Detergent for Removing Polishing Pastes from Aluminum

The Challenge

A surface treatment specialist, engaged in third-party electroplating, approached us with a need to degrease and prepare aluminum plates destined for chrome plating. Currently, they are struggling to thoroughly clean the plates because polishing paste accumulates in corners and crevices, and their existing detergent isn’t fully satisfactory.

Furthermore, they explicitly requested that the product be free of solvents, phosphates, and sequestering agents, which are difficult for them to treat in their wastewater.

Our Solution

As is well known, proper preparation in any electroplating process is fundamental to ensure maximum adhesion of the metal deposit to the base metal. Therefore, the degreasing and/or cleaning phases must remove all contaminants, whether organic or inorganic.

In this specific case, the major difficulty lay in identifying a detergent with high wettability that could thoroughly clean the parts without even minimally etching the material or altering its appearance and color.

The client has two ultrasonic tanks arranged in sequence: the first removes most of the dirt from the surfaces, and the second performs a finishing clean, removing the last remaining residues.

In preliminary tests conducted at our laboratory, we tested different products. While the product itself is crucial, equally important are the efficiency and characteristics of the ultrasound (power and working frequency), as well as the movement of the frame with the parts in the detergent solution. The circulation of liquid around the part ensures high cleaning efficiency.

Results

Among the various detergents tested, SURFACID RP 888 yielded the best results.

SURFACID RP 888 is a slightly acidic pH detergent that, in addition to excellent efficacy in removing polishing pastes, has the unique ability to brighten and enhance the shine of the base metal, thus improving the final outcome.

SURFACID RP 888 was used at a 5% concentration and at a temperature of 60°C (140°F) for approximately 8 minutes.

As requested by the client, the chosen product contains no solvents, phosphates, or sequestering agents. Moreover, it is safe for operators and has a very low environmental impact.