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Substitute for aluminum anodizing

Is there any substitute (i.e., chemical treatment w/out electricity) that can give similar results to anodizing the surface of aluminum?

Ramille Capito
aluminum coatings - Boston, Massachusetts
2005

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Hi, Ramille. There are paints, powder coatings, chromate conversion coatings, electroless platings, and other treatments that can be applied to aluminum. Several offer equivalent corrosion resistance, some offer roughly equivalent hardness and wear resistance, some offer electrical resistance as anodizing does. Some offer a nice appearance. None offer all of the properties of anodizing. What results do you need, what properties are important to your application?

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2005

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I am in need of an inexpensive method for creating a very thin porous oxide layer on an aluminum surface (that doesn't dull the appearance) as a pretreatment to a subsequent protective coating.

Thanks for any input.

Ramille Capito
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
2005

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August 30, 2009

This may sound like a trivial solution, but aluminum rapidly oxidizes itself with a thin porous oxide layer. After cleaning, etching, and desmutting, can you leave the aluminum in the air or submerged in water to get the porous layer you need?

Regards,

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