Pickling is a common and essential step as part of the pretreatment process for substrates like steel. It helps to ensure that inorganic contaminants on base material are removed leaving a suitably clean surface for subsequent surface finishing or coating processes.
Pickling of steel typically includes the use of strong acids which remove inorganic contaminants but can also have negative side effects on the workpieces themselves. One undesirable effect can be excessive attack of the base material which could also lead to surface roughening causing quality issues with subsequent coating processes. Another negative effect is the diffusion of atomic hydrogen into the crystal lattice of the steel during pickling that can lead to hydrogen induced embrittlement of the finished part.
Inhibitors are commonly used to help minimize the negative effects of strong acid pickling. They act by forming a protective layer on the substrate to prevent attack and hydrogen ingress.
This webinar will explain the basic principles of pickling, hydrogen embrittlement and how pickling inhibitors work. We will introduce a next generation inhibitor that effectively suppresses attack on the base material, hydrogen formation and diffusion into the steel lattice, including test results.
Agenda
Basic principles of pickling, hydrogen formation and embrittlement
Mechanism of pickling inhibitors
Product selection
UniClean® 511 - Atotech's new generation CMR and oxidizer-free pickling inhibitor
Test methods for base material attack and hydrogen embrittlement as well as test results
Björn Stroh
Pretreatment Specialist & Development Engineer CRC R&D
Björn Stroh holds a degree in Chemistry and has over 5 years’ experience as a development engineer for corrosion resistant coatings and pretreatment. Björn currently works in Atotech’s CRC R&D group and specializes in electroplating pretreatment, where reduction in environmental impact and removal of hazardous substances for pretreatment is a key focus.