48001

Anodizing Titanium [Connecticut] 

February 29, 2008

I am interested in what electrolyte is used to anodize titanium for subsequent adhesive bonding.

Paul D. Stransky
Retired CEF - N. Grosvenordale, CT, USA

Depends what you want out of the bond. If it is structural then you may like to look at an alkaline system such as AMS2488 [link is to spec at TechStreet]. If it is simply to get things to adhere you could consider sulphuric acid anodising, gives a very thin blue coating, nanometers thick.

You may consider other methods ass well, such as wet abrasive blasting the surface or alkaline peroxide oxidation. The wet blast will not give a durable bond for hot or humid conditions, nor will the sulphuric acid anodising. If bonding for operations in hot and/or humid conditions you do need either alkaline anodising or alkaline peroxide oxidation.

Brian Terry
Aerospace - Yeovil, Somerset, UK

I have had success using a fluoride phosphate and using a chemfilm coating to improve adhesion for aerospace paint on titanium.

Jim Dedmon
- Ventura, California, USA