Protection upgraded

SurTec 650
chromitAL TCP

Pre-Treatment for Aluminium prior to Coating

Properties

hexavalent chromium-free pre-treatment, suitable before painting,

powder coating and gluing
approved by GSB and Qualicoat
liquid concentrate
based on trivalent chromium
excellent corrosion protection, comparable to hexavalent passivations
best performance on extruded material and sheets
easy to handle in immersion- and spray application
produces colourless passivation layers
applied for US-patent: 6,375,726; 6,511,532; 6,521,029; 6,527,841
IMDS-number: 30429267

Application
SurTec 650 can be used in immersion and spray application.
The process includes the following products:

SurTec 650 is used for new make-up

SurTec 650 B is used for replenishment

make-up value:
SurTec 650

for immersion and spray application

4 %vol

(2.5-10 %vol)

100 mg/l

(60-250 mg/l)

analytical value:
zirconium
Make-up:

Steps during make-up:

1. Dilute SurTec 650 concentrate with DI-water, while stirring.
2. Control the pH-value and adjust if necessary applying sulfuric acid
(5 %) or sodium hydroxide solution (1 %).

temperature:

25C

(20-35C)

pH-value:

3.5
(2.5-3.9)
adjust with 5 % sulfuric acid
resp. with 1 % sodium hydroxide solution

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application time:

1 min

(0.5-3 min)

spray pressure:

1 bar

(0.5-2.5 bar)

agitation:

necessary

tank material:

stainless steel or steel with acid- and fluoride-resistant coating

rack material:

material: titanium, stainless steel (V4A), aluminium, plastic

filtration:

necessary (0.1-0.5 times the total bath volume per hour);

pore size: 25 m

heating:

not necessary; constant temperature of 20-35C required

exhaust:

required for workers protection

hints:

Storage: During storage a slight precipitation may occur inside the

concentrates of SurTec 650 and SurTec 650 B, which will not impair
quality or function of the products.
Process sequence: Prior to the passivation with SurTec 650, the
aluminium surface must be cleaned and deoxidised thoroughly. The
surface must be water-break free.
If using a silicate-containing degreasing, subsequently the surface has to
be treated with a fluoride-containing deoxidising.
In the last rinse prior to the SurTec 650 bath a conductivity of max.
350 S/cm is required, in order to avoid variations in the following
SurTec 650 chromitAL bath.
After passivation with SurTec 650 chromitAL, the parts have to be rinsed.
The conductivity of the final rinse must be below 30 S/cm.
Tests: As a qualitative determination of the deposited SurTec 650 layer a
spot test is available. The test kit and its instruction can be ordered
separately.
Further treatment: The treated surfaces can be coated immediately after
drying or stored, as long as they are protected from contamination and
temperature extremes. For optimum results, the parts should be coated
within 7 days.
In order to be compliant with QUALICOAT, the coating should be applied
within 16 hours, for GSB within 24 h, respectively as Premium Coater
within 12 hours.
Layer weight: For pre-treatment of extruded profiles before powder
coating, a layer weight of 0.05-0.12 g/m2 must be adjusted. The formation
of the passivation layer should be tested directly after the pre-treatment
via spot test.
Drying temperature: The drying temperature should be 65C (room
temperature up to 100C).

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recommended process sequence:

Standard process sequences for immersion:
3 active steps:
1. weak alkaline cleaning
2. acid pickling
3. passivation

e.g. SurTec 061

e.g. SurTec 478
with SurTec 650

4 active steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.

weak alkaline cleaning

alkaline etching
acid desmutting
passivation

e.g. SurTec 061

e.g. SurTec 406 AS
e.g. SurTec 478
with SurTec 650

Standard process sequences for spraying:

2 active steps:
1. acid pickling
2. passivation

e.g. SurTec 478

with SurTec 650

3 active steps:
1. alkaline cleaning
2. acid pickling
3. passivation

e.g. SurTec 406 AS

e.g. SurTec 478
with SurTec 650

Between each step, there has to be rinsed. The rinsing methods

have to be adapted to the plating line.
The process sequences above are general recommendations.
To qualify the process, modifications may be necessary.

Technical Specification
(at 20C)

Appearance

Density (g/ml)

SurTec 650

liquid, green, clear-turbid,

contingency precipitate
liquid, , green, clear-turbid,
contingency precipitate

1.005 (1.00-1.02)

approx. 3.4

1.008 (1.00-1.02)

approx. 1.9

SurTec 650 B

pH-value (conc.)

Maintenance and Analysis

Check the pH-value regularly. Analyse the concentration of zirconium regularly and adjust by
adding SurTec 650 B.
Sample Preparation
Take a sample at a homogeneously mixed position and let it cool down to room temperature.
If the sample is turbid, let the turbidity settle down and decant or filter the solution.

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Zirconium Analysis by Photometry

equipment:

Photometric Test LCK 364 Zirconium of Co. HACH LANGE:

Table photometer or
POCKET photometer with wave length 500 nm with adapter for LANGE
cuvette test and POCKET light protection cap

procedure:

For all bathes with a make-up concentration > 2 %vol SurTec 650 an
adequate dilution is required.
For bathes with 2-6 %vol SurTec 650 make a 1:4 dilution (F = 4):
1. Pipette 25 ml filtered bath sample into a 100 ml volumetric flask,
fill up to the mark with deionised water and mix well.
Measuring of the blind value:
2. Close the cuvette slit of the photometer and set the blank value
at 500 nm against air.
3. Then remove the sealing from the DosiCap, unscrew the cap from
the cuvette and screw the inverted cap on the cuvette.
4. Then let the dye stuff dissolve in the cuvette by shaking for 10 s
(now the solution is yellow, it must be clear and free of air
bubbles and particles). Clean the cuvette with a soft towel to
remove fingerprint residues and measure the absorbance ABS(zero)
in the photometer at 500 nm.
Measuring of the bath sample:
5. Take the cuvette out of the photometer, open the cap and pipette
0.2 ml diluted bath sample into the cuvette.
6. Close the cuvette with the cap and shake it very well (depending
on the zirconium content, the solution becomes slightly or
strongly orange).
7. After 5 minutes measure the absorbance ABS(zero + sample) at 500 nm
in the photometer.

calculation:

Determination with POCKET or table photometer at 500 nm

(measuring without program):
First calculate the 0.2 ml cuvette volume change for the determination
of the blank value:
ABS(zero) 0.9643 = ABS(corr.)
With the corrected zero value calculate the absorbance of the sample:
ABS(zero + sample) ABS(corr.) = ABS(sample)
ABS(sample) 158.2 + 0.4 = mg/l zirconium
For dilutions multiply the calculated zirconium content with the
dilution factor F (F = 4):
mg/l zirconium F = mg/l zirconium in the bath

correction:

addition of 1 ml/l SurTec 650 B = rise by 4 mg/l zirconium

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SurTec 650 Determination of the Layer Weight

equipment:

analytical balance (+/- 0.1 mg)

reagents:

50 %vol nitric acid (65 %)

1. Passivate a test part with a known surface area in m2 (preferably
> 2 dm2) in SurTec 650.
2. Rinse with deionised water and dry with compressed air at room
temperature.
3. Weigh the dry part within 3 h after passivation with the analytical
balance (= M1).
4. Remove the passivation layer in nitric acid (4 min at 20-25C).
5. Rinse with deionised water and dry with compressed air at room
temperature.
6. Weigh the dry part again with the analytical balance (= M2).
7. Repeat the analysis with a cleaned and deoxidised but notpassivated test part(= M3 and M4)

procedure:

calculation:

(M1 - M2) / surface area = A

(M3 - M4) / surface area = B
A - B = layer weight in g/m2

hint:

For determination of the layer weight always a fresh solution should

be used. At the latest after 1 m2/l the solution has to be renewed.

Ingredients

chromium(III) salts
zirconium fluoride

Consumption and Stock Keeping

The consumption depends heavily on the drag-out. To determine the exact amounts of drag-out,
see SurTec Technical Letter 11.
The following values can be taken as estimated average consumption:
6-18 ml SurTec 650 concentrate are sufficient for treating 1 m2 surface (including a supposed
drag-out of 100 ml/m2).
The consumption is strongly dependent on further factors:

the drag-out may be significantly higher for rough surfaces and scooping parts
(up to 300 ml/m2)

at rough surfaces, the effective surface is higher than the part's dimension,
so the chemical consumption is higher

drag-in of alkalinity into the SurTec 650 bath can lead to precipitations
which means additional consumption

In order to prevent delays in the production process, per 1,000 l bath the following amounts
should be kept in stock:
SurTec 650
SurTec 650 B

50 kg
50 kg

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Product Safety and Ecology

Classification and designation are noted in the Material Safety Data Sheets (according to the
European legislation).The safety instructions and the instructions for environmental protection
have to be followed in order to avoid hazards for people and environment. Please consider the
explicit details in our Material Safety Data Sheets.

Warranty
We are responsible for our products in the context of the valid legal regulations. The warranty
exclusively accesses for the delivered state of a product. Warranties and claims for damages
after the subsequent treatment of our products do not exist. For details please consider our
general terms and conditions.

Further Information and Contact

If you have any questions concerning the process, please contact your local technical
department.
For further information and contact details please visit our homepage:
http://www.SurTec.com

15 June 2015/DK, PV

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