Alkaline non-cyanide zinc problem

A. It is much more difficult to passivate an alkaline non cyanide zinc deposit than a cyanide one. Most suppliers have an additive named conditioner or purifier for the zinc bath. Try to add it to your solution.

Also check your rinses, they have to be much more clean than for a cyanide deposit.

How is your iridescent chromate? Usually the iridescent is less sensitive then the clear chromate.

(I notice that you are from Fife in Scotland and it reminded me of the Macbeth....)

Sara Michaeli
Tel-Aviv-Yafo, Israel
1998

---

A. Dear Dougie ,

Sorry for the long wait for a reply , but you problem could most probably be overcome with a predip before passivating in either

1 ) 5 % Hydrochloric Acid

2 ) 2 % Nitric Acid

remember the Caustic Film of Alkaline non - cyanide Zinc plating solutions is very tenacious , usually effective rinsing after plating can only be achieved in rinses that are violently agitated with air or solution movement then acid dipping prior to chromating

regards
John

John Tenison - Woods
- Victoria Australia
1998

A. Estimado colega:

Nosotros hemos padecido este problema con el pasivado azul durante varias semanas, pero en los ultimos dias hemos probado el pasivado azul IRIDITE (no recuerdo el no.), distribuido por Macdermid (por lo menos en Espana) y los resultados son estupendos muy azules y sin iridiscencias ni amarilleos, pruebalo.

Miguel Angel Martín
surface finishing shop
Madrid, Spain
1998

----
Ed. note: It is fine to suggest clear vs. yellow, trivalent vs. hexavalent, and operational suggestions -- but please no brand or sourcing suggestions ( huh? why?)

Thanks for the suggestions, the problem was eventually traced to a deterioration in the incoming water supply. Calcium and other minerals in the water prevented the chromate in the passivate working. We added Ammonium Bifluoride to the water prior to adding the passivate concentrate passivate and this cured the problem immediately.

We had considered the possibility of poor quality water but had discounted it out of hand as historically the water in this area had always been of very high quality.

A lesson learnt, albeit an expensive one.

Dougie Lightfoot
- Fife, Scotland
1999

A. Dear Dougie

We have seen this problem many times, particularly in the south of England due to water quality. We have a trivalent blue pasivate which overcomes these problems without pretreating the water.

Yours sincerely

ALAN GARDNER
Birmingham, U.K.
1999