Plated aluminum alloy, cylinder block thereof, plating line and plating method

• US 5,980,722 A
• Filed: 10/29/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Muramatsu, Hitoshi, Kuroda, Tetsuya, Katoh, Hidezumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Valentine, Donald R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH HICKS, ERICA D
• Application Number:
  US08/960,511
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 205/205, 205/213, 205/219, 205/172, 205/183, 205/271, 205/272, 205/324, 205/328
• US Class Current: 205/219
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/044 coatings specially adapted for cutting tools or wear applications
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 11/06 characterised by the electrolytes used
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/44 Aluminium

Abstract

A method of plating an aluminum alloy, of which the steps are small in number and the productivity is improved as compared with conventional zincate conversion or anodic oxidation methods and which attains a decrease in cost and obviates the use of mixed acids, and a plated aluminum alloy of which the coating has excellent adhesion, the method comprising the steps of carrying out anodic etching of a silicon-containing aluminum alloy to protrude silicon from the surface of the aluminum alloy, optionally carrying out anodic oxidation of the aluminum alloy on its surface from which the silicon is protruded, and plating the aluminum alloy, and the plated aluminum alloy containing silicon in a state where the silicon bridges the aluminum alloy and the plating layer.

Claims

1. A pretreatment method for plating an aluminum alloy, which comprises the step of carrying out anodic electrolytic etching of a silicon-containing aluminum alloy to protrude silicon from a surface of the aluminum alloy, wherein the anodic electrolytic etching is carried out by using the silicon-containing aluminum alloy as an anode.

2. The pretreatment method of claim 1, wherein the anodic electrolytic etching of the silicon-containing aluminum alloy is carried out to form a concavo-convex shape on the surface of the aluminum alloy.

3. The pretreatment method of claim 1, wherein the anodic electrolytic etching is carried out by using the silicon-containing aluminum alloy as an anode, using an insoluble electrode as a cathode and applying electricity in an electrolyte.

4. The pretreatment method of claim 3, wherein the electrolyte is at least one selected from phosphoric acid, sulfamic acid or sulfuric acid.

5. The pretreatment method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises the step of carrying out anodic oxidation of the aluminum alloy on its surface after the anodic electrolytic etching, to form an aluminum alloy oxide layer.

6. The pretreatment method of claim 5, wherein the anodic electrolytic etching and the anodic oxidation are carried out by using the silicon-containing aluminum alloy as an anode, using an insoluble electrode as a cathode and applying electricity in an electrolyte.

7. The pretreatment method of claim 6, wherein the electrolyte is at least one selected from phosphoric acid, sulfamic acid or sulfuric acid.

8. A method of plating an aluminum alloy, which comprises the steps of carrying out anodic electrolytic etching of a silicon-containing aluminum alloy to protrude silicon from a surface of the aluminum alloy and to form a concavo-convex shape on the surface of the aluminum alloy, and plating the aluminum alloy, wherein the anodic electrolytic etching is carried out by using the silicon-containing aluminum alloy as an anode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the anodic electrolytic etching is carried out by using the silicon-containing aluminum alloy as an anode, using an insoluble electrode as a cathode and applying electricity in an electrolyte.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrolyte for the anodic electrolytic etching is at least one selected from phosphoric acid, sulfamic acid or sulfuric acid.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises the step of carrying out anodic oxidation of the aluminum alloy on its surface from which silicon is protruding, before the step of plating.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the anodic electrolytic etching and the anodic oxidation are carried out by using the silicon-containing aluminum alloy as an anode, using an insoluble electrode as a cathode and applying electricity in an electrolyte.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrolyte for the anodic electrolytic etching and the anodic oxidation is at least one selected from phosphoric acid, sulfamic acid or sulfuric acid.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of plating uses Ni-P, Ni-SiC or Ni-P-SiC for plating the aluminum alloy, and the aluminum alloy is selected from an AC material or an ADC material.

15. A treatment line for plating an aluminum alloy, which comprises a degreasing portion, an electrolytic etching portion, a plating portion, and an anodic oxidation portion.

16. The treatment line of claim 15, wherein the plating portion uses any one selected from Ni-P, Ni-SiC and Ni-P-SiC for plating an aluminum alloy, and the aluminum alloy is an AC material or an ADC material.