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Copper coating on drawn wire

Am involved in co2 wire production as a technical supervisor and would like to know if there is any material that can be used in copper coating the drawn wire instead of sulfuric acid! I mean during the copper coating process which is normally applied to the drawn and pickled wire ,using temperature of course . How I can coat effectively without the necessity of H2SO4 and what is the replacing material or idea .

Basel . R . hijazi
interested in copper coating - Hebron , westbank , Palestine
2004

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When you say that you don't want to use sulfuric acid, but you don't say why, it is hard to recommend a substitute. Fluoboric acid should work, but it is more hazardous.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

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You can use next solution (instead copper sulphate ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] / sulfuric acid solution):

60 gms copper sulphate
60 gms ammonia ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (25%)
65 gms tartaric acid ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links]

pH must be slightly acidic! First dissolve sulphate, then add ammonia and then acid.

Good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2004

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2004

Thanks for the answers for both Mr. Ted and Mr. Goran ....

Mr. Goran ,,,I appreciate your prescription , but what you need to know is that I work on big tanks and say 2000 ltrs and another with about 1000 ltrs. and temperature reaches 35 -40 deg.cent. am afraid the ammonia will produce a very pungent odor and harmful too to the workers as may the tartaric would do! Did you work out this with a similar process ? How can we avoid the odor and harmness of the material ? is there a vigorous chemical reaction expected in such a case ?

Many thanks and waiting your response .

Basel R. Hijazi
co2 welding wire production - Hebron, Palestine

Your problem is not so simple-I think that sulfuric acid/copper sulphate process is best for you (7,5-15 gm copper sulphate,4-8 ml.sulfuric acid,1 lit water). Maybe you can use citric or tartaric acid ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] process but it is much more expensive solution. Also you can try to find proprietary product. Hope it helps and good luck.

Goran Budija
- Zagreb, Croatia
2004