US2681274A - Buffing compound - Google Patents

Description

Patented June 15, 1954 BUFFING COMPOUND Clarence B. F. Young, Leonia, N. J.

No Drawing. ApplicationSe-ptember 29, 1950, Serial No. 187,658

16 Claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 709,773, filed November 14, 1946, now abandoned, for Bumng Compound.

The present invention relates to a buffing composition and to a method of treatment of a metal article to be electroplated, lacquered or otherwise treated to remove all residual buffing material from the surface of the metal article after the bufiing operation.

More particularly, the invention relates to a buffing compound or composition which is adapted for buffing, polishing or grinding the surface of metals, alloys, plastics and the like, particularly in the form of an article, without the necessity of treating the metal with caustic alkali after the bufiing operation in accordance with the usual procedure, in order to permit subsequent electroplating, lacquering, or otherwise treating the metal or article, and from which the residual film may be readily removed by treatment with hot water or immersion in a dilute acid or alkali solution of sufficient strength to remove the vehicle of the bufiing compound but of insufiicient strength to etch or appreciably attack the metal during normal time of immersion or contact therewith.

The term bufiing compound is generally understood to include the various substances or materials which are used to produce bright or semibright finishes on metals, metallic surfaces or plastics and plastic surfaces, and includes the various materials known in the electroplating art as buffing, polishing or cutting-down compounds. Such buifing compounds include an abrasive material or abrasive agent, such as emery, flint, clay, aluminum oxide, calcium carbonate, Carborundum and various other agents, and a vehicle or binding agent adapted to hold the grains of the abrasive material together during the bufling operation. For this purpose, a grease which is solid at ordinary room temperature or somewhat above room temperature, or beeswax, paraffin, tallow, stearic acid or other suitable binder and lubricant may be used. The landing compound is generally in a stick or bar form, although it may be used in the form of a paste, or in lumps, or other suitable form.

In the electroplating art, a metal or alloy which is to be electroplated and which has been machine d, cast, or otherwise formed with or without heat treatment, is first pickled or de-scaled by an acid or pickling bath.

The pickling or de-scaling operation leaves the surface of the metal in a somewhat roughened condition and the article is generally ground down on an emery wheel, or is cut down on some type of abrasive wheel, in order to remove pits and to obtain a relatively even, smooth surface. The article is then generally polished or smoothed down to a polished surface by contact with a rotating canvas or duck wheel, to the surface of which a bulfing compound is applied while the article is buffed until a bright polished surface of the desired luster is produced Heretofore, after the buffing operation and before electroplating the article, it has been the practice to remove all of the buffing compound remaining on the surface of the article, including the abrasive material and as much of the grease or vehicle film as may be removed, by soaking in alkali cleaners.

After the metal article has been properly soaked in the alkali cleaner, the article is further cleansed by treatment in a separate electrocleaner, usually with the same alkali or alkali cleaning compound as was used in the first cleaning step, the article being subjected to the action of an electric current of suitable voltage for a time sufiicient to thoroughly cleanse the article.

It has been generally recognized in the art that the method and agents heretofore employed are not entirely satisfactory and many attempts have been made to improve the method of treatment by incorporating into the buffing compound an agent or agents which will hasten the wetting of the polished article and the emulsification of the greasy film thereon, thereby aiding the saponification and emulsification of the components of the bar. Various agents have been used and experimented with, such as soaps and other presaponified materials, as well as various wetting agents, which serve to lower the surface tension of the cleaning solution, so as to bring the cleaning solution more rapidly into contact with the take place. Such agents have been used in neutral or alkaline solution in an attempt to hasten the emulsification of the film and the slashing off of the greasy constituents adhering to the polished surface, but the procedure is particularly time-consuming and has not proved effective to remove all of the film without subsequent treatment.

The present invention is based on the discovery that greatly improved results may be obtained in the removal of the residual film from the bufiing compound adhering to the surface or the metal article to be electroplated by the use of a vehicle or constituents in the composition of the builing rupt or break up the film, which is dispersed in or dissolved in the said liquid so as to leave no portion of the film or vehicle in contact with the metal surface to he electroplated. The gas for this purpose is preferably carbon dioxide and may be readily generated from a metal carbonate, such as calcium carbonate, for example, on contact with a dilute acid solution, such as hydrochloric acid, for example, which is of a strength to react relatively rapidly with the fiar'hnnatn 1m suflicient in strength to appreciably attack the metal of the article or to cause etching thereof during the normal time of treatment. If an acid is used, it is preferably a mineral acid such as will not react to form an insoluble compound with the metal carbonate constituent of the buffing compound. For example, if sodium carbonate or bicarbonate is employed as the gas-generating agent in the buffing compound, a dilute solution of sulphuric acid may be used; but if calcium carbonate is employed for this purpose, sulphuric acid may not be used as it reacts therewith to form calcium sulphate, which is insoluble, and hydrochloric acid is therefore preferably used in this case.

The vehicle, binding agent, or lubricant for the bumng compound is one which is soluble in water a or dilute acid solution, or one in which the constituents react to produce soluble compounds, or which are dispersible or emulsifiable in water or dilute acid solution, so that the film left on the metal surface from the buffing compound may be completely removed in the liquid in the manner hereinafter fully described. As another example, tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate mav be employed in the buffing compound so that when we article which has been buffed is placed in water or in an aqueous solution, the two will unite and react to release carbon dioxide to remove the remaining bufiing compound from the surface of the article. In this way, two solids may be united which are chemically inert until they contact with water or are placed in an aqueous solution, whereupon they release a gas.

In accordance with the present invention, the buffing compound is composed of a cutting material and a vehicle or binding material, the latter being soluble or dispersible in water, and the former may contain a material which if placed in water or in an acid solution will give off a gas, such as carbon dioxide, which in turn will force the remaining bumng compound from the surface of the object which has been buffed. It will be understood that either the buffing compound or the vehicle may comprise or contain a material or materials which will produce a gas to disassociate the buffing compound from the surface buffed thereby.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a buffing compound containing a vehicle or lubricating medium having such physical and chemical properties that after use of the compound for buffing or polishing a metal surface, the film remaining thereon or adhering to the surface may be removed by immersing the metal in a liquid, as

by treatment of the metal with water, or an acid solution of such strength and properties as to remove the film without etching the metal or otherwise afiecting the metal during normal time of contact therewith, or by treatment with or im mersing the metal in a dilute alkali solution.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buffing compound having abrasive material associated with a vehicle, or binding agent, or a lubricating agent, of such properties as to dissolve in or be dispersed in water or a dilute acid medium or a dilute alkali medium andor to generate a gas in or in contact with the'film of the'metal remaining thereon after the buffing operation when the film is contacted with water, or dilute acid or alkali, which serves to disperse the film and leave the surface of the metal in a condition for electroplating, or for lacquering or performing some subsequent operation requiring a clean surface.

Another object of the invention is buffing compound and a method of use in connection therewith such that a film on the metal surface which has been polished by the bufiing compound may be dissolved or dispersed in water, or a dilute acid medium, or a dilute alkali medium without etching or otherwise affecting the sur- 1" ace of the metal so that it may be immediately electroplated without further treatment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of buffing compound and method of treatment of a metal surface to be electroplated in which the buffing compound contains ingredient adapted to modify the operation of the bufiing compound and to permit removal of the remaining film on the metal surface after the bumng operation therewith by immersing the buffed metal surface or contacting the same with a solution containing an agent adapted to react with said ingredient to evolve a gas in contact with the metal surface which displaces, blows on, or disperses the said film, forming a solution, dispersion, or emulsion of the film in the said solution, thus leaving the metal surface in a cleansed condition in which it may be electroplated without further treatment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bufiing compound having novel properties and containing an abrasive material and a vehicle or lubricant therefor and a novel method of treatment of metal articles buffed therewith to pre pare the same for immediate electroplating, without hot alkali treatment or other method of treatment as heretofore employed, by incorpora ing a metal carbonate, metal hydride of other material adapted to generate a gas when the metal surface which has been buffed is treated with or immersed in an acid, such as dilute hydrochloric acid solution, or other reactive agent adapted to react with said carbonate or material to form a gas so as to break down, disperse, or dissolve the film on the metal without etching or otherwise affecting the metal surface and to render it in condition in which it may be immediate- 1y electroplated or otherwise treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buffing compound of novel properties containing an abrasive material, and a vehicle or lubricant which has a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group, so that it has many characteristics of a grease or oil and yet is soluble in water, acid or alkali solutions, being balanced between polar and non-polar groups so that a wetting action is obtained. In accordance with this object, when the materials are united and mixed with a cutting compound, such as silica, a'buffing compound is formed which lubricates the bufing wheel and which at the same time holds the cutting com pound to the wheel during the buffing action without volatilization or burning off, and after the buffing operation is completed the buffing material remaining on the metal or article buffed will disperse in or be soluble in water, or dilute acid, or dilute alkali, which in turn releases or expels the cutting compound from the surface of the article or material to be electroplated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buffing compound which is adapted to operate to provide a T5 the buffing wheel and cuts,

more rapidly than bufiing compounds heretofore produced and which is adapted to be removed from the bufied material in a minimum of time with substantially complete removal of the compound from the buffed material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a form of buffing compound which will adhere to colors and buffs the metal upon which it is applied without flying off the wheel, without decomposing, and with a high degree of economy and operating in a very limited time, and which may be cleaned from crevices, interstices and small cracks from the metallic object being polished or buffed, permitting direct ly lacquering the work after a dry wheeling opera tion.

A further object of the invention. is to provide a form of buffing compound having a suiiiciently high melting point and adhesion to the material of the bufling wheel so as to avoid excessive consumption of bufiing material and to avoid the necessity of stopping the buiiing operation. for re dressing the wheel, and which is readily dispersible in hot water or acidified or alkalized water, even after exposure to the bufiing temperatures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form of bufiing compound which is in stick form and in which the components are adapted to react to give off a gas as soon as the buffing compound comes into contact with water, or dilute acid or dilute alkali, by which the bufiing compound remaining on the buifed object is rapidly and substantially completely removed.

With these and other objects in View, the invention comprises the various features, composi tions and method steps hereinafter more fully described and defined in the claims annexed hereto.

Referring more in detail to the method and product of the invention, the preferred mode of carrying out the same involves the use of a buifing compound containing an abrasive material, such as powdered silica, tripoli, Carbcrundum, emery, calcium carbonate, or mixtures of the same, together with sodium carbonate or other suitable abrasive material which may be with a vehicle, binding agent of such a character that after a metal or other surface has been polished or buffed with the buffing compound, leav ing a film of the bumng compound or the vehicle thereon, the metal or other surface may be treated with or immersed in water, or a dilute acid or alkaline solution, depending on the composition of the buffing compound, so as to slush on? or otherwise remove or disperse the film from the surface of the treated material. If a buffing compound containing a carbonate is employed for bufiing a metal, for example, after the bufling operation the metal may be treated with or immersed in a dilute acid solution, such as an aque ous solution of hydrochloric acid of such strength as to substantially immediately react with the film residue of the bufiing compound, so as to dissolve the same and to generate carbon dioxide in the body of the film whereby the film is immediately dispersed or removed from the metal surface, the concentration of the acid being sufficiently low so as to avoid etching or appreciably attacking the surface of the metal, whereby the metal is cleansed to such an extent that it may be immediately electroplated without further treatment.

For this purpose, the buiiing compound may employ a vehicle or lubricant containing polyethylene glycol preferably of high molecular weight between 1,000 and 6,000, that best suited for the purpose being between 4,000 and 6,000. A suitable polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between about 4,000 to 6,000 may be obtained on the market under the name of Carbowax and is adapted to be used as the vehicle when combined with other components which are necessary in order to raise the melting point of the composition and to cause adhesion of the bufiing compound to the buliing wheel during the buffing operation. For this purpose stearic acid may be added to the polyethylene glycol in suitable proportions, as for example about 38 parts of Carbowax to about 62 parts by weight of stearic acid. The abrasive of the buffing con1- pound may be emery admixed with sodium car-- bonate, for example, which is adapted to be readily removed from the buffed surface by in1- mersing the buffed object in a dilute acid solu-- tion, such as a N normal) solution of hydrochloric acid, which is of sufficient strength to react substantially immediately with the carbonate of the film to evolve carbon dioxide gas, which serves to disperse the film of the residue of bufiing material from the surface of the metal without etching or otherwise affecting the metal. After treatment with the dilute acid solution, the metal may be immediately electroplated or quered without further treatment, as by immersing the object in the electroplating solution and connecting the metal article in circuit as cathode for the electrolytic deposition in the usual manner well known to those skilled in the art, or lacquered preferably by spraying a lacquer solution on the surface of the metal article.

As another example of the mode of carrying out the invention, I may employ a buiiing compound containing aluminum oxide and calcium carbonate which is combined with a vehicle containing 25% by weight of Carbowax (000 to 6,000 molecular weight) and of stearic acid, in which the Carbowax stearic acid is in the form of a chemical compound. After the metal article to be polished has been buifed with this compound, a surface film remains on the article such that when the article is treated with a dilute hydrochloric acid solution, or is immersed in a dilute acid bath thereof, carbon dioxide is evolved the reaction of the acid with the calcium carbonate, by which the remaining film from bufiing operation is removed or dispersed into the bath, leaving the surface of the metal cl an.

and ready for immediate electroplating cordance with the usual procedure.

In general, about 70 to parts by weight of the abrasive material may be used with from 30 to 20 parts by weight of the vehicle containing polyethylene glycol of a molecular weight from about 4,000 to 6,000, and stearic acid or a stearate, to cause proper adherence of the cc pcund to the wheel and to impart the necessheat stability at the temperatures attained ing the boiling operation and to pro ide suitable dispersing qualities in hot water, even after exposure to the bufling temperatures.

As another example of the buffing compound of the invention and the method of use thereof, I may employ a buil'ing compound in stick form containing aluminum oxide and a metal carbonate, such as sodium carbonate, for example, the abrasive constituent, and containing Carbm wax 1,000 and stearic acid in combination therewith as the vehicle constituent, and I polish the surface of the metal to be electroplated v th the said bufi'ing compound. After the metal been adequately bufi'ed therewith, I immers the metal article in an aqueous solution of alum sulphate, which hydrolyzes to provide sufiici r acidity to liberate carbon dioxide from the carbonate constituent of the film. The liberated carbon dioxide serves to blow off or dislodge the film from the metal surface and dissolves in the solution of the aluminum sulphate, leaving a clean metal surface which is in condition to be electroplated immediately after being withdrawn from the solution.

A still further example of the method and composition of my invention is to employ a buffing compound composed of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of about 1540 (Carbowax 1,540) and stearic acid in a proportion to the polyethylene glycol to form substantially the di-stearate, which serves as the vehicle, and an abrasive material of Carborundum and calcium carbonate, the abrasive material and the vehicle being proportioned to permit use in stick form. After the metal article to be electroplated has been sufficiently buffed with the said buffing compound, the film which is left on the surface of the article is removed by spraying with fine sprays of water, or dilute hydrochloric acid solution, of normal strength, for example, and is then immersed in the electroplating bath and is immediately electroplated. in accordance with any of the well known methods.

As an example of the water-soluble type of bufiing compound, the following composition be used:

Percent by weight Silica, preferably of 200 mesh '75 Polyethylene glycol stearate (4,000 M01. Wt.) 20 Beeswax 2 Sodium bicarbonate and tartaric acid 3 (The latter being in substantially stoiohiometric proportions) in this composition, the silica is the cutting agent and is in the largest proportion. The polyethylene glycol of about 4,000 Mol. Wt., which may be obtained on the market under the name Carbowax 4,000 is preferably in the form of the di--stearate and is dispersible in water. The sodium bicarbonate and tartaric acid react in the presence of water to release carbon dioxide and functions to remove the film of buffing material from the buffed metal surface. The beeswax in the composition serves to increase the adhering properties of the stick on the buffing wheel. In this composition, the materials are completely dissolved in the water employed and are freed from the surface to be electroplated, whereas in buffing compounds of the prior art containing stearic acid and paraflin wax, these materials are insoluble in water, dilute acids and dilute alkalis, and must be removed by additional steps, therefore, as by saponification or emulsification.

It has been found experimentally that bufiing compounds containing an abrasive with a vehicle such as polyethylene glycol of a molecular weight between 4000 and 6000 are thermally unstable at the temperatures attained on the buffing wheel, which resulted in smoking and charring and loss of solubility in water, resulting in difficulties in the removal or the residue or film of the buffing compound after the buffing operation. Such buffing compounds do not stay on the wheel due to its low melting point and lack of adhesion, thus causing excessive consumption of the huffing material and delay in the work because of the need of stopping and redressing the buffing wheel. For these reasons, the use of polyethylene glycol or Carbowax alone with the abrasive material was abandoned and polyethylene glycol esters were employed with the abrasive material, including both mono-esters and the di-esters.

As an example, 74 parts of green polishing rouge were used with 26 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol di-stearate and stearic acid, the latter containing 38.6 parts of polyethylene glycol di-stearate and 61.4 parts of stearic acid by weight, which was found to be wholly satisfactory, as the vehicle has proper adherence to the wheel, and had the necessary heat stability at the temperatures attained during buffing and further, the vehicle was readily dispersible in hot water after exposure to the buffing temperatures. In place of the polyethylene glycol di-stearate, the di-oleate di-palmitate may be used, or a mixed ester such as polyethylene glycol monostearate, mono-cleats, or mono-palmitate may be used, although it will be understood that the di-stearate, with stearic acid, as in the above example, is preferred as it may be readily pre pared in stick form which is the preferred form for commercial use.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with certain preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invenion, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. The vehicle of the bufing compound may contain waxes, gums, clays or wetting agents which are soluble or dispersible in water.

Among the agents which are dispersible in water, I may include gum arabic, gum tragacanth, Carbowax 4,000 M01. Wt. mono-stearate and di-stearate, that is, polyethylene glycol monostearate and di-stearate, in which the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 4,000

or from about 4,000 to 6,000, also sulfonategl alcohols, amino stearin, ammonium salts of fatty acids, esters of sodium sulfo-succinic acid, alkyl and aryl sulfonates, sodium alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, sorbitan mono-laurate, cetyl sulfate, fatty alcohol sulfates, penta-erythritol mono-stearates, mannitol mono-oleate, propanol glycol laurate and other compounds or materials which have a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic group, so that they have many characteristics of a grease or oil and yet are soluble in water, there being a balance between the polar and non-polar groups so that a wetting action is obtained. All such materials will therefore disperse in water or in dilute acid or dilute alkali solutions. When two or more of such materials are united and mixed with a cutting compound or abrasive, such as silica, for example, a buffing compound is formed which lubricates the buffing wheel and which at the same time holds the cutting compound to the wheel, it being understood that a polyethylene glycol ester is employed in the compound to impart the desired dispersible properties and heatstability at the buffing temperatures. After the buffing action is complete, the residual film of buffing compound will be soluble in water or will disperse therein, or in dilute acid or alkali, depending on the particular composition used, resulting in the release of the cutting compound from the surface of the metal to be electroplated, or from the surface of the article to be further treated.

It will be understood that buffed articles, whether metal or plastic, may be covered or coated with lacquer, a plastic material or the like, and such variations and modifications as will be apparent to those skilled in the art are to be considered within the purview of the invention and the scope of the claims annexed hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A buffing compound for polishing the surface of an article to be further treated after the buffing operation by the removal of the waterdispersible film residue of which is adapted to be readily removed by an aqueous liquid after the completion of the buffing operation which comprises an abrasive material containing constituents of the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, and a mixture of aluminum sulphate and a metal carbonate for the development of a film-dispersing gas in contact with water acidulated with an acid of the group consisting of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid and tartaric acid and a vehicle therefor containing polyethylene glycol stearate and stearic acid.

2. A buffing compound for polishing the surface of a metal article to be electroplated and which is adapted for the removal of the water-dispersible residual film of hurling compound left after the buffing operation which comprises an abrasive material containing a carbonate and a vehicle therefor containing a reaction product of polyethylene glycol and an organic higher monobasic fatty acid combined therewith which is soluble in a dilute acid of suflicient strength to form carbon dioxide from the carbonate to remove the water-dispersible residual vehicle film from the article after buffing, but of insufficient; strength to appreciably attack the metal of the article during normal time of contact therewith.

3. A bufiing compound for buffing the surface of a plastic article to be further treated after the bufiing operation by lacquering the same which comprises an abrasive material and a vehicle combined therewith containing a polyethylene glycol chemically combined with an organic higher monobasic fatty acid forming a water soluble ester which is resistant to buffing temperatures Without charring and without altering the dispersibility of the compound in water to remove the residual vehicle film from the article after bulling.

4. A bufiing compound for buffing the surface of a metal article to be electroplated and adapted for removal of the residual film of the buffing compound from the buffed surface when immersed in an aqueous mineral acid solution of low concentration which comprises an abrasive material and a vehicle combined therewith containing a polyethylene glycol having a molecular Weight between 1,000 and 6,000 combined with stearic acid in the form of a chemical compound of' the class consisting of a monoester and a diester, and containing a compound of the class consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and calcium carbonate adapted to liberate a film-dispersing gas when the bufied article is treated with an aqueous mineral acid solution of sufficient strength to liberate said gas but of insufficient strength to appreciably attack the metal of said article during normal time of contact therewith.

5. A bufling compoundfor buffing the surface of a metal article to be electroplated which is adapted for removal of the residual film thereof from the buffed surface when contacted with a dilute hydrochloric acid solution which comprises an abrasive material containing a metal carbonate, a vehicle for the abrasive material containing a reaction product of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between about 1,000 and 6,000 and stearic acid in sufficient proportion to form a stearate, the water dispersible residual film of bufing compound remaining on the buffed iii 10' surface reacting upon contact with dilute hydrochloric acid to liberate carbon dioxide from the metal carbonate and assisting removal and dispersal of the bufiing compound residue into said dilute solution.

6. A buffing compound for buiiing the surface of a metal article to be electroplated which comprises an abrasive material containing aluminum oxide and calcium carbonate, and a vehicle therefor containing about 25% of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between about 4,000 and 6,000 and about of stearic acid in chemical combination with the said polyethylene glycol, the residual film of which remaining on the buffed article reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid solution to liberate carbon dioxide, which serves to remove said film and to clean the metal surface in contact with said solution.

7. A buffing compound for bumng the surface of an article and adapted to be readily removed after the bufiing operation which comprises a siliceous abrasive material admixed with a vehicle of a polyethylene glycol ester of an organic higher monobasic fatty acid, said ester having a molecular weight between about 1,000 and 6,000 and a gas generating medium of tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate which is adapted to react in the presence of water to release carbon dioxide to assist in removing the water-dispersible residual film of bumng compound on the surface of the article when the buffing operation is completed.

0. A bufiing compound for buffing the surface of an article comprising an abrasive material selected from the group consisting of powdered silica, tripoli, silicon carbide, emery, calcium carbonate and mixtures of the same with sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, together with a vehicle of a polyethylene glycol ester of an organic higher monobasic fatty acid, said ester having a molecular weight between about 1,000 and 6,000, and adapted to resist high bufiing temperatures and to cause adherence to the buffing wheel without altering its water solubility.

9. A bufling compound for polishing the surface of a metal article preparatory to electroplating the same and adapted to be removed after the polishing operation from the metal surface by contact with water without leaving residual film on the metal surface which comprises an abrasive material selected from the group consisting of powdered silica, tripoli, silicon carbide, emery, and mixtures thereof intimately admixed with a binder containing a polyethylene glycol ester of an organic higher monobasic fatty acid, said ester having high molecular weight, sodium bicarbonate and tartaric acid, said binder being adapted to cause adherence of the buffing compound to the buiiing Wheel Without undergoing charring or decomposition or change in solubility in water, and adapted on contact with water to liberate carbon dioxide to remove residual buff ing compound from the buffed surface after the buffing operation and rendering the article sufficiently clean for immediately electroplating the same.

10. A method for hurling and cleansing the surface of an article to be further treated after the buffing operation by removal of a water-dispersible residual culling compound which com prises bufiing said article with a water-dispersible bufling compound containing an abrasive material, an ingredient of the class consisting of a metal carbonate, a bicarbonate and a mixture of tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate, adapted to liberate carbon dioxide in contact with an 11 aqueous liquid and a vehicle containing an ester of polyethylene glycol of an organic higher monobasic fatty acid, said ester having a molecular weight between about 1,000 and 6,000 and treata ing the surface of the buffed article with an aqueous vehicle to liberate carbon dioxide from the water-dispersible residual buffing compound to disperse the same into the said liquid and to cleanse the surface of the article preparatory to further treatment.

11. A method for boiling and cleansing the metal surface of an article to be electroplated after the buffing operation by removal of a waterdispersible residual buffing compound which comprises bufiing said article with a water-dispersible buffing compound containing an abrasive material and a vehicle combined therewith containing an ester of polyethylene glycol of an organic higher monobasic fatty acid, said ester having a molecular weight between about 4,000 and 6,000, and combined with stearic acid together with a carbonate of the class consisting of a metal carbonate and a bicarbonate, and reacting the residual buffing compound on the buifed metal article with an aqueous liquid containing dilute hydrochloric acid to liberate carbon dioxide from the carbonate therein and to disperse the said water dispersible residual buffing compound into the said aqueous liquid.

12. A method for buffing and cleansing the surface of an article to be further treated after the buffing operation by removal of a water-dis persible residual bufling compound which comprises buffing said article with water-dispersible bufling compound containing an abrasive, a gas generating medium of tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate, admixed with a vehicle containing a stearate of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between 1,000 and 6,000, and reacting the water-dispersible residual buffing compound remaining on the surface of the article after'the buffing operation with an aqueous liquid to form carbon dioxide by the interaction of the tartaric acid with the sodium bicarbonate and permitting the water-dispersible residual buffing compound to disperse in the said aqueous liquid.

13. A method for buffing and cleansing the surface of a metal article to be electroplated which comprises buffing said article with a buffing compound containing aluminum oxide and calcium carbonate together with a vehicle containing about 25% of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between about 4,000 and 6,000 and about 75% of stearic acid in chemical combination with said polyethylene glycol, treating the residual film of buffing compound remaining after the bufling operation with a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid to liberate carbon dioxide from the said carbonate and dispersing said residual film into the said dilute solution to completely cleanse the surface of said metal article prior to electroplating.

14. A method for buffing and cleansing the surface of a metal article preparatory to electroplating the same which comprises buffing said article with a water-dispersible buffing compound containing an abrasive material selected from the group consisting of powdered silica, tripoli, silicon carbide, emery, aluminum oxide and calcium carbonate, together with a gas generating material selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid with sodium bicarbonate, adapted to react in the presence of water, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, adapted to react in the presence of a bufiing operation thereby .water solution of a mineral acid, and sodium hydride, and containing a binder composed of an ester of polyethylene glycol selected from the group consisting of the mono ester of an organic higher fatty acid and the diester of an organic higher fatty acid of polyethylene glycol said ester having a molecular weight between about 1,000 and 6,000, and an organic acid of the group consisting of stearic acid, palmitic acid and oleic acid, and a material selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum tragacanth, a sulphonated alcohol, an amino stearin, an ammonium salt of a fatty acid, an ester of sodium sulfo-succinic acid, an alkyl sulfonate, an aryl sulfonate, sodium alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, sorbitan laurate, mannitol mono-oleate, mannitol mono-stearate, cetayl sulfate, fatty alcohol sulfate, penta-erythritol mono-stearate, and propanol glycol laurate, to provide a wetting action, treating the surface of the said article after the buffing operation with a dilute water solution of a mineral acid and dispersing the water-dispersible residual buffing compound into the said water solution to fully cleanse the said surface.

15. A buffing compound for polishing the surface of an article to be further treated by removal of film of water-dispersible buihng compound and which is adapted to be readily removed in film form from the buffed surface after the buiimg operation by using an aqueous liquid which comprises a buffing abrasive material and a vehicle therefor containing a polyethylene glycol of a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 6,000 and an organic higher fatty acid chemically combined therewith to render the water-dispersible buffing compound resistant to bumng temperature without charring and to protect the said water-dispersible buffing compound so as to render a film thereof dispersible in an aqueous liquid after the permitting immediate further treatment of the article including electroplating.

16. A buffing compound for polishing the surface of an article to be further treated after the buffing operation, a water-dispersible film of which on the buffed surface is adapted to be readily removed bymeans of which comprises an abrasive and a vehicle therefor containing an ester of polyethylene glycol of a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 6,000 and an organic higher monobasic fatty acid chemically combined therewith to render the compound more resistant to high buffing temperatures and to protect the compound so as to render a waterdispersible film thereof dispersible in an aqueous liquid after the bufling operation, permitting immediate further treatment of the surface of said article.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,632,909 Mason June 21, 1021 2,055,220 Pine Sept. 22, 1936 2,130,128 Griesinger Sept. 13, 1036 2,436,128 Twyning Feb. 17, 1943 2,501,145 Smith Mar. 21, 1950 2,540,376 Onkey Feb. 6, 1951 2,548,582 Boak Apr. 10, 1951 OTHER REFERENCES Synthetic Organic Chemicals, Twelfth Ed. Pub. by Carbide and Carbon Chemical Corp.

an aqueous liquid 7

Claims (1)

1. A BUFFING COMPOUND FOR POLISHING THE SURFACE OF AN ARTICLE TO BE FURTHER TREATED AFTER THE BUFFING OPERATION BY THE REMOVAL OF THE WATERDISPERSIBLE FILM RESIDUE OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE READILY REMOVED BY AN AQUEOUS LIQUID AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE BUFFING OPERATION WHICH COMPRISES AN ABRASIVE MATERIAL CONTAINING CONSTITUENTS OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SODIUM CARBONATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, AND A MIXTURE OF ALUMINUM SULPHATE AND A METAL CARBONATE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FILM-DISPERSING GAS IN CONTACT WITH WATER ACIDULATED WITH AN ACID OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SULPHURIC ACID, HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND TARTARIC ACID AND A VEHICLE THEREFOR CONTAINING POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL STEARATE AND STEARIC ACID.