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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Strip (remove) Copper Plating
adv.
Q. Wanting to strip copper plate from a non-stainless, alloy steel (9310 per AMS 6365). The copper plating thickness varies over the part surfaces, however, some of which have no copper and some of which have up to 3 mils of copper plate.
Which solution will be most effective yet not damage/metallurgically change the underlying non-stainless steel base metal?
Thanks.
VP, Operations and Engineering - Gardena, CA
January 11, 2022
A. Hello Mike
There are few proprietary strippers based on Nitrobenzene sulfonate salts. They are frequently marketed as Nickel strippers. When those strippers are mixed with Sodium Cyanide or some other alkaline salts, they will strip Nickel, Copper, and some other soft metals from steel (without damaging steel). Heating of the solution may be required. Try to contact your chemical supplier.
Also, it is possible to strip Copper electrolytically at 5-6V anodic (reversed) in a diluted mix of Sodium Cyanide and Sodium Hydroxide. Please note: any work with Cyanides requires relevant safety measures due to toxicity.
Good luck,
- Winnipeg, Canada
January 28, 2022
⇩ Related postings, oldest first ⇩
Q. I am looking for chemical or chemicals to strip 1 microns of copper plating from a nickel alloy material [Ni (70%), C (0.05), Si (0.15%), Mo (4.0%)] without affecting or etching the surface. I do not wish to use cyanide or a cyanide based chemical. Please recommend me the best way to solve this problem.
Fong
- Singapore
2004
A. Immersion in ammonium hydroxide (ammonia water) will dissolve copper in a short time and will not affect the nickel alloy. Odor is very strong and irritating, and disposal must be done in accordance with your local laws.
Guillermo MarrufoMonterrey, NL, Mexico
2004
Q. Mr. Marrufo,
Seems like it doesn't strip the copper plating even using 28% concentrated ammonia
⇦this on
eBay or
Amazon [affil links] water (without adding additional water). Any other ways to strip copper on nickel alloy without using cyanide.
Thanks
- Singapore
2004
|
A. Try adding about 2-4% of 35% hydrogen peroxide.  Jeffrey Holmes, CEF Spartanburg, South Carolina 2004 A. One micron of copper should be no problem to ammonia (should remove it in less than one hour). If it is not working then it is not copper or has something else on top of it. Another possibility is to use anodic treatment part is (+) stainless steel is (-), 6 volts and 30% alkali in water (sodium or potassium hydroxide) but again this may not work if ammonium didn't. Guillermo MarrufoMonterrey, NL, Mexico 2004 |
A. You can use 150 gm sodium sulfide/15 gm sulfur/1 lit water solution (20 °C temp.)!
Good luck!
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2004
A. Sodium or Ammonium persulphate will work very well.
Lee Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.
McHenry, Illinois
2004
A. Your supplier can suggest a safe copper stripper. Or as Mr. Lee mentioned you can use persulphate as it etches copper. Or you can also go for mild hydrochloric acid with ferric chloride ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] for slow stripping, but be careful since it is highly corrosive mixture.
Shafiuddin A. Mohammed
metal coating shop - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
October 31, 2009
Q. I have used a solution of ammonia with 10% hydrogen peroxide to strip copper alloy from steel parts. The solution turns blue and loses its effectiveness. Is there an easy way to remove the metals and reuse the solution? I've never worked in the industry, I'm only just learning how to brass plate.
Mike Dunn- Rochester, New York USA
December 27, 2016
Q. Hey, I've been a plater for quite a while now. Here's the question. I was derusting my motorcycle gas tank. I used vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Rinse well fill with some steel BBs or nuts and washers along with hydrogen peroxide. Agitate for a while drain and neutralize? It's a very small deposit of copper I can almost rub it off with finger light touch of scotch bright immediately removes it but I have no way of getting inside the tank with anything.
Jesse Drum [returning]- Mpls Minnesota
February 3, 2017
A. Looking at the various options suggested in this thread over its lifetime, I think the persulphate option is still the least hazardous. (It ships hazmat due to being an oxidizer but isn't noxious to work with.)
(Adv.)
Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in a source for this.
Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.
McHenry, Illinois
February 3, 2017
A. Why not try putting a few handfuls of sand in the tank with some water and agitating it in sone way, even manually.
Peter Wells- Roodeport, South Africa
August 12, 2018
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Ed. note: Closely related threads which may interest readers of this one include:
Letter 13105 "Removing brass plating and replacing with bronze"
Letter 59452 "Strip Brass Plating from low carbon steel substrate"
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