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Metal Pretreatment

What is the life span of Ammonium Bifluoride in a metal parts washer application? What would the concentration need to be for this application to completely degrease and etch zinc cast parts?

Virgil Bryson
- Dalton, Georgia, USA
2002

Hi Virgil,

Ammonium bifluoride has no degreasing ability. It is included as a component in proprietary metal pretreatment products to do the etching job that you mentioned. But other components in the formulation will do the cleaning.

It is difficult to give a minimum concentration of fluoride because the etch rate is dependent on several factors. Your best bet is to contact a chemical pretreatment vendor, who can recommend an appropriate formulated product.

George Gorecki
- Naperville, Illinois
2002

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