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for Metal Finishing 1989-2025
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Use of sulfuric acid for pickling mild steel components
We wish to start a project for pickling of mild steel components with a view to phosphating in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Please inform the optimum concentration of sulfuric acid we must use.
LESLIE MENDISCONSULTANT - Colombo, Western province, Sri Lanka
May 17, 2008
May 23, 2008
10% by volume is usual. However, sulfuric acid is dangerous to handle. Equally effective is sodium bisulphate (also called sodium acid sulphate) It is a powder and safe to handle (use a mask when handling to prevent inhailing dust. Although, it is not very dusty. Another slightly more expensive but very effective is sulfamic acid. Also a powder material not dusty. Use about 60 g/L of either material.
It is not good practice to over etch. This step is to remove rust and/or other oxides in preparation for phosphatizing.
Don Baudrand
Consultant - Poulsbo, Washington
(Don is co-author of "Plating on Plastics" [on Amazon or AbeBooks affil links]
and "Plating ABS Plastics" [on Amazon or eBay or AbeBooks affil links])
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