ALUMINUM BRIGHT DIP PROCESS GIVES LOW COST REFLECTIVITY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R000500390002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 11, 1999
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R000500390Q 2-a '19 j 3
Aluminum Bright Dip Process
Gives Low Cost Reflectivity
By F. H. HESCH
and
C. A. ROSELLEN
Research Engineers
Metal Finishing Section
Division of Metallurgical Research
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation
Reprinted from
WESTERN METALS
December, 1950
25X1A
KAISER ALUMINUM & CHEMICAL SALES, INC.
PALMOLIVE BLDG., CHICAGO, ILL.
Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R000500390002-2
 Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDF583-00423R0005QQ QPQ
Aluminum Bright Dip Process
Gives Low Cost Reflectivity
CPYRGHT
F OUR years ago the aluminum indus- By F. H. HESCH
try began a search for an economical and
method for brightening aluminum alloys. C. A. ROSELLEN
The division of metallurgical research of Research Engineers
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corpora- Metal Finishing Section
tion at Spokane entered the hunt and has Division of Metallurgical Research
come up with a new process termed Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation
1Saiser aluminum bright 1.1p.
The development of this process fol-
lowed many months of experimentation.
After the discovery of a solution made
up of simple inexpensive constituents,
individual samples of high purity alumi-
num and alloys 2S, 3S, 52S, 61S, and
150S were tested in it. Some samples
were first dipped in the solution at room
temperature, and the temperature then
increased to boiling.
Other samples of the same alloys were
tested at each 10? rise in temperature.
This procedure was repeated with 25 sep-
arate additions of each active constituent
of the solution. The time of dipping was purity aluminum as well as on the clad
also varied from one to 20 min, in 1-min forms of 24S and 75S. Uses in this wide
intervals, with each set of conditions. range include:
While aluminum has a high total re- 1. Brightening pieces for anodizing.
flectivity, the problem which faces alumi- 2. Increasing the reflectivity of buff ed
num finishers has been the raising of its sheet.
specular reflectance. Early methods for 3. Treating pieces before zincating.
increasing this reflectivity were buffing 4. Removing the hard aluminum oxide
and, later, electro-polishing and electro- film before buffing.
brightening. Buffing is expensive in time 5. Stripping anodic film from alumi-
and equipment, while being difficult on num.
pieces of intricate design. Electro-polish- This process develops a reflectivity
ing and electro-brightening are expensive comparable to buffed silver on some al-
in both equipment and maintenance. loys when they have been buff ed prior
However, these methods are in wide use to dipping. The bath eliminates impuri-
today and serve well in some instances. ties on the surface, thus giving a bright
The bright dip process can be used on base for anodizing and assuring a clear
ABOVE-F. H. Hesch makes a test in his
laboratory at Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical
Corp.'s division of metallurgical research.
LEFT-The deep drawn aluminum container
on left received the bright dip treatment.
Note contrast in brightness between two.
BELOW-C. A. Rosellen bright-dips sample
ash trays during the experiments which de-
veloped economical brightening method.
G-PY,RG`H
all aluminum alloys, but the most saris- even coloring after dyeing.
factory brightening can be obtained on It also preferentially attacks high spots
alloys, 2S, 3S, 52S, 61S, 150S, and high on the surface, reducing rollmarks and
Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R000500390002-2
 CPYRGHT
production or handling. The smoothIhg
action of the bath also prepares the sur-
face for pre-plate zincating so that a thin
transparent film of zinc may be applied
to it. Platers have found that the most
adherent plating bond insults from a thin
A further advantage is a low viscosity,
which reduces the damages of pitting and
gas tracks frequently found on bright-
ened aluminum. The low viscosity per-
mits the gas to escape freely without
. marring the surface and decreases the cost
in bath lost during rinsing, since very
little bath clings to the surface when it is
Low acid concentrations permit the use
of AISI type 347 stainless steel finishing
tanks and reduce greatly the, amount of
fume given off during operation. How-
uses as truck, train, boat, and aircraft
bodies, architectural trim and decorative
patterns, and for bright metal trim on
automobiles.
Manufacturers and artisans in artistic
fields-costume jewelry, vases, desk fur-
nishings, etc.-may also find it of value
in heightening appeal of their product.
Since most dyes used to color anodized
aluminum surfaces today have a tendency
to fade in strong sunlight, it is recom-
mended that they be used only for in-
door products. Bright-dipped surfaces,
lacquered or anodized and uncolored, will
resist weathering and give best results for
outdoor applications.
This process will be made available to
aluminum fabricators under a license ar-
rangement.
ever, even at boiling temperatures, this
bath does not give off obnoxious fumes.
Surfaces are cleaned before bright-
dipping by the use of a metal washing
machine or a vapor degreaser. They are
then dipped for one to five min in the
cases where extremely high specular re-
flectivity is desired, the material should
be dipped, buffed, cleaned in a non-
etching cleaner, and rinsed in cold water
before proceeding with the regular pro-
10-sec dip to remove smut after bright-
dipping of buffed material.
When the pieces are removed from the
last water rinse they are ready for imme-
diate anodizing or zincating. This should
be done without delay since the surface
is left highly active chemically and sus-
ceptible to finger and handling soil. How-
ever, if the pieces are suspended from
racks and allowed to age in air for a few
days, a natural oxide film will form on
the surface, making them as safe to
handle as ordinary aluminum.. Lacquer-
ing may be done as soon as the pieces
This process can be used on aluminum
products for both interior and exterior
applications. Interior products may in-
clude electrical appliances, water tum-
blers, kitchen and sewing racks, and wall
fixtures. It may also be used on refrig-
erator compartment doors, ice cube trays
and shelves, or anywhere a bright dyed or
clear anodizing surface is desired.
THE mill-rolled aluminum drawn ash
trays on the left were not finished.
Those on the right were given the
bright-dip process. Note difference in
brightness and reflectivity between
these two groups. These trays were a
part of the research which led to de-
velapmAnpprovea i-or F eiease 199
F. H. Hesch and C. A. Rosellen are
research engineers in the metal finish-
ing section of Kaiser Aluminum &
Chemical Corporation's division of
metallurgical research at Spokane,
Wash.
Mr. Hesch studied at Carnegie In-
stitute of Technology and University
of Michigan. He has worked in chem-
istry, metallurgy, or metal finishing
for Bell Aircraft, Reynolds Metal Co.,
General Motors, and Airesearch, in
Los Angeles and for Standard Oil Co.
of California in El Segundo, Calif. He
has been with Kaiser metallurgical
research for three years.
Mr. Rossellen studied chemical en-
gineering at University of Wisconsin,
and before joining Kaiser metallurgi-
cal research two and a half years ago
bad worked with Anaconda Copper
Mining Co. at Great Falls, Montana.
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INTEREST OF NUCLEAR RESEARCH LS
IN ALUMINUM BRIGHT DIP PROCESS
(INFO APR 53)
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I ENCL - LEAFLET RE TITLE
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