SafeGard 3000 - The Naval Air Development Center tested the 6 best chromate-free metal surface treatment to the Mil-C-5541 specification. Their conclusion was that SafeGard CC is the best non chromate conversion coating terms of paint adhesion and corrosion resistance. SafeGard CC even outperformed chromate conversion coating on coating systems testing using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This aluminum oxide coating has also been used as a cost effective replacement for light anodizing for both paint, powder coating, adhesive applications and is RoHS compliant.
Electron microscope picture of SafeGard CC-3000 treated aluminum surface.
ADHESION/WATER RESISTANCE TEST RESULTS
SafeGard CC-3000 surface treatment has been used effectively with the most difficult paint and coatings, such as teflon coatings, high performance high temperature high solids paints, powder coatings, water based and solvent based paints and adhesives. Part of the specification Mil-C-5541 is the wet and dry tape adhesion tests. The wet tape adhesion test is used to evaluate adhesion and water resistance of organic coating systems on specimens that have been treated with various aluminum surface treatment.. The wet tape method used is a modified version of ASTM D-3359, method A.
MIL-P-23377 TT-P-2756 MIL-P-88582 TT-P-2760
(EPOXY PRIMER) (UNICOAT) |
| ALLOY/PRETREATMENT |
DRY TAPE |
WET TAPE |
DRY TAPE |
WET TAPE |
DRY TAPE |
WET TAPE |
DRY TAPE |
WET TAPE |
2024-T3 Al Alloy
Alodine 1200S Chromate conversion coating
|
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
2024-T3 Al Alloy
SafeGard CC-3000
Aluminum Oxide Coating
|
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
7075-T6 Al Alloy
Alodine 1200S Chromate
|
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
7075-T6 Al Alloy
SafeGard CC-3000
Aluminum Oxide Coating
|
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
6061-T3 Al Alloy
Alodine 1200S Chromate
|
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A/0A |
5A |
5A/2A |
6061-T3 Al Alloy
SafeGard CC-3000
Aluminum Oxide Coating
|
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A |
5A | |
| RATING |
DESCRIPTION |
| 5A |
No peeling or removal |
| 4A |
Trace peeling or removal along incisions |
| 3A |
Jagged removal along incisions up to 1/16"(1.6mm) |
| 2A |
Jagged removal along most incisions up to 1/8"(3.2mm) |
| 1A |
Removal from most of the area of the X under the tape |
| 0A |
removal beyond the area of the X |
Test run at Naval Air Development in Warminister, Pennsylvania
| |
BARE CORROSION RESISTANCE - 5% SALT SPRAY (ASTM B-117)
Unpainted specimens for Sanchem's SafeGard CC pretreatment chemical, and alodine chromate conversion coating processes were exposed to 5% salt spray and and per Mil-C-5541 examined for evidence of aluminum corrosion at 168 hours and 336 hours.
PAINTED CORROSION RESISTANCE TEST RESULTS (5% SALT SPRAY)
Painted corrosion resistance is an important property for aircraft coatings due to the severe operational environment in which the aircrafts are deployed. Most aircraft primer specifications have a minimum of 1000 hours exposure to salt spray as the corrosion resistance requirement. The pretreatment plays an integral role in meeting this requirement by maintaining the integrity of the coating/substrate interface. To evaluate this property, painted specimens for each pretreatment meeting the performance required in Mil-C-5541 were exposed to 5% salt spray and examined for corrosion in the scribe area and blistering of the coating. At both 1500 hours and 2000 hours, there was no corrosion products in the scribe or blistering of the coating for any of the Alodine chromate conversion coating or Sanchem's chromate free SafeGard CC specimens. Subsequently, the coatings were carefully removed from the surface with a chemical stripper, without disturbing the underlying substrate. Upon further examination, there was no evidence of underlying corrosion on these panels.
| MIL-P-23377 MIL-P-23377/MIL-C-85285 |
| ALLOY/PRETREATMENT |
HOURS OF EXPOSURE |
HOURS OF EXPOSURE |
| 500 |
1000 |
1500 |
2000 |
500 |
1000 |
1500 |
2000 |
2024-T3 Al Alloy
Chromate deox only |
P |
+ |
- |
F |
P |
+ |
- |
F |
Alodine 1200S Chromate
2024-T3 Al Alloy
|
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
SafeGard CC-3000
Aluminum Oxide Coating
2024-T3 Al Alloy
|
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
7075-T6 Al Alloy
Chromate deox only |
P |
+ |
- |
F |
P |
+ |
- |
F |
Alodine 1200S Chromate
7075-T6 Al Alloy
|
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
SafeGard CC-3000
Aluminum Oxide Coating
7075-T6 Al Alloy
|
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P |
P | |
| P |
Pass (no evidence of aluminum corrosion on panel) |
| + |
Borderline Pass (trace of aluminum corrosion in scribe, no other corrosion) |
| - |
Borderline Failure (traces of scribe aluminum corrosion and other corrosion) |
| F |
Failure (aluminum corrosion in scribe and on panel) |
All tests run at Naval Air Development in Warminister, Pennsylvania
| |
CORROSION RESISTANCE TEST RESULTS (SO2/5% SALT SPRAY)
Painted specimens exposed to SO2/salt spray also were examined for damage to the coating and aluminum corrosion in and away from the scribe. The SO2/salt spray environment simulates industrial stack gases such as those found on aircraft carriers from engine exhausts, and it is an extremely aggressive environment. On both alloys, the alodine panels had some scribe aluminum corrosion and slight blistering of the coating, but they were all considered borderline failures relative to the extensive aluminum corrosion observed on the deoxidized specimens. The Sanchem panels passed 168 hours on both alloys in the SO2/salt spray environment, outperforming alodine chromate conversion coated panels which were borderline failures.
ARCHITECTURAL COATING TESTING
Tiger Drylac tested SafeGard CC-3000 metal surface treatment at Tigerwerk in Wels/Austria. They concluded that SafeGard CC-3000 conversion coating was able to pass their performance criteria for using SafeGard CC-3000 with their architectural coatings.
| Film Thickness (mils) |
3 |
| Gloss acc. to Gardner 60 degr. ASTM D-523 |
90 |
| Cross Hatch Adhesion ISO 2409/ DIN 53151 |
GTO |
| Mandrel Bending Test ISO1519/ DIN 53152 |
3mm |
| Pencil Hardness ASTM D-3363 |
2H |
| Impact Test ASTM D-2794 |
OK |
| Salt Spray Resistance Test S-2130 |
3000 hours |
| Blistering: |
No |
| Undercutting: |
No |
| Humidity Resistance Test T-1000 |
3000 hours |
| Blistering: |
No |
| Undercutting: |
No |
| Boiling Water Test |
OK |
| Blistering: |
No |
| Undercutting: |
No |
| Kesternich Test (SO2 Test) |
OK |
| Blistering: |
No |
| Undercutting: |
No | |
SafeGard CC-3400 - Is a RoHS Compliant conversion coating that is extremely effective on aluminum, magnesium and zinc. On Aluminum you can get both the clear and gold color from the same tank. On aluminum, Safegard CC-3400 provides excellent unpainted corrosion resistance and creates excellent base for surface finishing with both paints and powder coatings.
Nokia is now using SafeGard CC aluminum surface treatment to meet Europe's RoHS Directive for the elimination of hexavalent chromium in Electrical and Electronic Equipment effective July 2006. California has already passed legislation to fall approximately in line with the EU timescales. Another telecommunications company wants to have a colorless surface(clear) that is RoHS compliant. They are using SafeGard CC-3400 with SafeGard CC-3400seal#2 aluminum surface treatment to achieve both corrosion resistance and maintain electrical conductivity on their aluminum parts.
Electrical Resistance values for 2024 -T3
wrought aluminum alloy with various pretreatment chemical
|
| PROCESS |
RANGE
(200 psi values in micro ohms/square inch) |
| SafeGard CC-3400 |
210-275 |
Clear chromate conversion coating
|
3000-5000 |
| SafeGard CC-3400 w/seal#2 |
3000-5000 |
| Upper limit per Mil-C-5541 |
12,000 max. |
Chromium Trivalent
|
13,500-15,000 | |
SafeGard CC chemical conversion coating has been tested following the performance requirements for Mil-C-5541 by Boeing in St Louis, Missouri. Their conclusion was that this aluminum surface treatment passes both the corrosion and electrical conductivity requirements for Mil-C-5541.
SafeGard CC-3500 - This RoHS compliant aluminum surface treatment will give you a gold-brown surface in 30-40 seconds. Provides excellent corrosion resistance and paint adhesion. Used extensively when surface finishing with powder coating applications.
ACTION TESTING & CONSULTING LABORATORY, INC.
1800 Montreal Court, Suite A, Tucker, Georgia 30084
Request: Salt spray testing per ASTM B 117-94, referencing ASTM B 449-93 for performance requirements, and adhesion testing per ASTM D-3359-95 of chromate conversion coating (Iridite Chromate Process) aluminum panels and Sanchem surface treatment SafeGard CC 3500 coated aluminum panels with different surface finishing.
| Salt Spray and Tape Adhesion Testing Results |
| Engineering Service Report #18596-1 Report |
Finish Type |
Corrosion Resistance per ASTM B-449-93 Salt Spray |
Tape Adhesion Performance per ASTM D-3359-95 |
| October 2, 1996 |
ASTM B-117-94 |
Method B |
| Irridite Chromate conversion coating |
TGIC powder Silver |
Pass |
Pass |
SafeGard CC-3500
Conversion Coating |
TGIC powder Silver |
Pass |
Pass |
| Irridite Chromate conversion coating |
Azure Blue Polyester Powder |
Pass |
Pass |
SafeGard CC-3500
Conversion Coating |
Azure Blue Polyester Powder |
Pass |
Pass |
Irridite Chromate conversion coating
|
Static Black Polane T |
Pass |
Pass |
SafeGard CC-3500
Conversion Coating
|
Static Black Polane T |
Pass |
Pass |
Irridite Chromate conversion coating
|
C.O.S.B. Polane T+ |
Pass |
Pass |
SafeGard CC-3500
Conversion Coating |
C.O.S.B. Polane T+ |
Pass |
Pass |
Irridite Chromate conversion coating
|
Black Wrinkle Epoxy Powder |
Pass |
Pass |
SafeGard CC-3500
Conversion Coating |
Black Wrinkle Epoxy Powder |
Pass |
Pass |
Irridite Chromate conversion coating
|
No paint |
Pass |
- |
SafeGard CC-3500
Conversion Coating |
No paint |
Pass |
- | |
RESULTS: Both the surface treatments met the corrosion resistance requirements of ASTM B449-93. No isolated spots or pits were observed after the 4000 hour salt spray exposure period. All of the chemical conversion coating samples met the coating adhesion requirements of ASTM D-3359-95, with a rating of 5B.
SafeGard CC-6100 and SafeGard CC-7000 - Cold applied conversion coatings react in a few seconds to give gold-brown coating with excellent paint adhesion and corrosion resistance. This RoHS compliant aluminum surface treatment was initially used for in service repair applications involving a small number of parts on a one-time basis. But as it is shown below, very effective of treating large structures.
Figure A:
Cleaned metal surface of plane with SafeGard CC-6100C. |
Figure B:
SafeGard 6100 sprayed on plane's surface. |
Figure C:
Conversion Coated surface of plane. |
Figure D:
Conversion Coated and painted surface of plane
| |
Easy to use SafeGard C-6100 gives you visual identification of surface treatment.
SafeGard 4100 - Dry in place aluminum surface treatment to prevent aluminum corrosion and discoloration under humid conditions. Is not effected by heat. Often used in 400-500 F heating conditions. Also effective to prevent corrosion on in process aluminum parts and as an aluminum can coating .
SAFEGARD CC-3400 - THE GOLDEN STANDARD OF ALUMINUM PRETREATMENTS
Sanchem Inc. · Chicago, IL · 312-733-6100 · 800-621-1603
