Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C22/00—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals
  • C23C22/05—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions
  • C23C22/06—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6
  • C23C22/34—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6 containing fluorides or complex fluorides
  • C23C22/36—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6 containing fluorides or complex fluorides containing also phosphates
  • C23C22/364—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6 containing fluorides or complex fluorides containing also phosphates containing also manganese cations
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C22/00—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals
  • C23C22/05—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions
  • C23C22/06—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6
  • C23C22/34—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6 containing fluorides or complex fluorides
  • C23C22/36—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6 containing fluorides or complex fluorides containing also phosphates
  • C23C22/364—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6 containing fluorides or complex fluorides containing also phosphates containing also manganese cations
  • C23C22/365—Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive liquid, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals using aqueous solutions using aqueous acidic solutions with pH less than 6 containing fluorides or complex fluorides containing also phosphates containing also manganese cations containing also zinc and nickel cations

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an acidic aqueous phosphate solution and a process for phosphating a metal surface with said solution. More particularly, it relates to a solution and a process for forming a phosphate film especially suitable for cationic electrocoating, and is particularly applicable to metal surfaces which include an iron-based surface and a zinc-based surface such as an automobile body.
• Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. l07784/l980 (laid-open to the public on August l9, l980) discloses a process for treating a metal surface by dip treatment, followed by spray treatment, with an acidic aqueous phosphate solution containing from 0.5 to l.5 g/l of zinc ion, from 5 to 30 g/l of phosphate ion, and from 0.0l to 0.2 g/l of nitrite ion and/or from 0.05 to 2 g/l of m-nitrobenzenesulfonate ion.
• Said process is reported to be capable of providing a phosphate film which is effective for forming a coating by cationic electrocoating having excellent adhesion and corrosion-resistance on complicated articles having many pocket portions like car bodies.
• Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. l45l80/l980 (laid-open to the public on November l2, l980) discloses a process for treating a metal surface by spray treatment with an acidic aqueous phosphate solution containing from 0.4 to l.0 g/l of zinc ion, from 5 to 40 g/l of phosphate ion, from 2.0 to 5.0 g/l of chlorate ion, and from 0.0l to 0.2 g/l of nitrite ion. Further, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No.
• l52l83/l980 discloses an acidic aqueous phosphate solu­tion containing from 0.08 to 0.20 wt. % of zinc ion, from 0.8 to 3.0 wt. % of phosphate ion, from 0.05 to 0.35 wt. % of chlorate ion, from 0.00l to 0.l0 wt. % of nitrite ion, and complex fluoride ion in an amount cal­culated by the formula: 0.4 ⁇ y ⁇ 0.63x - 0.042, wherein x is the concentration in wt. % of zinc ion and y is the concentration in wt. % of the complex fluoride ion.
• These prior art processes are reported to be capable of providing excellent adhesion and corrosion-­resistance to the coating by cationic electrocoating.
• each spot having a diameter of from l mm to 2 mm.
• These white spots will cause craters in subsequent treatment, thereby resulting in inferior coatings.
• the mechanism by which white spots are formed is believed to be as follows: In a first stage, there appear many pits, at the edge portions of which the galvanized layer is gradually dissolved in the form of concentric circles through an excessive etching reaction. As the growth of each pit continues, zinc phospate is precipitated in the center portion thereof, However, at the peripheral portions, the iron surface is exposed, which forms a galvanic cell with the zinc metal, thereby continuing the dissolution of the zinc.
• the present invention represents a further improve­ment in the above techniques for phosphating as a sub­strate treatment under cationic electrocoating.
• an object of the present invention is to provide an acidic aqueous phosphate solution which can give a phosphate film capable of providing excellent adhesion and corrosion-resistance to coatings from cationic electrocoating.
• Another object of the present invention is to pro­vide an acidic aqueous phosphate solution which provi­des excellent phosphate films on metal surfaces which include an iron-based surface, a zinc-based surface, and/or an aluminum-based surface.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an acidic aqueous phosphate solution which will not cause any white spots or at least any significant white spots on galvanized steel even in the dip treat­ment thereof.
• Another object of the present invention is to pro­vide an acidic aqueous phosphate solution which can give said phosphate film by treatment at low tem­perature.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a process for forming a phosphate film with said acidic aqueous phosphate solution.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a process by which a phosphate film can be satisfactorily formed on an article having a compli­cated shape like a car body.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a process by which a phosphate film can be satisfactorily formed on an article having a compli­cated shape like a car body.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide an aqueous concentrated composition for for­mulating said acidic aqueous phosphate solution.
• phosphating com­positions which are chlorate-free or at least substan­tially chlorate-free and which have a chloride ion level below 0.5 g/l provide excellent phosphate-coatings on iron, zinc, and aluminum-based surfaces, without the formation of deleterious white spots. It is important to the beneficial results of the present invention that the chloride ion level be consistently maintained below 0.5 g/l, which means that not only the chloride ion itself, but also the chlorate ion should not be added to the phosphating compositions, since the chlorate ion will be reduced to the chloride ion as the phosphating composition is used.
• the metal surfaces treated in accordance with the present invention include iron-­based surfaces, zinc-based surfaces, aluminum-based surfaces, and their respective alloy-based surfaces. These metal surfaces can be treated either separately or in combination.
• the advantage of the present inven­tion is most prominently exhibited when the treatment is carried out on metal surfaces which include both an iron-based surface and a zinc-based surface, as, for example, in a car body.
• Examples of zinc-based sur­faces include galvanized steel plate, galvanealed steel plate, electrogalvanized steel plate, electro zinc-­alloy plated steel plate, complex electrogalvanized steel plate, electro zinc-alloy plated steel plate, complex electrogalvanized steel plate, etc.
• the acidic aqueous phosphate solutions of the invention contain:
• the content of manganese ion is less than 0.2 g/l the manganese content in the phosphate film formed on zinc-based surfaces is very small; therefore the adhesion between the substrate and the coating after the cationic electrocoating becomes insufficient.
• the manganese ion is present in an amount of more than 4 g/l, no further beneficial effects are obtained for the coating, and the solution forms excessive precipi­tates, making it impossible to obtain a stable solu­tion.
• the manganese content in the phosphate film formed on the metal substrates shoulu be in the range of from about l to about 20% by weight, based on the weight of the film, in order to have a phosphate film which exhibits the performance requirements for cationic electrocoating.
• the phosphate film containing the amount of manganese specified above also forms part of the present invention.
• the manganese content can be calculated from the formula (W M /W C ) ⁇ l00 %.
• the amount of fluoride ion in the phosphating solution is less than 0.05 g/l, micronization of the phosphate film, improvement of corrosion-resistance after coating, and phosphating treatment at a reduced temperature cannot be attained.
• the fluoride ion can be present in an amount above 3 g/l, but use thereof in such quantities will not provide any greater effects than are obtainable by the phosphating solutions of the invention.
• the fluoride ion is contained in the form of a complex fluoride ion, e.g. the fluoro­borate ion or the fluorosilicate ion, although the F ⁇ ion itself can also be used.
• the weight ratio of zinc ion to phosphate ion be l : (l0 to 30). In this ratio an even phosphate film is obtained which exhibits all of the performance requirements needed for cationic electrocoating.
• the weight ratio of zinc ion to manga­nese ion is preferably l : (0.5 to 2). In this ratio it is possible to obtain in an economic manner a phosphate film which contains the required amount of manganese and which displays all of the beneficial effects provided by the present invention.
• the solutions of the invention it is desirable for the solutions to have a total acidity of l0 to 50 points, a free acidity of 0.3 to 2.0 points, and an acid ratio of l0 to 50.
• the phosphate film can be obtained economically, and with the free acidity in the above range, the phosphate film can be obtained evenly without excessive etching of the metal surface.
• Adjustments in the solution to ootain and maintain the above points and ratio can be achieved by use of an alkali metal hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide as required.
• Sources of the ingredients of the phosphating solutions of the invention include the following: as to the zinc ion; zinc oxide, zinc carbonate, zinc nitrate, etc.; as to the phosphate ion, phosphoric acid, zinc phosphate, zinc monohydrogen phosphate, zinc dihydrogen phosphate, manganese phosphate, manganese monohydrogen phosphate, manganese dihydrogen phosphate, etc.; as to the manganese ion; manganese carbonate, manganese nitrate, the above manganese phosphate com­pounds, etc.; as to the fluoride ion, hydrofluoric acid, fluoroboric acid, fluorosilicic acid, fluorotita­nic acid, and their metal salts (e.g., zinc salt, nickel salt, etc.; however, the sodium salt is excluded as it does not produce the desired effect); and as to the phosphating acccelerator, sodium nitrite, ammonium nitrite, sodium m-
• the phosphating solutions of the invention can further contain, as an optional ingredient, nickel ion.
• the content of the nickel ion should be from about 0.l to about 4 g/l, preferably about 0.3 to about 2 g/l.
• nickel ion is present with the manganese ion, per­formance of the resulting phosphate film is further improved, i.e., the adhesion and corrosion-resistance of the coating obtained after cationic electrocoating are further improved.
• the weight ratio of zinc ion to the sum of the manganese ion and the nickel ion is desirably l : (0.5 to 5.0), preferably l : (0.8 to 2.5).
• the supply source of nickel ion can be, for example, nickel car­bonate, nickel nitrate, nickel phosphate, etc.
• the phosphate film formed by the solutions of the present invention is a zinc phosphate-type film.
• Such films formed on iron-based metal surfaces contain from about 25 to about 40 wt. % of zinc, from about 3 to about ll wt. % of iron, from about l to about 20 wt. % of manganese, and from 0 to about 4 wt. % of nickel.
• the process of the present invention for phosphating metal surfaces by use of the phosphating solutions of the invention can be carried out by spray treatment, dip treatment, or by a combination of such treatments.
• Spray treatment can usually be effected by spraying 5 or more seconds in order to form an adequate phosphate film which exhibits the desired performance characteristics.
• a treat­ment can be carried out using a cycle comprising first a spray treatment for about 5 to about 30 seconds, followed by discontinuing the treatment for about 5 to 30 seconds and then spray treating again for at least 5 seconds with a total spray treatment time of at least 40 seconds. This cycle can be carried out once, twice, or three times.
• Dip treatment is an embodiment which is more pre­ferable than spray treatment in the process of the pre­sent invention.
• the dip treatment is usually effected for at least l5 seconds, preferably for about 30 to about l20 seconds.
• treatment can be carried out by first dip treating for at least l5 seconds and then spray treating for at least 2 seconds.
• the treatment can be effected by first spray treating for at least 5 seconds, and then dip treating for at least l5 seconds.
• the former combination of first dip treating and then spray treating is especially advan­tageous for articles having complicated shapes like a car body.
• a dip treatment for from about 30 to about 90 seconds, and then carry out the spray treatment for from about 5 to about 45 seconds.
• the treating temperature can be from about 30 to about 70°C, preferably from about 35 to about 60°C. This temperature range is approximately l0 to l5°C lower than that which is used in the prior art processes. Treating tempertures below 30°C should not be used due to an unacceptable increase in the time required to produce an acceptable coating. Conversely, when the treating temperature is too high, the phosphating accelerator is decomposed and excess precipitate is formed causing the components in the solution to become unbalanced and making it difficult to obtain satisfactory phosphate films.
• a convenient spray pressure is from 0.6 to 2 Kg/cm2G.
• a preferred mode of treatment in the process of the present invention is a dip treat­ment or a combined treatment using a dip treatment first and then a spray treatment.
• a metal surface is first subjected to a spray treatment and/or a dip treatment with an alkaline degreasing agent at a temperature of 50 to 60°C for 2 minutes; followed by washing with tap water; spray treatment and/or dip treatment with a surface con­ditioner at room temperature for l0 to 30 seconds; dip treatment with the solution of the present invention at a temperature of about 30 to about 70°C for at least l5 seconds; and washing with tap water and then with deionized water, in that order. Thereafter, it is desirable to after-treat with an acidulated rinse com­mon to the industry such as a dilute chromate solution.
• This after-treatment is preferably adopted even when the present invention is carried out by spray treatment, or by a combined treatment comprising a spray treatment, followed by a dip treatment.
• a phosphate film which gives greater corrosion-resistance to a siccative coating can be obtained.
• an acidic aqueous phosphate solution of the present invention comprising:
• the present invention further provides a con­centrated aqueous composition for formulating the acidic aqueous phosphate solutions of the present invention.
• the acidic aqueous treating solutions are conveniently prepared by diluting an aqueous con­centrate which contains a number of the solution ingre­dients in proper weight ratios, and then adding other ingredients as needed to prepare the treating solutions of the invention.
• the concentrates are advantageously formulated to contain zinc ion, phosphate ion, manga­nese ion, fluoride ion, and optionally, nickel ion, in a weight proportion of 0.l to 2 : 5 to 50 : 0.2 to 4 : at least 0.05 : 0.l to 4.
• the concentrates preferably contain a weight proportion of the above ingredients of 0.5 to l.5 : l0 to 30 : 0.6 to 3 : 0.l to 3 : 0.3 to 2.
• the concentrates are preferably formulated to con­tain at least about 25 g/l, more preferably from about 50 g/l to l30 g/l of zinc ion.
• care must be taken in forming the concentrates. For example, when manganese ion and complex fluoride ion are present together in a concentrate with sodium ion, a precipi­tate is formed. Also, it is not advisable to add any phosphating accelerator to the concentrate, since the accelerators tend to decompose and cause other problems.
• a concentrated com­position comprising 3.0 wt. % of zinc oxide, l.8 wt. % of nickel carbonate (II), 48.2 wt. % of 75 % phosphoric acid, l0.0 wt. % of manganese nitrate (II) hydrate (20 wt. % manganese content), 7.9 wt. % of 40 % fluorosili­cic acid, and 29.l wt. % of water.
• This concentrate is then diluted with water to 2.5 vol. %, followed by the addition of an aqueous solution of 20 % sodium nitrite to give an acidic phosphating solution of the inven­tion.
• the present solution preferably contains not more than about 0.2 g/l of chlorate ion. It is especially preferred that the solution contains no chlorate.
• the present invention is advantageous in avoiding white spots, especially on galvanized steel, particularly when the phosphating treatment comprises dipping.
• the present solution contains at least about l.05 g/l, especially at least about l.l g/l, of zinc ion, for instance from about l.05 to about l.5 g/l of zinc ion, especially when the phosphating treatment comprises dipping.
• the solution contains at least about l5 g/l of phosphate ion, for instance from about l5 to about 50 g/l, especially from about l5 to about 30 g/l, of phosphate ion.
• the solution contains more than about 4.0 g/l, especially more than about 5 g/l, of nitrate ion.
• the solution may contain from about 5 to about l5 g/l, especially from about 5 to about l0 g/l, of nitrate ion.
• the solution contains from about 0.3 g/l, especially more than about 0.4 g/l, of nickel ion.
• the solution may contain from about 0.4 to about 4 g/l, especially from about 0.4 to about 2 g/l, of nickel ion.

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Related Child Applications (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=25087256

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (19)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1986
  • 1986-08-27 AT AT93200125T patent/ATE160592T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1986-08-27 SG SG1996007305A patent/SG52645A1/en unknown
  • 1986-08-27 EP EP86306622A patent/EP0228151B1/de not_active Revoked
  • 1986-08-27 AT AT86306622T patent/ATE99002T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1986-08-27 DE DE3650659T patent/DE3650659T2/de not_active Revoked
  • 1986-08-27 DE DE3689442T patent/DE3689442T2/de not_active Revoked
  • 1986-08-27 EP EP93200125A patent/EP0544650B1/de not_active Revoked
• 1998
  • 1998-06-26 HK HK98106842A patent/HK1007771A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-12-18 HK HK98113999A patent/HK1012681A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (8)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events