Description
METHOD OF SURFACE TREATING FERROUS-BASED SUBSTRATES
Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a method of roughening of a ferrous-based substrate prior to coating such a surface. More specifically, the invention concerns the use of oxygenless water in a high pressure water jet for rust-inhibited roughening a ferrous component prior to coating.
Background Art
There are applications in the design and manufacture of commercial products in which it is desirable to apply a coating to a ferrous surface. There are many reasons for coating ferrous components. One important reason is that the applied coating may be more wear or corrosion resistant than the base ferrous layer.
In the application of coatings, especially thermal spray coatings, it is common practice to clean, roughen or abrade the surface by blasting a grit, such as small ground pieces of glass, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide or the like, that will roughen and clean the surface in preparation for the thermal spray process. Grit blasting is effective in roughening the surface so as to provide an increased surface area for adhesion and mechanical bonding between the base metal and the thermal spray coating.
However, grit blasting creates a problem because it leaves an undesirable residue on the surface that must be thoroughly removed prior to the coating process. The grit blasting also generally contaminates the work environment .
In recent years, use of water jet roughening to prepare a surface for thermal spray coating has been explored for superalloy or aluminum alloy components as disclosed in 5,626,674, which issued on May 6, 1997 to Progressive Technologies, Inc. This aluminum alloy substrate, used for engine applications, naturally resists oxidation and rusting of the water solutions because it does not contain iron. In order to use water jet roughening for ferrous articles, more particularly steel, a solution is required that eliminates the corrosion and rusting of the steel surface.
Disclosure of the Invention
In one aspect of the invention, a rust- inhibiting water is provided by utilizing a nitrogen- carbon compound dissolved in water for use in a water jet roughening process. The water jet roughening process roughens a substrate in preparation for coating.
In another aspect of the invention, an
oxygenless water, which is rust-inhibiting, is provided by removing dissolved oxygen gas and maintaining the oxygenless water in an inert atmosphere .
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
There are two methods disclosed herein to utilize water jet roughening of a ferrous substrate prior to coating the substrate with a wear or corrosion resistant material. The water jet equipment used in the present invention is high pressure water jet for cleaning, cutting, roughening, and the like. The pressure of the water jet is about between 50,000 and 75, 000 psi. The preferred coating method of the present invention is thermal spray coating. Such coatings as metal oxides and carbides are utilized in thermal spray processes.
The reaction below depicts the oxidation reaction on the surface of a ferrous substrate in the presence of water:
2Fe(s) + 302(g, → 2Fe203(s)
In order to prevent rust formation, either a nitrogen-carbon compound is added to the water or the water jet or dissolved oxygen gas is extracted from the water so that rust formation cannot occur.
In one aspect of the present invention, rust-inhibiting water is used to prepare a ferrous
substrate for coating. Of the many nitrogen-carbon compounds contemplated within this invention, amine or amine type compounds are preferred. The amine or amine type compound is selected from the group consisting essentially of guanidine, diethylene diamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, and morpholine, and the like.
In the preferred embodiment, guanidine is used as the nitrogen-carbon compound. The final mixture of the amine compound and water is at a ratio of amine: water of about 1:100,000. This provides an effective concentration of amine in the aqueous mixture of about between 1 ppm and 100 ppm.
In one embodiment of the invention, the amine is added at the main water source with a low concentration of amine: water of about 1:100,000 to obtain an effective concentration of about between 1 ppm and 100 ppm amine. At levels above 100 ppm amine, no additional benefits will be realized. Below 1 ppm, rusting will occur.
In an alternate embodiment, the amine and water are pre-mixed in a separate container at a higher concentration level of amine: water of about 1:1000 to about 1:100, more preferably of about 1:500. The pre-mixed aqueous solution is then added to the main water source prior to contacting the ferrous substrate .
The pre-mixed aqueous solution is then added to the main water source at a ratio of water: concentrate of about between 100:1 to about 10:1. This
may be accomplished by tubing directly into the main water source at a point prior to the opening of the water jet nozzle. Alternatively, a separate jet nozzle may inject the highly concentrated amine and water solution into the main water jet stream prior to contact with the ferrous substrate.
The pre-mixed aqueous solution is added separately from the main water source so that the higher amine concentration does not get pumped through the main water jet system. It is believed the high level of amine may cause deleterious effects to the water jet pump. This pre-mixed amine solution which is then fed into the main water stream is the preferred embodiment . The resulting reaction of either of the above methods of forming an aqueous solution with about between 1 and 100 ppm amine and subsequently, water jet roughening a ferrous substrate generates a Rι-NH...Fe complex at the surface of the ferrous substrate. This complex exists at the surface of the ferrous substrate only for a time frame sufficient to dry the substrate. The length of time the complex exists depends upon the volatility of the amine used. During the interval between roughening and coating, drying of the work piece takes place in a nitrogen or air bath. The time needed for drying is about less than a minute. This is the time that the amine must prevent oxidation of the ferrous substrate. For example, the preferred amine solution would be
active for five to ten minutes, between roughening and coating the ferrous substrate.
In another aspect of the invention, rust- inhibiting water jet roughening is accomplished through use of deoxygenated water during water jet roughening. Dissolved oxygen gas in water contributes to rust formation in ferrous components. Deoxygenated water will not support the formation of rust on ferrous parts so long as exposure to oxygen is limited. A metal or glass container is filled with water. In an inert atmosphere, the water is deoxygenated by methods common to those skilled in the art. More specifically, deoxygenation may be achieved by increasing the temperature of the water to its boiling point, i.e. 100° C, or by creating a vacuum. In the first embodiment, deoxygenation is achieved by heating water in a container to about 100° C. Next, the upper surface of the liquid is purged with an inert gas and then the container is sealed to maintain deoxygenated water. Such inert gases include, but are not limited to, nitrogen, argon, helium, and neon. The preferred inert gas, due to cost, is dry nitrogen. The container is then cooled to ambient temperature. The deoxygenated water in the container is then displaced with nitrogen gas to the water jet. Preferably, the deoxygenated water in pumped through a hose connected with the pump. The deoxygenated water is then pumped to the water jet nozzle for application.
In an alternate preferred embodiment, deoxygenation is achieved by creating a vacuum. The water is held in a container which is then pressurized. Once the pressure drops to about between -25 and -30 inches of mercury, the dissolved oxygen gas is released from the container through an outlet valve .
Next, a vacuum pump is utilized to pump the deoxygenated water to the water jet nozzle for application. This embodiment of obtaining oxygenless water is preferred as it is more economical.
Water jet equipment is readily available commercially because it is used in a number of processing operations such as cutting of fabrics, other plastics, wood, paper, glass, and some metals, the removal of coatings from various substrates and the breaking of concrete and the like.
In the practice of both aspects of this invention, for the preparation of ferrous substrates, the water jet equipment apparatus used is standard in the industry.
Additionally, in of both aspects of the present invention, the preferred range of roughening of the ferrous substrate is about between 8.0 and 10.0 μm Ra, where Ra is average roughness.
Industrial Applicability
Surface roughening prior to coating, especially in thermal spray coating, improves mechanical bonding and adhesion of the substrate and coating. High pressure water jet roughening provides
a clean, efficient process to roughen the surface of a substrate prior to coating. It is preferred over grit blasting because grit blasting utilizes aluminum oxide, silicon carbide or the like, which are airborn and can cause debris to accumulate and contaminate the part and the work environment .
However, the water in the water jet process causes oxidation and rusting to occur in ferrous components, thus, prior to this invention, water jet roughening was eliminated as an option.
Both aspects of this invention allow one skilled in the art to utilize water jet roughening on a ferrous substrate in preparation for coating. The preferred range of roughening of the ferrous substrate is about between 8.0 and 10.0 μm Ra.
In one aspect of the present invention, nitrogen-carbon compounds, more specifically amines, dissolved into the water, are used in water jet roughening to prevent rusting. These compounds adsorb onto the ferrous surface forming complexes which provide an effective, though temporary, barrier against oxygen and oxidation prior to coating. The nitrogen- iron complexes formed on the surface of the ferrous substrate will be removed when heat is applied just before the coating process. For example, the heat of the thermal spray torch will break up the nitrogen-iron complexes, providing a clean blasted surface that can then by thermal spray coated.
In another aspect of the present invention, in an inert atmosphere, deoxygenation of the water
used in water jet roughening provides another alternative to utilize water jet roughening on a ferrous substrate prior to coating. Water from which dissolved oxygen has been removed will not support the formation of rust on ferrous substrates. Removal of oxygen gas may be accomplished either by boiling or through use of a vacuum. An inert atmosphere is required for oxygenless water because water will reabsorb oxygen gas from the atmosphere rapidly. For example, nitrogen provides an inert atmosphere for this process and is economical.
Although the present invention is described in terms of a preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will recognize that in one aspect of the invention, other nitrogen-carbon compounds, and in the other aspect of the invention, other inert gases, may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings, along with the appended claims .