Frank HildQ: I have a question for you. We are anodizing some aluminum parts per Mil A 8625F, Type 2, Class I and it appears to be getting somewhat poor results. I wanted to get your take on this surface chemistry that we are trying to bond to. Here are some brief notes. Hopefully this is enough info for you to comment on.
Mil A 8625F, Type 2, Class 1Type II: Sulfuric Acid anodizing Class 1: This means that the anodize is not dyed or pigmented.
There is also a secondary operation of sealing:
per Mil A 8625F, Type 2, class 1, Section 3.8.1:
"When class 1 is specified, sealing shall be accomplished by immersion in a sealing medium such as a 5 percent aqueous solution of sodium or potassium dichromate (ph of 5.0 to 6.0) for 15 minutes a 90C to 100C, in boiling deionized water, cobalt or nickel acetate, or other suitable chemical solutions..."
We are trying to bond a peroxide cured silicone to this treated aluminum surface. I am not familiar with the sealing process as described above. Can you give me some insight on this?
A: Sulfuric anodize, commonly referred to as Type II anodizing, is formed by using an electrolytic solution of sulfuric acid at room temperature and a current density of 15 to 22 Amps per square foot. The process will run for 30 to 60 minutes depending on the alloy used. This will produce a generally clear coating, depending on sealing, a minimum of 8µm thick. One third of the coating thickness will build up per surface and 2/3 will be penetration. Sulfuric anodize coatings are often sealed to enhance corrosion resistance, lock in dyes, or both. Hot water seals produce the clearest sulfuric anodize while sodium dichromate yields a yellow-green appearance but is generally a better seal. Sulfuric anodizing is rather tolerant of aluminum alloys for anodizing with the exception of high-silicon die-cast alloys such as 380. The less alloying elements there are the higher the clarity and depth of color of the anodize coating.
The best adhesion is reached when each bonding aluminum atom carries a single reactive group. Even at room temperature, acetic acid or fatty acids can easily pass through a coating infiltrating chemical bonds by advanced attack and leading to adhesion failure. The aluminum atom progressive binds with reactive groups which then leave and the bond fails.
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