Letter 16091

Effect of steel in Alodine 1200 solution  

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If I leave a piece of steel in Alodine tank, it will effect aluminum parts and contaminate solution?

Nadia Sarraf
- Toronto, On, Canada

You are asking about a specific proprietary product, so you should get your answer from the manufacturer of that specific proprietary. However, were you to ask the same question in generic fashion, I would have said that I have actually seen chromate tanks built of plain steel--so it should not be a problem.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

Alodine 1200 and equivalent products such as Iridite 14-2 contain a small amount of complexed ion. So that the solutions will test positively for iron. However a large excess of uncomplexed iron is detrimental to the salt spray results. So it depends on how long the iron object was in the solution.

Don Baudrand Don Baudrand, Consultant   Poulsbo, Washington

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