Abstract
The effect of a pretreatment sequence on several aluminium alloys was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and SEM. The pretreatment consisted of vapour degreasing followed by a three step sequence comprising 1 min immersions in (a) nitric acid–hydrofluoric acid solution, (b) sodium hydroxide solution and (c) a 1 or 5 min immersion in nitric acid–hydrofluoric acid as in step (a). Following each pretreatment step the alloy panels were rinsed in tap water for 1 min. The surfaces of aluminium alloys 2024-T3, 6061-T6, and 7075-T6 were examined at each stage in the pretreatment process. The neutral salt spray resistance of specimens deoxidised with this pretreatment and chromate conversion coated were compared to those deoxidised with a conventional chromate based deoxidiser before conversion coating.
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