical per 100 gallons of bath.

pH Adjustment: As the bath is used, the pH has a tendency to rise. Nitric acid is added to restore the pH to its proper operating level.

pH range: 1.5 to 2.0

Large additions of nitric acid are to be avoided in favor of frequent small additions.

After Treatment

Water Rinsing: After treating with ALODINE 600 the work should be thoroughly rinsed in cold water. The rinse should be continuously overflowed such that the main body of the rinse never becomes excessively contaminated.

Drying: Parts coming from the post treatment stage should be dried as soon as possible in an indirectly fired oven or by any other means which will not contaminate the metal with fumes, oil, or partially burnt gases. Peak metal temperature should not exceed 140° Fahrenheit.

Storage Requirements

ALODINE 600 chemical should be stored in a dry ventilated area. ALODINE TONER 22 freezes as 3° Fahrenheit. Should freezing occur, the chemical should be agitated after thawing.

Waste Disposal

Applicable regulations covering disposal and discharge of chemicals should be consulted and followed.

Disposal information for ALODINE 600 and ALODINE TONER 22 is given on the Material Safety Data Sheet for each product.

The processing bath is acidic and contains chromium and complex fluorides. Waste treatment and neutralization will be required prior to the discharge to the sewer. (Refer to Waste Treatment Information Bulletin WT1004, available on request.)

Precaution

Consult the appropriate Material Safety Data Sheets for safety and handling guidelines for the products listed in this bulletin. Table Title - Testing Reagents and Apparatus Code - Quantity - Item 592477 - 1 - Buret Assembly, 25-ml Automatic, Glass 592489 - 2* - Flasks, iodimetric, 250-ml 592484 - 2* - Graduated Cylinder, 50-ml, Glass 592401 - 1/2 pt - Indicator 10 (0.5% starch solution) 592475 - 1 - Indicator Dropping Bottle, 2 oz 592497 - 2 - Pipet, 5-ml, plastic 592413 - 1 lb - Reagent 2 (KI) 592438 - 5 pt - Reagent Solution 49 (C.P. HCl) 594334 - 1 - Thermometer, Floating 592416 - 2 qts - Titrating Solution 104 (0.1N Na2S2O3) (end table)