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Cleaning SS 17-4

I supervise a chemical processing laboratory for a medical device manufacturer. We have recently switched the material of some parts to Stainless Steel 17-4. I am not very familiar with this material. When we cleaned this material in our standard alkaline rinse solution (pH13, 55C) the parts turned black. Any attempts to lower pH or temperature resulted in an insufficiently clean surface. Any suggestions?

Suzanne Staples
- Palm Beach Gardens, Florida USA
2000

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2000

Suzanne:

There are neutral cleaners and citric cleaners available that will give you what you need. You can't go too low in pH, though, with the 17-4PH grade. Sometimes you can get the copper plating on the surface.

I only know the proprietary products that we sell for this, but there are others around.

Let us know if we can help.

Lee Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.

McHenry, Illinois