SUPPRESSION OF PHOSPHATE DRAGGING RESULTING FROM THE PLANT DESIGN IN A DIP COATING PROCESS SEQUENCE

Abstract

A method for the preliminary treatment against corrosion of a plurality of metallic components, in which dragging of water-soluble phosphates from an acid passivation process using water-dissolved phosphates as the active components, e.g. a phosphating process, into the dip coating treatment stage, is effectively prevented.

Claims

1. A method for anti-corrosion pretreatment of a plurality of metal structural components in series, comprising at least one acid passivation step based on an aqueous treatment solution containing dissolved phosphates, and a dip-coating step based on dipping paint, each as wet-chemical treatment steps, the treatment step of dip-coating always following that of acid passivation in the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment, in which each structural component to be pretreated from the batch is received by a conveying frame, the transport pair consisting of the structural component and the conveying frame is then guided through the wet-chemical treatment steps according to the process sequence, and the transport pair is separated and a pretreated structural component is discharged only after the final treatment step, and subsequently the conveying frame thus released receives a following structural component to be pretreated from the batch in order to pass through the process sequence again for the purpose of anti-corrosion pretreatment of this structural component, the conveying frame passing through the process sequence as often as is required in order to carry out anti-corrosion pretreatment of the plurality of structural components, and at least a part of each conveying frame being brought into contact, during the wet-chemical treatment steps, both with the acid passivation and with the dip-coating, wherein the transport pair is guided through an intermediate wet-chemical treatment step for conditioning prior to the dip-coating and immediately after the acid passivation, in which intermediate step at least the part of the conveying frame that had previously been brought into contact, during the acid passivation, with the aqueous treatment solution containing dissolved phosphates is brought into contact with an acidic aqueous agent containing water-soluble compounds of the elements Zr, Ti, Cr(III) and/or Al in a total amount of at least 0.1 g/kg based on the agent.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic aqueous conditioning agent contains water-soluble compounds of the element aluminum in an amount of at least 0.2 g/kg calculated as Al based on the agent.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic aqueous conditioning agent contains water-soluble compounds of the elements Zr, Ti and/or Cr(III) in a total amount of at least 0.2 g/kg, calculated as the proportion by weight of these elements based on the agent.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acidic aqueous conditioning agent contains water-soluble compounds of the elements Zr, Ti and/or Cr(III) in a total amount of at least 0.4 g/kg, calculated as the proportion by weight of these elements based on the agent.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the acidic aqueous conditioning agent is more than 3.0 and less than 5.0.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dip-coating is a cathodic dip-coating that contains at least one water-soluble compound of the element bismuth and/or yttrium in addition to the dispersed resin.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment step of acid passivation is preceded by cleaning/degreasing as a wet-chemical treatment step within the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment of structural components in series, the cleaning/degreasing being carried out, at least in phases, based on an aqueous cleaning solution, the pH of which is above 8.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein baking of the dipping paint in order to form a cured paint coating follows the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment of a plurality of structural components in series, and optionally conveying frames, but not conveying frames of the kind associated with the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment, receiving the pretreated structural components and transferring said components to the baking step and optionally subsequent steps for further coating.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: a cleaning/degreasing step, as a wet-chemical treatment step based on an aqueous cleaning solution having a pH of above 8 precedes the treatment step of acid passivation; and a baking step of the dipping paint on the structural components in order to form a cured paint coating, follows the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment of a plurality of structural components in series and conveying frames, different from conveying frames from the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment, receive the pretreated structural components and transfer said components to the baking step and optionally subsequent steps for further coating; wherein the acidic aqueous conditioning agent contains water-soluble compounds of the elements Zr, Ti and/or Cr(III) in a total amount of at least 0.4 g/kg, calculated as the proportion by weight of these elements based on the agent and has a pH of more than 3.0 and less than 5.0; and the dip-coating is a cathodic dip-coating that contains at least one water-soluble compound of the element bismuth and/or yttrium in the dipping paint addition to the dispersed resin.

Description

[0003] This object is achieved by a method for anti-corrosion pretreatment of a plurality of metal structural components in series, comprising at least one acid passivation based on an aqueous treatment solution containing dissolved phosphates, and dip-coating, each as wet-chemical treatment steps, the treatment step of dip-coating always following that of acid passivation in the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment, in which each structural component to be pretreated from the batch is received by a conveying frame, the transport pair consisting of the structural component and the conveying frame is then guided through the wet-chemical treatment steps according to the process sequence, and the transport pair is separated and a pretreated structural component is discharged only after the final treatment step, and subsequently the conveying frame thus released receives a following structural component to be pretreated from the batch in order to pass through the process sequence again for the purpose of anti-corrosion pretreatment of this structural component, the conveying frame passing through the process sequence as often as is required in order to carry out anti-corrosion pretreatment of the plurality of structural components, and at least a part of each conveying frame being brought into contact, during the wet-chemical treatment steps, both with the acid passivation and with the dip-coating, characterized in that the transport pair is guided through an intermediate wet-chemical treatment step for conditioning prior to the dip-coating and immediately after the acid passivation, in which intermediate step at least the part of the conveying frame that had previously been brought into contact, during the acid passivation, with the aqueous treatment solution containing dissolved phosphates is brought into contact with an acidic aqueous agent containing water-soluble compounds of the elements Zr, Ti, Cr(III) and/or Al in a total amount of at least 0.1 g/kg based on the agent.

[0004] In a method of this kind according to the invention, anti-corrosion pretreatment of the metal structural components is carried out, while carryover of dissolved phosphate from the acid passivation into the dip-coating by the conveying frames is effectively suppressed. Since, in the method according to the invention, each conveying frame repeatedly passes through the dip-coating, a paint coagulate having a significant layer thickness accumulates on the regions of the conveying frame that repeatedly come into contact with the dipping paint without subsequently being baked. However, in the method according to the invention, the absorption capacity of the adhering paint coagulate for dissolved phosphate is minimized by the conveying frames together with the structural component being guided through the wet-chemical treatment step for the purpose of conditioning. As a result, although the paint coagulate adhering to the conveying frame absorbs dissolved phosphate, said phosphate is almost entirely immobilized by the precipitation of slightly soluble phosphates during the subsequent wet-chemical treatment step for conditioning. The phosphate thus immobilized is not released in the subsequent dip-coating. Thus, the carryover of dissolved phosphates that is usually caused by the conveying frames is significantly reduced, and therefore the quality of the dip-coating does not deteriorate during the course of the pretreatment of structural components in series, and/or the baking temperature of the paint does not have to be increased on account of the precipitation of cross-linking catalysts such as yttrium and/or bismuth.

[0005] A series pretreatment according to the present invention occurs when a plurality of metal structural components pass through the wet-chemical treatment steps of the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment, each structural component passing through the individual treatment steps of the process sequence in a manner temporally offset from one another.

[0006] A metal structural component within the meaning of the present invention is present when the structural component is composed at least in part of at least one metal material, preferably zinc, iron, aluminum and the respective alloys, provided that the above-mentioned elements in each case form the main alloy component at more than 50 at. %, and of zinc-plated steel.

[0007] An acid passivation within the meaning of the present invention denotes a wet-chemical treatment step in the course of which a phosphate-containing passivating coating is formed. For this purpose, the acid passivation is based on an aqueous agent having a pH of less than 7 and containing dissolved phosphate, dissolved phosphate in water being present in the form of hydrated compounds that are a source of phosphate ions.

[0008] Dip-coating within the meaning of the present invention denotes a wet-chemical treatment step in the course of which a curable paint coagulate is deposited on the metal structural component and is then formed into a film and cured by baking in a subsequent treatment step. For this purpose, the dip-coating is based on an aqueous agent containing at least one dispersed organic resin in an amount of at least 1 wt. % based on the aqueous agent. In a preferred embodiment, the dipping paint can be electrophoretically deposited, in a particularly preferred embodiment by applying a current, the metal structural component being connected as the cathode. In the latter case, this is cathodic dip-coating, in which an alkaline pH-shift at the interface to the metal structural component causes coagulation of the dispersed resin particles, and thus layer-formation on the structural component. It has been found that in particular the paint coagulate from cathodic dip-coating promotes the absorption of dissolved phosphate. It is possible that, in this case, the positive zeta potential of the resin particles or the positive charge density in the polymer is responsible for the comparatively high absorption capacity and the resultant increased tendency for dissolved phosphate to be carried over into the dip-coating by the paint coagulate adhering to the conveying frame.

[0009] In a particular embodiment of the method according to the invention, the preferred dip-coating is cathodic dip-coating, preferably at least one water-soluble compound of the element bismuth and/or yttrium being contained in addition to the dispersed resin. Precisely these elements have a tendency, in the presence of dissolved phosphate, to form slightly soluble salts, and therefore the result of dip-coating of this kind depends to a significant extent on the carryover of dissolved phosphates.

[0010] Within the meaning of the present invention, a process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment comprises a specified sequence of wet-chemical treatment steps from the structural component to be pretreated being received by the conveying frame to the now pretreated structural component being removed in order to be delivered to the baking step, each individual wet-chemical treatment step providing for the structural component and at least parts of the conveying frame to be brought into contact with an aqueous agent.

[0011] A conveying frame within the meaning of the present invention denotes a frame for transporting the structural components through all the wet-chemical treatment steps, which steps are spatially separate from one another, in accordance with the process sequence according to the invention. The frame can be of any spatial design that permits it to receive and transport the structural component. The conveying frame and the structural component to be pretreated form a transport pair for the duration of the process sequence. When the process sequence has ended, the pretreated structural component is removed and made available for the baking step (discharging); as soon as the pretreated structural component has been removed, the conveying frame is released again and can receive a further structural component to be pretreated. Generally, for reasons of economy of method, it is preferred to use a plurality of conveying frames for the quasi-continuous treatment of a plurality of structural components in series. Preferably, the number of conveying frames corresponds at least to the number of wet-chemical treatment steps.

[0012] In a particular embodiment of the method according to the invention, the acidic aqueous conditioning agent contains water-soluble compounds of the element aluminum, preferably in an amount of at least 0.2 g/kg calculated as Al based on the agent.

[0013] In a further particular embodiment of the method according to the invention, the acidic aqueous conditioning agent contains water-soluble compounds of the elements Zr, Ti and/or Cr(III) in a total amount of at least 0.2 g/kg, preferably at least 0.4 g/kg, calculated as the proportion by weight of these elements based on the agent.

[0014] It is preferable, in particular, for the acidic aqueous conditioning agent to be substantially free of dissolved phosphates. This is intended to mean that less than 100 mg/kg, preferably less than 50 ppm, of dissolved phosphates, calculated as PO.sub.4, are contained in the agent.

[0015] Within the meaning of the present invention, compounds are water-soluble when the solubility thereof in deionized water having a conductivity of no more than 1 Scm.sup.1 at a temperature of 20 C. is at least 1 g/l.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the pH of the acidic aqueous agent is more than 3.0 and preferably less than 5.0.

[0017] Furthermore, it is conventional, and therefore preferred, for the treatment step of acid passivation to be preceded by cleaning/degreasing of this kind as a wet-chemical treatment step within the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment of structural components in series, in which the cleaning and degreasing is carried out based on aqueous cleaning solutions, the pH of which is above 6, preferably above 8, particularly preferably above 10. This ensures that the paint coagulate adhering to the conveying frame and the active components from treating the conveying frame that are contained in said paint coagulate remain in the paint coagulate and are not released into the cleaning/degreasing.

[0018] Moreover, it is conventional, and therefore preferred, for the baking of the dipping paint in order to form a cured paint coating to follow on from the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment of a plurality of structural components in series in the method according to the invention, preferably again conveying frames, but not conveying frames of the kind associated with the process sequence for anti-corrosion pretreatment, receiving the pretreated structural components and transferring said components to the baking step and optionally subsequent steps for further coating.