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Algae in copper rinse

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I get a thick, algae-like growth on the walls of my dragout rinse after electroless copper. I use air sparging and room temp city water. Any suggestions?

Kevin Hatch
- Rochester, New York

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You might clean out the tank and then try turning off the air agitation. In a draqout rinse, there should be enough formaldehyde from the bath present to prevent the biological growth, but it is possible that it is being oxidized by the air agitation. Alternatively, you could add a little formaldehyde.

Lyle Kirman
water treatment systems - Cleveland, Ohio

July 2, 2010

Hi, Kevin. You might want to get out your feather duster and visit our page "Algae Growth in Gold Plating Rinses" -- a public forum discussion that predates the internet.

Regards,

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

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