ASTM B253-11(2022)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Preparation of Aluminum Alloys for Electroplating
Standard Guide for Preparation of Aluminum Alloys for Electroplating
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
3.1 Various metals are deposited on aluminum alloys to obtain a decorative or engineering finish. The electroplates applied are usually chromium, nickel, copper, brass, silver, tin, lead, cadmium, zinc, gold, and combinations of these. Silver, tin, or gold is applied to electrical equipment to decrease contact resistance or to improve surface conductivity; brass, copper, nickel, or tin for assembly by soft soldering; chromium to reduce friction and obtain increased resistance to wear; zinc for threaded parts where organic lubricants are not permissible; tin or lead is frequently employed to reduce friction on bearing surfaces. Nickel plus chromium or copper plus nickel plus chromium is used in decorative applications. Nickel plus brass plus lacquer or copper plus nickel plus brass plus lacquer is also used for decorative finishes, sometimes with the brass oxidized and relieved in various ways.
3.1.1 Electroless nickel may be applied as a barrier layer prior to other deposits, or for engineering purposes.
3.2 The preparation of aluminum and aluminum alloy mandrels for electroforming is described in Practice B432.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers cleaning and conditioning treatments used before metal deposition (Section 5), and immersion deposit/strike procedures (Section 6) that enhance the adhesion of metals that are subsequently applied to aluminum products by electrodeposition or by autocatalytic chemical reduction.
1.2 The following immersion deposit/strike procedures are covered:
1.2.1 Zinc immersion with optional copper strike (6.3).
1.2.2 Zinc immersion with neutral nickel strike (6.4).
1.2.3 Zinc immersion with acetate-buffered, nickel glycolate strike (6.5).
1.2.4 Zinc immersion with acid or alkaline electroless nickel strike.
1.2.5 Tin immersion with bronze strike (6.6).
1.3 From the processing point of view, these procedures are expected to give deposits on aluminum alloys that are approximately equivalent with respect to adherence. Corrosion performance is affected by many factors, however, including the procedure used to prepare the aluminum alloy for electroplating.
1.4 This guide is intended to aid electroplaters in preparing aluminum and its alloys for electroplating.
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific precautionary statements see Section 7 and Appendix X1.
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: B253 − 11 (Reapproved 2022)
Standard Guide for
1
Preparation of Aluminum Alloys for Electroplating
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B253; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
1.1 This guide covers cleaning and conditioning treatments
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
used before metal deposition (Section 5), and immersion
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
deposit/strike procedures (Section 6) that enhance the adhesion
of metals that are subsequently applied to aluminum products
2. Referenced Documents
by electrodeposition or by autocatalytic chemical reduction.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.2 The following immersion deposit/strike procedures are
B85 Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Die Castings
covered:
B179 Specification for Aluminum Alloys in Ingot and Mol-
1.2.1 Zinc immersion with optional copper strike (6.3).
ten Forms for Castings from All Casting Processes
1.2.2 Zinc immersion with neutral nickel strike (6.4).
B209/B209M Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-
1.2.3 Zinc immersion with acetate-buffered, nickel glyco-
Alloy Sheet and Plate
late strike (6.5).
B221 Specification forAluminum andAluminum-Alloy Ex-
1.2.4 Zinc immersion with acid or alkaline electroless
truded Bars, Rods, Wire, Profiles, and Tubes
nickel strike.
B221M Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy
1.2.5 Tin immersion with bronze strike (6.6).
Extruded Bars, Rods, Wire, Profiles, and Tubes (Metric)
1.3 From the processing point of view, these procedures are
B322 Guide for Cleaning Metals Prior to Electroplating
expected to give deposits on aluminum alloys that are approxi- B432 Specification for Copper and CopperAlloy Clad Steel
mately equivalent with respect to adherence. Corrosion perfor-
Plate
mance is affected by many factors, however, including the E527 Practice for Numbering Metals and Alloys in the
procedure used to prepare the aluminum alloy for electroplat-
Unified Numbering System (UNS)
ing.
3. Significance and Use
1.4 This guide is intended to aid electroplaters in preparing
3.1 Various metals are deposited on aluminum alloys to
aluminum and its alloys for electroplating.
obtain a decorative or engineering finish. The electroplates
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
applied are usually chromium, nickel, copper, brass, silver, tin,
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
lead, cadmium, zinc, gold, and combinations of these. Silver,
standard.
tin, or gold is applied to electrical equipment to decrease
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
contact resistance or to improve surface conductivity; brass,
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
copper, nickel, or tin for assembly by soft soldering; chromium
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
to reduce friction and obtain increased resistance to wear; zinc
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
forthreadedpartswhereorganiclubricantsarenotpermissible;
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
tin or lead is frequently employed to reduce friction on bearing
For specific precautionary statements see Section 7 and Ap-
surfaces. Nickel plus chromium or copper plus nickel plus
pendix X1.
chromium is used in decorative applications. Nickel plus brass
1.7 This international standard was developed in accor-
plus lacquer or copper plus nickel plus brass plus lacquer is
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
also used for decorative finishes, sometimes with the brass
oxidized and relieved in various ways.
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B08 on Metallic and
Inorganic Coatings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B08.02 on Pre
2
Treatment. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved May 1, 2022. Published June 2022. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
approvedin1951.Lastpreviouseditionapprovedin2017asB253 – 11(2017).DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/B0253-11R22. the ASTM website.
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