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Unwanted Copper Deposits

More than once I've seen assemblies return from a hot alkaline wash operation with copper deposits on cadmium-plated steel and aluminum alloy components. I've assumed that this was a result of poor solution control, i.e., allowing the pH and the chelant concentrations to get too low. We have recommended against cleaning copper alloy components in the same washer, but this is apparently one aspect that will remain outside our control. Does anyone know if there are other important process variables that should be controlled to prevent copper deposition? For example, is there a temperature range in which copper deposition is much more likely to occur? Is there a reference that gives a primer on control of contamination in cleaning solutions? Thanks for any suggestions.

John Ullman
- South Bend, IN USA
2000

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